Our waiter was excellent. Food was very good. They have wonderful butter chicken and good desserts. We love eating here.
Tamra
We had samosas, tandoori, curry, etc. very tasty! We will definitely go back. Great service!
Bill Hinton
Good food, staff and environment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Irina
Great food thank you One wish if they place use more original way of cooking w ghee instead of turning to inflammatory oils that are so unhealthy for our bodies Please. Ring coconut avocado or ghee back to healthy eating out Go back to natural
Sherri Bale
The absolute best Indian food in Bethesda!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christine Mathew
I am Indian American and my brother and I have never seen a place like this before, maybe how a palace dining room might look. I liked the well-kept colonial decor, the clean (not grimy) menus with historical write ups, and the food, which tasted home-cooked. The channa masala, palak paneer, and samosa chaat were good. The tandoori chicken isn’t the red charred chicken usually prepared, but more like roasted breaded chicken. It was still good and a great way to avoid artificial food dye! I’m sure they could open a tea room if they wanted to!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sabrina Torres
The BEST Indian food in Bethesda hands down... Consistently delicious, great service, quick, well priced. I especially love the lunch platter!! Have been here multiple times and never leave less than satisfied.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sherrine M. Thompson
I recently had lunch at Passage to India in Bethesda with a few friends, including one who grew up in India. The restaurant itself has a warm, elegant atmosphere from the chandeliers, framed art, and rich tones give it a classic and slightly formal feel, but it’s still inviting. The space wasn’t crowded during lunch, which made it perfect for conversation. We never felt rushed, and the staff was friendly, attentive, and accommodating throughout our meal.
As for the food, it was a mix of traditional Indian dishes and some creative fusion touches. For my meal, I tried their butter chicken “taco”, which uses soft naan in place of a traditional taco shell. It’s a fun fusion twist, creamy, flavorful butter chicken with fresh greens and shredded cheese layered over warm naan. It was hearty, messy in the best way, and full of flavor.
My friends ordered more traditional dishes, including a beautifully presented thali with dal makhani, paneer curry, rice, and naan, as well as crispy chaat drizzled with yogurt and chutneys. I also shared a delicious samosa with one of them. It was perfectly crisp on the outside and filled with spiced potatoes and peas.
My Indian friend mentioned that while the food was good, the flavors were not quite as bold or complex as what she’s used to at home. From my perspective, the dishes were satisfying, with just enough spice to make them interesting without being overwhelming.
Overall, Passage to India offered a pleasant dining experience: flavorful food, comfortable surroundings, and great service. If you’re looking for a relaxed place to enjoy Indian cuisine in Bethesda, especially with friends or family, it’s a nice spot to linger over lunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Khushboo Harshal Desai
Food was really good but the service was very slow. We ordered additional naans after we started with entrees and we received naans after 20 minutes.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
stephen
Front of house was seriously understaffed with the host doing most of the work. As a result, service was very slow. Food was mixed - good seekh kebab, roti and fish curry. Bland jalfrezi that was supposed to be lamb but looked and tasted like beef. Good to have Taj Mahal beef available though.
I have always enjoyed the food quality and variety here. Best Indian restaurant in Bethesda.
Peter Eriksson
Food was good, need to come back and try many more options from more than the lunch menu to have a better understanding of the overall quality. I was accompanied by genuine indians who was satisfied with the different courses served (vegetarian in this case). Service was very good but it was also scaresly populated so I do not know how that would change during rush our. I would recommend this place for anyone longing for Indian food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Sakshi Das
The interior is absolutely gorgeous. The service is impeccable - very police, kind & fast. The food was as expected. Nothing that blew me out of the water but nothing bad. Just normal food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Darlene
We have been going to Passage to India for many years and have always enjoyed our meals in the past. Sadly, in addition to some unneeded changes to the menu the quality of the food was inferior. One positive note, however, is that the service was excellent thanks to the lone server in the dining room where we were the only diners. Unless something changes, we will not return!
Harika T
Our dining experience was nothing short of amazing! We started with DOI Fuchka, which was bursting with flavors and easily one of the most delicious starters we’ve had. The Alfredo Pasta was creamy, rich, and so good that we literally licked the spoon clean. The Palak Chaat was fresh and crispy, perfectly balanced with tangy and spicy notes, while the Chicken Pakora was crunchy on the outside and tender inside—absolutely addictive. The Majestic Chicken lived up to its name with bold spices and mouthwatering taste, and the Lamb Chopsticks were cooked to perfection, juicy, and full of flavor. Each dish we ordered felt thoughtfully prepared and exceeded expectations. To end the meal on a sweet note, we indulged in the Lava Chocolate Cake, which was warm, gooey, and simply heavenly—it truly made our day. Overall, every single dish was a hit. The presentation, flavors, and quality were all superb. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy a wide variety of delicious and satisfying dishes!
