We visited Rasika to celebrate a birthday in the family. They offer interesting menu with subtle fusion between Indian cuisine and western taste. Menu is extensive, with many appetizers and fish varieties not found in other Indian restaurants. The place has upscale vibes and a reservation is strongly recommended. On a Saturday night, the tables were full, including patio seating on a cool October night; the restaurant even called us ahead to confirm that we are coming. I had a Halibut cooked in Goanese curry with a thick tomato paste. Specially their Mango rasmalai desert was very good. The consensus of our party of five is that the quality is good but not super for all items. Their service was impeccable and cleanliness is rigorously maintained. For many dishes, the price is reasonable given the post pandemic era. Four and half stars.
ptownexplore
I have loved Indian food since I first had it as a child on a trip to NYC in 1964. In general the Indian food that I have had over the years has always been good, with only small variation that I've noticed between the best and the average...I happily eat at any Indian restaurant that I encounter. Rasika is the exception. It was by far the best Indian restaurant that I have ever had the pleasure to dine at. It is not cheap, but I had a lamb dish that was so large I was easily able to share bits with other diners and still leave feeling full. Service and atmosphere are also top notch. I hope to be able to return.
Hoda Khouri
Very authentic and delicious Indian cuisine. They offer lots of variety that suit everyone in your party. The Dec
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
S Kaur
Try Patra ni Machi (which is a fish) I’m not a fan of fish but it was actually so good and we ordered it 2 times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sonam Saxena
Food is okay- only thing that stands out is the palak chat. Service was more of an issue. We felt rushed the whole time and our waiter was rude
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
er4harmony
The most reasonably priced of the several restaurants we tried. The food was reasonably flavored, but my comment has to be that we go to ethnic restaurants to experience their flavors and textures, but things generally get Americanized. The chicken masala was fine bit it was made with chunks of white meat, no skin. Boring. Staff was very friendly but it didn't compensate for ordinary food.
Queen B
El Cielo offers a unique and creative take on Colombian cuisine, and I appreciated the thoughtful presentation and bold flavors in many of the dishes. The tasting menu felt like a fun adventure, with some standout moments—like the fresh ceviche—but a few dishes didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, which I loved, but the pacing of the meal was a bit slow, making the experience feel drawn out. Service was friendly but a little inconsistent during busy times. Overall, it’s an interesting spot with lots of potential, but I’m not sure it quite lived up to the hype for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
omateeg
We ordered drinks and appetizers and it was pleasant up until then. Service was fine, drinks good, food okay. After 20minutes after we were done with the appetizes, our server wasn’t back yet to take our order but we were okay as they seemed quite busy. The manager/owner (who greeted us when we sat down) came by to take our orders. When my friend and I asked for the tasting menu, he immediately went into an explanation of how that takes 2-21/2 hours, followed by unsolicited advice that we don’t need that since we already had appetizers and that our husbands would not wait around for us that long. Forget that the previous server told us it’s about 1.5 hours, not being people to create a scene, we reluctantly agreed to select something else, at which point he said he will come back as we have not decided yet. At that point, I had to firmly say ‘No please we are placing our order now, please take their (our husbands’) orders and come back to us. We ordered and sat waiting. Imagine my surprise when the couple seated next to me got their food and what was it. Yup. The tasting menu. From start to finish. They were down to dessert and we were still there at the restaurant. Definitely all within an hour tops. Of course still being the type to never create a scene I decided that this was not an experience worthy of a tip. We split the bill and left a small tip on one of the receipts. I signed my receipt and put it in my purse without realizing. When he(owner/manager) came to retrieve it, I couldn’t find it. He said ‘it’s okay just tell me how much was the tip?’ Me: I left no tip. Him: (Looking at me like I just admitted to a crime) ‘No tip?’ Me: ‘Nope no tip.’ Then we left. I don’t know what upset me more. The rude manner in which we were told we shouldn’t get what we wanted in the first place or the fact that the people right next to us received the respect and courtesy that we were clearly not deserving of. It was the first and last for me.
