Bindaas is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in Foggy Bottom. The space strikes a great balance between modern and inviting, with an industrial aesthetic softened by colorful textiles and intricately pierced screens that give it warmth and character. Sidewalk dinning under saffron umbrellas is lovely on a nice day and perfect for people watching a couple blocks from the White House and World Bank. The service is consistently excellent. The staff are knowledgeable about the menu, happy to make recommendations, and genuinely friendly without ever being intrusive. The cocktails are creative and well-crafted, making this a great spot whether you're stopping in for dinner, happy hour, or meeting friends before a show. The combination of flavorful food, thoughtful design, and welcoming hospitality keeps me coming back. read more

This Bindaas location recently rebranded to Bindaas Bowls and Rolls. The atmosphere is not as good as it used to be, but the food is still good. I have always loved their chaats and I still do. The nice thing about the rebrand is the pricing is a bit lower than it used to be. They said that they are trying to attract more customers with lower pricing because they heard many concerns about the economy. I appreciate a restaurant listening to it's customer base. I recommend the bhel Purina and the fried cauliflower. I'm sure all of the chaats are good. The only thing I didn't love was the vegetarian bowl. I thought quinoa was strange with Indian food. The mango cheesecake was surprisingly light and refreshing! read more

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Not sure why this is flagged as "permanently closed." It's not. I went there yesterday. I picked up food to go. Veggie sandwich, which is really vada pao (potato patty in a bun) and tiny veggie samosas. The food was all right. I'm Indian, and I was bored. No Indian customers and not a single Indian cook or employee. When you don't have too many options downtown, you tend to overestimate the quality of what you do have. This is good but not really authentic Indian. It's a last resort type of spot, not a first-choice must-go restaurant. Please do yourself a favor and instead try any of the many, many Indian spots in northern Virginia and satisfy your craving there. It's well worth the wait and drive. read more

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A good place for a quick bite after visiting the Museum of archives. Good ambience, food could be a little better.

Stopped by Bindaas really quick while visiting George Washington University. I was walking through Western Market, a new market in DC that houses a bunch of restaurants (about 10-15). I was walking through not sure what I wanted to eat because nothing really piqued my interest until I got to the end of the market and came across Bindaas. The inside of the restaurant is really nice with beautiful artwork. When I walked in I arrived right at their to-go counter and was greeted shortly after I looked over the menu for a little bit. The prices are definitely steeper than what I'm used to for Indian food but I'm assuming it's because of the part of town that Bindaas is located in. Regardless I decided to give them a try because I was so hungry at this point. I ordered the chicken tikka masala. I know ... basic ... but I didn't want to try something new and risk not liking it lol. The server was really helpful with giving me their reccs so I'm looking forward to trying new dishes in the future. Please note that their curries do not automatically come with naan. It's an extra $6. While I waited for my order I was able to sit at their really comfortable bar stools that they had right at the to-go counter. I appreciated that someone came over and asked if I wanted water while I waited. The food didn't take very long and when I got home to try it initially I thought the portion was small but honestly once I dug into it it was the perfect size and the flavors were ON POINT. I'll definitely be back when I'm in the mood for pricier ($20 per plate) Indian food. Has anyone been to Bindaas, what do you recommend from the menu? read more

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A friend and I went to Bindaas specifically for their happy hour, so I'll preface this review by saying I can only speak to the happy hour menu and vibes (at least for the time being!). We went on a Thursday around 4pm, and although there were only a few other folks in the restaurant at the time, the atmosphere was still good. The space is cute and it got more lively as more people started to pour in (as the evening went on, understandably and predictably). We ordered a bunch of things: the vada pao, gunpowder fries, masala popcorn, cauliflower pakora, mini chicken puff, and samosa chaat. They were all pretty good, but my personal favorites were the samosa chaat and the gunpowder fries. The fries in particular were the *perfect* combo of really crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, not too thick, not too skinny. I'd be back for those alone. (I should note that the fries also come with the mini chicken puff, so if you wanna try a smaller serving of them that's an option too). We also got a couple of drinks: the money to burn off the regular menu, and the halo spritz and hot toddy off the happy hour one. I'm a mezcal girl so liked the money to burn best for sure. Several of the other drinks looked good too and I'd love to try them sometime (chaitini, looking atchu!). Oh, and our server -- Richard -- was attentive and fun to talk to. A great experience overall, would definitely go back for their happy hour! read more