Our waiter was excellent. Food was very good. They have wonderful butter chicken and good desserts. We love eating here.
We had samosas, tandoori, curry, etc. very tasty! We will definitely go back. Great service!
Good food, staff and environment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food thank you One wish if they place use more original way of cooking w ghee instead of turning to inflammatory oils that are so unhealthy for our bodies Please. Ring coconut avocado or ghee back to healthy eating out Go back to natural
The absolute best Indian food in Bethesda!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I am Indian American and my brother and I have never seen a place like this before, maybe how a palace dining room might look. I liked the well-kept colonial decor, the clean (not grimy) menus with historical write ups, and the food, which tasted home-cooked. The channa masala, palak paneer, and samosa chaat were good. The tandoori chicken isn’t the red charred chicken usually prepared, but more like roasted breaded chicken. It was still good and a great way to avoid artificial food dye! I’m sure they could open a tea room if they wanted to!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The BEST Indian food in Bethesda hands down... Consistently delicious, great service, quick, well priced. I especially love the lunch platter!! Have been here multiple times and never leave less than satisfied.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently had lunch at Passage to India in Bethesda with a few friends, including one who grew up in India. The restaurant itself has a warm, elegant atmosphere from the chandeliers, framed art, and rich tones give it a classic and slightly formal feel, but it’s still inviting. The space wasn’t crowded during lunch, which made it perfect for conversation. We never felt rushed, and the staff was friendly, attentive, and accommodating throughout our meal.
As for the food, it was a mix of traditional Indian dishes and some creative fusion touches. For my meal, I tried their butter chicken “taco”, which uses soft naan in place of a traditional taco shell. It’s a fun fusion twist, creamy, flavorful butter chicken with fresh greens and shredded cheese layered over warm naan. It was hearty, messy in the best way, and full of flavor.
My friends ordered more traditional dishes, including a beautifully presented thali with dal makhani, paneer curry, rice, and naan, as well as crispy chaat drizzled with yogurt and chutneys. I also shared a delicious samosa with one of them. It was perfectly crisp on the outside and filled with spiced potatoes and peas.
My Indian friend mentioned that while the food was good, the flavors were not quite as bold or complex as what she’s used to at home. From my perspective, the dishes were satisfying, with just enough spice to make them interesting without being overwhelming.
Overall, Passage to India offered a pleasant dining experience: flavorful food, comfortable surroundings, and great service. If you’re looking for a relaxed place to enjoy Indian cuisine in Bethesda, especially with friends or family, it’s a nice spot to linger over lunch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Food was really good but the service was very slow. We ordered additional naans after we started with entrees and we received naans after 20 minutes.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Front of house was seriously understaffed with the host doing most of the work. As a result, service was very slow. Food was mixed - good seekh kebab, roti and fish curry. Bland jalfrezi that was supposed to be lamb but looked and tasted like beef. Good to have Taj Mahal beef available though.
Restaurantji Recommends
I have always enjoyed the food quality and variety here. Best Indian restaurant in Bethesda.
Food was good, need to come back and try many more options from more than the lunch menu to have a better understanding of the overall quality. I was accompanied by genuine indians who was satisfied with the different courses served (vegetarian in this case). Service was very good but it was also scaresly populated so I do not know how that would change during rush our. I would recommend this place for anyone longing for Indian food.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
The interior is absolutely gorgeous. The service is impeccable - very police, kind & fast. The food was as expected. Nothing that blew me out of the water but nothing bad. Just normal food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
We have been going to Passage to India for many years and have always enjoyed our meals in the past. Sadly, in addition to some unneeded changes to the menu the quality of the food was inferior. One positive note, however, is that the service was excellent thanks to the lone server in the dining room where we were the only diners. Unless something changes, we will not return!
Our dining experience was nothing short of amazing! We started with DOI Fuchka, which was bursting with flavors and easily one of the most delicious starters we’ve had. The Alfredo Pasta was creamy, rich, and so good that we literally licked the spoon clean. The Palak Chaat was fresh and crispy, perfectly balanced with tangy and spicy notes, while the Chicken Pakora was crunchy on the outside and tender inside—absolutely addictive.
The Majestic Chicken lived up to its name with bold spices and mouthwatering taste, and the Lamb Chopsticks were cooked to perfection, juicy, and full of flavor. Each dish we ordered felt thoughtfully prepared and exceeded expectations.
To end the meal on a sweet note, we indulged in the Lava Chocolate Cake, which was warm, gooey, and simply heavenly—it truly made our day.
Overall, every single dish was a hit. The presentation, flavors, and quality were all superb. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy a wide variety of delicious and satisfying dishes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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