38 Best Indian Restaurants in Washington

“I went with a couple of friends and we all loved the experience. For me, having moved to DC a year ago from another city with a very good food scene, Daru has been my most memorable meal since moving here. You could really tell they cared about our experience and making sure what we ordered worked together as a family style meal and pairing the right drinks with it. I haven’t been back yet but I am very eager to return.“

“First I would like to say that I wish there were more than 5 stars. My son and I are visiting the DC area for the Cherry Blossom festivities. My son has a love for Indian food ever since his trip to India. I have never tried Indian food ever. So this was my very first experience. From the moment we walked in the door our amazing experience began. The atmosphere is beautiful and so is the staff. Our server, April was super helpful and very knowledgeable. She has an amazing spirit and is wonderful with her job! The food... was very fresh, aromatic and DELICIOUS!! My son said the food was the closest to the food in India that he has had here in the states. For my first time... OMG!!! I am HOOKED! The only bad part is that I have to go back to Florida and wait impatiently for my next visit.“

“We were really amazed and enjoyed our visit. Great staff and amazing food!“

“Everything tasted amazing. I kept eating until it hurt and then I was cramming more food in my mouth because my tastebuds wanted to ignore my stomach’s pleas. I wish I had a bigger stomach to taste many more dishes because Rasika seems like a place that makes every single dish delicious with a variety of different flavors to keep you interested and wanting more. Service was great, they tended to our needs without being overbearing.“

“Absolutely memorable and enjoyable dining experience. Wonderful and attentive service. Beyond imaginable flavor profile. I couldn’t recommend it enough. Made the birthday celebration extra special with their own added touches. Truly incredible! Come here - you won’t regret it.“

“Great food and Barman !! It is a great place“

“Good food and good service“

“This place was a great time with my buddies. The food was very good and I would definitely recommend it! The service was exceptional, from the hostess to the bartender. They were both amazing, helpful, and super fun when it came to ordering food, offering suggestions, and helping us customize our order just the way we wanted it.I'd highly recommend checking this place out if you're feeling some Indian cuisine.“

“This place is an awesome place. But I noticed one thing about one of the Indian customer that they are being so rude about the service. Customer service was awesome. But the lady was rude. It’s my personal opinion about not being so rude with them. You don’t know how people eating in Gaza. Allah can take you same position within a short time period that you can’t imagine. Please be honest about your reviews.“

“Just had Indigo for the first time, tried the lamb masala and the shrimp tikka masala, loved both! We have high tolerance for spicy food, so we ordered it spicy (not very spicy) and it felt very spicy haha, had to add some yogurt to be able to eat it without discomfort, so watch out!“

“Food is absolutely delicious and the staff at Himalayan Doko are the kindest! We ate family style and all the dishes were so full of flavor. The Tandoori Chicken Wings and the Lamb Rogan Josh were my favorites, but you can't go wrong with any dish - everything I tried was delicious.I am also so, so appreciative of how they were able to accommodate our reservation of a large party (20+ people). We had a great time and our time here was very memorable. One of my favorite restaurants in D.C., I will be back!“

“The tandoori chicken (asked them to make it extra spicy) is the best I’ve had in the city. Comes with rice/naan and chickpeas. Not ideal to dine in though. Just take out.Unlike most reviews here I do NOT recommend the butter chicken. Tangy/sour, runny and a strong tomato flavor and a whole lot of food coloring. Not authentic.“

“It was my first time there. Food was great. I would definitely return.“

“Everything we ordered was absolutely stellar. We had chicken biryani, Malabar fish curry, and dal makhani to name a few. We were also in late on a Friday night and the staff was so lovely. Matthew was friendly and attentive and we will definitely continue to come back for the food, ambiance, and service.“

“We were visiting from NewJersey and looking to stop by to eat. It was early evening, around 4pm. I got a tandoori paneer bowl. That is THE best restaurant food I ate in the recent times. I loved their service, the quality of their ingredients, and their innovative soft serve (masala chai flavored !). This is the THE restaurant to go to in this area. Do visit and you won't be disappointed.“

“I am huge fan of Bindaas Wada pav. They have the best wada pav in USA“

“We were just barely able to find a spot at the bar walking in on a Saturday after 8pm. Started with one of the most interesting and delicious cocktails I've had in a while, the Tamarin Sunrise, as suggested by our bartender, who was very kind. It was the perfect accompaniment to our Goat Vindaloo and the okra-based vegetarian dish, along with some garlic naan. This was hands down the best Indian food I've ever had. It's always been my favorite cuisine, and this place blew me away. The naan was incredible, perfectly warm, slightly crisp and flavorful... and everything had just the right amount of spice. So good, and great portions at a reasonable price. I'll definitely be back.“

“The food here is incredible! Very flavorful, great portions, and comes out in a short amount of time. I've come here at least 4 times in the past year and each time the service is helpful and kind! Also, the restaurant is beautiful and plays good energy music. Can't recommend enough!“

“This was BY FAR the best dosas and Idli we have had in years! Chef Paul is amazing and he told me he doesn’t believe in catering or delivery because South Indian food is best served hot and fresh and I couldn’t agree more! The Idlis melted in my mouth. The dosas were just perfect - the masala and chutney and sambhar -10/10! Go - no run to this place!“