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I really enjoy this place. It has a nice vibe inside of western market (but away from all the chaos of it). The food is excellent and service is great. Highly recommend if you work in the area or are nearby. I liked the Kati rolls specific and the dessert has been great. read more

Bindaas was definitely an interesting experience. At first, our server came off a bit distant--not particularly warm or friendly. But as the meal went on, he seemed to ease up and became noticeably more approachable. I'll admit, I had some preconceived notions going in. When I heard we were headed to an Indian restaurant, I expected strong, lingering aromas and was honestly a little worried about my clothes and hair absorbing the scent. To my surprise, that wasn't an issue at all, which made it much easier to relax and enjoy the time with my colleagues. As for the food--it was fantastic. Everyone at the table ordered basically something different, and not a single dish disappointed. The presentation was colorful and vibrant, and the flavors were bold without being overwhelming. I'd absolutely come back again! read more

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As a birthday meal, we came here to eat. The tables here are very small, so keep that in mind, as we didn't have any space! The food was great, but tables are too small so if you decide to order a good amount of dishes it probably won't fit. So, I would recommend to not too many dishes as you won't have anywhere to put it. Our table of 4 with a good amount of food, they had to hold orders back just because the plates were too big and the table was too small. We got the fries, we got the samosas, we got the Tikka Masala, Mango pani puri, and some other entrees. All of the dishes were well flavored and unique. I think my whole experience though was somewhat ruined due to the small table and the big plates. I think they need to change the flow of the restaurant, but that's just my observation especially if you're a group that wants to try a lot of different type of dishes. Overall, our experience was good. The waiting staff was nice and complimentary, but the table situation I think is meh for me. Fine for a single person, a bit of a nightmare for groups. read more

Truly a change in experience. Had been here months back and service was lacking. Decided to give it another go was I was craving pani puri and I was up the street. Came to find out management had recently changed and they were expecting hirer quality. They delivered. They were short staffed, but Lucas (the manager) and the bartender (whose name I cannot remember were killing it and running the whole place. Definitely give them support, you will not be disappointed read more

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Came here for dinner with several friends. It was pretty good! We ordered a round of drinks ranging from chai tini to work of art. We ordered samosas, daal makhni, lamb kebab, salmon kebab,dahi papdi Chaat, naan and more! I was hoping the rice would be on the side instead of served with the kebabs. Food was pretty tasty. I enjoyed the daal the most. Ambiance and service were nice. Overall, food is good here. read more

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This is a cute, cozy spot inside the food hall; great for lighter bites and cocktails. Hits: - Chai tini: loved. Tasted like adrak wali chai in cocktail form. So smooth. - Money to burn: Hubby says "Delicious" - Bhel puri: HIT. crisp, spicy, sour, sweet textures and flavors all perfect. Please note that this is spicy so if you can't handle "Indian spicy" you might want to skip it. - Chicken peri peri : a hit! Hubby really liked the crunch factor and appreciated the flavor both in the chicken and the dipping sauce. - service: it was a busy evening but our server didn't rush us at all, which we appreciated. Misses: - Lamb Kathi roll: same as paneer, didn't like the egg but enjoyed the lamb immensely. The big miss here isn't the flavor but the fact that the roll just couldn't hold itself together as a roll. Definitely needed a bigger roti to wrap those fillings in. - Paneer Kathi roll: essentially a miss because of the same issues as the lamb Kathi roll. Flavors are on point, texture is more paneer bhurji which I actually liked. Just wish it held together the way it should. We'd certainly come back when in the area to try other items on the menu. read more