Lavern Bentt
I had always relied on Rasika as a go-to spot for special occasions and hosting out-of-town guests, but my most recent visit was quite disappointing. The food quality did not live up to past experiences. The entrées were noticeably small in portion size, served with a large amount of sauce, and the rice—charged separately—did not feel like good value. A more concerning issue was that I found metallic pot-scrubber pieces in my rice. When I brought this to my server’s attention, the response was casual and dismissive, with no effort made to address or remedy the situation. Similarly, when I expressed that I did not enjoy the rice-based dessert, I was told it was a popular dish but was not offered a substitute or any alternative. Overall, the lack of attentiveness and care left me very let down, especially given the restaurant’s past reputation for excellent dining. Based on this experience, I have not returned.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Alex
Rasika has a lovely atmosphere and attentive service, and the menu is creative. Some dishes — like the palak chaat — really shine, but others felt more average than expected given the reputation and price. It’s a pleasant spot for a night out.
Good Indian food with great service. We tried the palak chaat, mixed grill, paneer as well as lamb kebab and everything was good. The dessert selection was a bit of a letdown but the black rice pudding was pretty good
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Meron Abraham
I have been going to Rasika ever since I have moved to DC 12 years ago and it has always been amazing! Today's Biryani was awful. No flavor, some rice was white and chicken seems uncooked well. The food was not fresh, may have been days since it was cooked. Just disappointed over a wasted lunch on a workday!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Franz Zemen
Easily the best Indian cuisine I have had in years. Elevated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mom Dad
The food is good but the place was too dark so we had to use phone light. Other customers had to go through same issue. It was very loud in there so with the dark and noise the atmosphere didn’t feel calming
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Alexandre Gagnaire
This was our first time in this restaurant and will definitely not be the last one. Fortunately kids under 8 years old are not allowed inside, so we had a table outside. The inside seemed very noisy.
Food was delicious and served really fast despite the restaurant being packed on a friday night.
We visited Rasika to celebrate a birthday in the family. They offer interesting menu with subtle fusion between Indian cuisine and western taste. Menu is extensive, with many appetizers and fish varieties not found in other Indian restaurants. The place has upscale vibes and a reservation is strongly recommended. On a Saturday night, the tables were full, including patio seating on a cool October night; the restaurant even called us ahead to confirm that we are coming. I had a Halibut cooked in Goanese curry with a thick tomato paste. Specially their Mango rasmalai desert was very good. The consensus of our party of five is that the quality is good but not super for all items. Their service was impeccable and cleanliness is rigorously maintained. For many dishes, the price is reasonable given the post pandemic era. Four and half stars.
I have loved Indian food since I first had it as a child on a trip to NYC in 1964. In general the Indian food that I have had over the years has always been good, with only small variation that I've noticed between the best and the average...I happily eat at any Indian restaurant that I encounter. Rasika is the exception. It was by far the best Indian restaurant that I have ever had the pleasure to dine at. It is not cheap, but I had a lamb dish that was so large I was easily able to share bits with other diners and still leave feeling full. Service and atmosphere are also top notch. I hope to be able to return.
Very authentic and delicious Indian cuisine. They offer lots of variety that suit everyone in your party. The Dec
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Try Patra ni Machi (which is a fish) I’m not a fan of fish but it was actually so good and we ordered it 2 times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food is okay- only thing that stands out is the palak chat. Service was more of an issue. We felt rushed the whole time and our waiter was rude
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
The most reasonably priced of the several restaurants we tried. The food was reasonably flavored, but my comment has to be that we go to ethnic restaurants to experience their flavors and textures, but things generally get Americanized. The chicken masala was fine bit it was made with chunks of white meat, no skin. Boring. Staff was very friendly but it didn't compensate for ordinary food.