“If you love Indian food, you HAVE TO come here!!!Cafe of India is beautiful and delicious. When you walk in, you’re immediately greeted with a smile. The atmosphere is so relaxing and I immediately felt so comfortable. Bonus points because the seats in the booth are super comfortable. It is absolutely stunning in here. Everything from the curtains to the gorgeous wall mural is just so elegant. The service is amazing. I’m not kidding when I say my water glass never got even close toempty. We were frequently checked in on and the wait for the food wasn’t long at all. The food is perfection. I will never go anywhere else for my Indian food cravings. To start, we had the Paneer Tikka and the Tava Eggplant which were both so good. I was so excited to eat it that I totally forgot to take pictures. For the entrees, I had the Palak Gosht and my partner had the Lamb Curry. The Palak Gosht was amazing and my partner said he loved the Lamb Curry. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone and everyone who loves Indian food or is looking to try!!“

“Had lamb biryani spicy & it was delicious....that I ordered lamb curry to go. I am sure it will be delicious too. Very pleasant and friendly owner. I over heard him telling soneone he has outdoor seating in warmer weather.“

“Food is delicious. Best NY pizza in DC. Great service.“

“I've ordered from this restaurant multiple times and I have also dined in. It's now a staple for me. Their food is pretty consistent and is always on point when I order. I highly recommend their Salmon and Fish biriyani. It comes with a lovely yogurt sauce that pairs well with the rice. The rice and fish are well seasoned and it's enough portions to have leftovers the next day. The service is pretty quick but when I've gone it's not crazy busy so I've been fortunate. It's a nice casual spot to dine in on a date, with friends or by yourself!“

“Friendly staff, inviting atmosphere and the BEST for buffet lunch after an early day at the National Zoo.“

“stumbled across this place and it was a hidden gem. The food was delicious. I had a spicy chicken dish and my son had a spicy lamb dish with garlic naan bread. very good“

“Some of the best Indian cuisine we've had in quite awhile. To add to the experience are the great prices & very friendly service. Best wishes & we'll certainly be back for more!“

“One of the tastiest Indian restaurants in the area!!! The owner Bokech (I really hope I spelled his name right if not I am so sorry!) is so kind and really cares about his customers and giving them great food! Every dish I’ve tried here is fantastic and I highly recommend this place to anyone in the area looking for a good late night bite :)“

“The waffle were delicious!“

“Vegetarian options: Go spread. 50% menu has veg options. 4 star as we felt both Paneer Makhni and Veg Korma are sweet. Even Raitha is sweet. Veg Korma and Biryani has lot of big carrot pieces which is a turn off. Biryani portion is ok. Indian Spicy food dishes felt sweet, so didn't order any desserts at the end :) I would recommend staff could ask for spice levles while taking orders at least when they know the customers are Indian.“

“I found this small Indian restaurant while visiting Howard University on a Saturday afternoon to referee rugby match. They have a very large menu with all of the Indian basics. Even though I was alone, the food smelled so good that I decided to order 3 entrees to go. I ordered the Salt and Pepper Special combination, which came with a generous pile of different meats, including some chewy sausage-like things, some spicy lamb, and some excellent tandoori chicken (the meat was accompanied by some chickpeas in a sauce and spinach with cheese cubes in it). I also ordered a lamb vindaloo and a dal makhani (lentils). Both were excellent, but they are not joking when they say that their vindaloo is spicy -- it made me cry on at least two of the occasions I ate some of it (still have leftovers sitting in the refrigerator for tonight). The rice and the naan were also excellent. Total bill was just over $60.“

“Awesome food & service, my favorite go place!!“

“Amazing!! 10/10!! Stopped in for a quick bite before a Nationals game, will definitely be planning on doing the exact same thing again!!“

“Love to sit at the bar. The Manager is such a great guy! He plays amazing music each time I’ve been in, and the food is wonderful!! He works so hard— I am amazed and inspired by his work ethic!!“

“Great service (no line), very friendly staff and fair prices. On par with a chipotle but for Indian food. The chicken Tikka masala was divine, the lamb vindaloo was a little tough. The chick peas and seasonal vegetables were great sides.The lamb vindaloo was described as spicy, but if you are used to Indian spice levels it was pretty mild.No restroom and only bottled drinks for sale.Would go back.“

“Today I visited in one of the best indian restaurant in Dc everyone said. For that reason I am going to taste their food tonight . After going there i have tasted their Chicken biryani, lamb kadai and spicy lal mirch chicken. And Thats awesome really authentic . And in drinks i have given the order gin sour and long island . And the cocktails that i have tried tonight the best long island and gin sour in DC. I have never tried that long island and gin sour before that i have tried tonight. Best cocktails in Dc no doubt. AND their manager his name is Nur Takey is really awesome. His way of talking, behaviour and service impressed us a lot. Thanks a lot Nur Takey for giving such a great service tonight. We will never forget your tonight that you have given. We will definitely come back again to see you Nur Takey. Highly recommended❤️❤️.“

“I live in VA, but love to try different food. My second time here, because food was great. The girl serving was super too. Was not busy the time I was eating. After reading reviews, I wonder where people normally eat as most restaurants have a charge for sharing if they let you all. I like the quiet atmosphere to relax. Nice to be able to have a glass of wine & do that. The manager was super friendly too.“

“Amazing food with an immaculate service. I would recommend everyone to try the thali. It is filled with brilliant curries with an unbelievable taste. The restaurant has a good eating environment and it gives a very positive vibe. Everyone were very warm and friendly and they cater to your every need“

“I ate here tonight it was my first time eating Indian food and I was a visitor to DC I must say it is one of the best meals I've ever eaten in my life it was so delicious everything was so fresh I ate the whole bowl that's how good it was“