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Lots of indoor seating - not too packed together. You'll definitely hear the people next to you at the booth around the restaurant. Nice decor that isn't too obnoxious or overwhelming. Subtle music playing in background that isn't too loud. Nice amount of lighting. They also had some outdoor seating. Servers are attentive. Food was decently priced - little expensive for tiki masala being $19 but garlic naan was good and they served yellow rice. Overall would come back to try other dishes. read more

Bindaas Indian Street Food in Foggy Bottom was a surprise find for us as we usually dine at traditional Indian restaurants. Bindaas' options were a lovely refresher to the traditional heavier dishes we were accustomed to. Great modern bistro ambiance so a nice alternative to traditional Indian establishments as well. The street food portions were smaller, allowing us to try a greater variety of dishes. We had the Bhel Puri, Palak Paneer, Parda (Chicken) Biriyani, Chooza (Chicken) Kebab, Paneer Tika and a variety of Naans. The flavors were fresh and vibrant and did not disappoint. It was cool to observe the bustle of the open kitchen as our orders were created. Service was quick and attentive and it was obvious that there were regulars as the staff greeted many with a familiar welcome. Highly recommended. read more

Bindaas - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I will absolutely give this place another try. Today was my first time and I am thoroughly unimpressed. I ordered to-go and ate the food maybe 5 minutes after it was made. I got a lamb bowl and naan. The lamb meatballs were SO dry and the sauce was too sweet. The rice and the salad were fresh and had good flavor. The naan was chewy and tough. The service was good - the two women working at the counter were nice. The naan itself took longer than the bowl to make, but the woman at the counter was very attentive and checked on the naan when she saw I was still waiting. I liked some of the flavors enough to be interested in trying the food again. I also saw they have mango lassi and saffron rice pudding, which looked tasty. I'll try something else next time. read more

Bindaas - Lamb bowl and Plain Naan - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

First, I genuinely LOVE Indian food so this Monday night surprise date made my night! No reservations needed, we walked in through Western Market and they immediately seated us. Friendly staff, quick service, hospitality was on point. Appetizers: Chicken curry puffs: buttery soft crust with a scrumptious filling. They pair it with seasoned fries and let's just say that this simple meal is filling and delicious. Avocado Golgappa: I'm torn between which of these starters were my favorite because both were phenomenal! This crunchy airy crust was the perfect compliment to the filling inside. I can't describe all of the flavors too well but the variation of textures made the dish memorable. Main dish: Chicken Tikka Masala: THIS WAS EXCELLENT! The serving can be shared with someone else but you'd likely want to keep your order because it's just that good and perfectly seasoned. Garlic cilantro naan: let's just say that I ordered some to go! This naan melted in my mouth and added to the existing flavor party. I had a crisp cider and my boyfriend had their creamy mango lassi-which he loved! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and I'll be back! read more

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I've been coming to Bindaas for years. I'm sad that they are only have the downtown location left (I'm not a huge fan of the fast casual version). I really like everything on the menu and both in service dining and take out is solid. The Kathi rolls and shrimp bezule are musts (however the shrimp portion has shrunk to half in the several years I've been going). The curry options and naan are great. I've had so many good fish specials here. The star of the show are their small bites you can't get at other places. I do wish they had some South Indian offerings, but they excel at their choices. They also have good drinks and friendly service. read more

I recently went here to get chicken tikka masala to go for a workday lunch and I was able to get my food within five minutes of placing my order. The price and portion size was reasonable for my order ($20) and overall my dish was good. Bindaas perfectly cooked the chicken and had a good rice-chicken-sauce ratio. Although the chicken tikka masala was a little salty, I would recommend Bindaas if you're looking for a meal in Foggy Bottom. read more

Bindaas - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My favorite part was the food! Those delicious and rich yet subtle flavors were amazing. Everything was well presented and simply flavorful. The service was okay, our server was a bit too chatty but we could tell she just wanted to do her best. The food wait is on the longer side, not as quick as we would have liked. Our naans came after the food was already out, which didn't make sense. Definitely a spot to go back to and try more dishes! read more