El Cielo offers a unique and creative take on Colombian cuisine, and I appreciated the thoughtful presentation and bold flavors in many of the dishes. The tasting menu felt like a fun adventure, with some standout moments—like the fresh ceviche—but a few dishes didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, which I loved, but the pacing of the meal was a bit slow, making the experience feel drawn out. Service was friendly but a little inconsistent during busy times. Overall, it’s an interesting spot with lots of potential, but I’m not sure it quite lived up to the hype for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
We ordered drinks and appetizers and it was pleasant up until then. Service was fine, drinks good, food okay. After 20minutes after we were done with the appetizes, our server wasn’t back yet to take our order but we were okay as they seemed quite busy. The manager/owner (who greeted us when we sat down) came by to take our orders. When my friend and I asked for the tasting menu, he immediately went into an explanation of how that takes 2-21/2 hours, followed by unsolicited advice that we don’t need that since we already had appetizers and that our husbands would not wait around for us that long. Forget that the previous server told us it’s about 1.5 hours, not being people to create a scene, we reluctantly agreed to select something else, at which point he said he will come back as we have not decided yet. At that point, I had to firmly say ‘No please we are placing our order now, please take their (our husbands’) orders and come back to us. We ordered and sat waiting. Imagine my surprise when the couple seated next to me got their food and what was it. Yup. The tasting menu. From start to finish. They were down to dessert and we were still there at the restaurant. Definitely all within an hour tops. Of course still being the type to never create a scene I decided that this was not an experience worthy of a tip. We split the bill and left a small tip on one of the receipts. I signed my receipt and put it in my purse without realizing. When he(owner/manager) came to retrieve it, I couldn’t find it. He said ‘it’s okay just tell me how much was the tip?’ Me: I left no tip. Him: (Looking at me like I just admitted to a crime) ‘No tip?’ Me: ‘Nope no tip.’ Then we left. I don’t know what upset me more. The rude manner in which we were told we shouldn’t get what we wanted in the first place or the fact that the people right next to us received the respect and courtesy that we were clearly not deserving of. It was the first and last for me.
I had always relied on Rasika as a go-to spot for special occasions and hosting out-of-town guests, but my most recent visit was quite disappointing. The food quality did not live up to past experiences. The entrées were noticeably small in portion size, served with a large amount of sauce, and the rice—charged separately—did not feel like good value.
A more concerning issue was that I found metallic pot-scrubber pieces in my rice. When I brought this to my server’s attention, the response was casual and dismissive, with no effort made to address or remedy the situation. Similarly, when I expressed that I did not enjoy the rice-based dessert, I was told it was a popular dish but was not offered a substitute or any alternative.
Overall, the lack of attentiveness and care left me very let down, especially given the restaurant’s past reputation for excellent dining. Based on this experience, I have not returned.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Rasika has a lovely atmosphere and attentive service, and the menu is creative. Some dishes — like the palak chaat — really shine, but others felt more average than expected given the reputation and price. It’s a pleasant spot for a night out.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Good Indian food with great service. We tried the palak chaat, mixed grill, paneer as well as lamb kebab and everything was good. The dessert selection was a bit of a letdown but the black rice pudding was pretty good
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
I have been going to Rasika ever since I have moved to DC 12 years ago and it has always been amazing! Today's Biryani was awful. No flavor, some rice was white and chicken seems uncooked well. The food was not fresh, may have been days since it was cooked. Just disappointed over a wasted lunch on a workday!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Easily the best Indian cuisine I have had in years. Elevated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is good but the place was too dark so we had to use phone light. Other customers had to go through same issue. It was very loud in there so with the dark and noise the atmosphere didn’t feel calming
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
This was our first time in this restaurant and will definitely not be the last one. Fortunately kids under 8 years old are not allowed inside, so we had a table outside. The inside seemed very noisy.
Food was delicious and served really fast despite the restaurant being packed on a friday night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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