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I don't think I can even give even half a star to this eatery. I recently went there during lunch break and was still selecting my order but a group of about 6-7 people behind me had already started ordering to another server. So I thought of moving to the back of the line but one of the servers noticed and very kindly asked me to come forward and order. So I ordered but one of the ladies paying for the group asked me if she could pay for the group altogether and I said it's fine. However, the lady at the register was very rude. She asked me to wait very rudely and told the servers that "You have to serve the group together and I don't know how this man happened". Really rude. She took long to finish charging the group and my plate was already getting cold. I almost thought of telling her that she was rude and I don't want to buy anymore but since my friend had already bought so I decided to let go this time but never return to this place, ever. Minimal menu, high price, but rudeness abundant! read more

So my question as it pertains to the DC Dining scene is, why is it (typically) the more upscale the neighborhood, the more (paradoxically) mediocre and expensive the food options? I've been to the Bindaas Bowls and Rolls (https://www.yelp.com/biz/bindaas-bowls-and-rolls-washington?osq=bindaas) location near Penn Quarter and thought the food was tasty and a good value. Granted, this place is a fast casual "Chipotle" like concept where you work your way down a line, pick your ingredients, and then staff prepare your food, so it's an entirely different dining experience. But since Bindaas is intended to be the more budget friendly and "street food" themed sibling of the excellent Rasika, I was hoping this outpost of the burgeoning Knightsbridge Restaurant Group would be good. Unfortunately, I was otherwise disappointed by the entire experience. A friend and I stopped by after a recent event at the Kennedy Center and first impressions were promising. Walk down a few stairs into the main dining room, and the décor is modern with uniquely tiled patterned floors, wicker-like material chairs as well as wooden booth seating, and distressed brick walls adorned with Indian themed artwork. Service was a bit uneven. Had to wait 5 minutes for a server to stop by to deliver silverware, water, and menus. Additionally, I had to flag down our server a few times when the water glasses were empty. We decided on the Masala Fried Fish and Chicken Tikka Masala. Food arrived in about 15-20 minutes, and here are my notes: Masala Fried Fish: Fileted fish was deep fried to the point of being leathery dry. The ginger-garlic paste and chili provided some much needed moistness, but not enough to combat the tough texture. Mustard flavored potatoes topped with coconut chutney was MID. Chicken Tikka Masala: Forgot to take a picture, but this dish was better. Tender chunks of chicken were stewed in an aromatic sauce with pronounced notes of fenugreek, cumin, garam masala, and tumeric. The dish was served with rice and some veggies. The dish was good, but IMHO, this was "similar" with what I find in the freezer section at my local Trader Joe's. Of course, the better Indian restaurants are found in the 'burbs of either MD or VA, so if I was craving this cuisine in the future, not sure I'd come back to this Bindaas location. Dinner with two entrees and only water for beverages with tax and tip amounted to roughly $55. About on par with what one would expect when dining in the Downtown DC area. read more

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I came here as a part of a big group thing so maybe the "smorgasboarding" (they brought out sampling of the whole menu) biases my review but it was all very good. Leaving 4 stars as a placeholder read more

It's Americanized Indian fastfood. The bowls didn't come with naan bread. No paneer option but they have a kofta which is a paneer sweet potato "meatball". Mushy inside like most kofta. And there is no spice level option. Everything comes as mild. read more

Bindaas - Bowl with tikka masala sauce and paneer/sweet potato kofta - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been a few times now, previous times have been okay, nothing great but last time (Halloween) was hands down the WORSE. First, We requested another table after the host led us to an outside table whose chairs were covered in bird excrement (all chairs on that side under tree were in this sorry and gross state). Should you really have to tell an establishment you don't want to sit in that?! Second, our three dishes were so overly salty they were inedible, only thing that was okay was the naan. Service was meh. When I relayed the feedack to the server, no apology or anything. Our check still came to close to $200. I will NEVER be back read more

Stopped by for a quick lunch. We got the chicken tikka masala and cheesy tiki fries. Both were super delicious and hit the spot. I got the chai-tini, which is enough to make me go back haha. Our waiter was very kind and patient with our party because we couldn't make up our minds over what to order. He constantly came by to check that everything was good or if we needed anything. Top service. read more

We had a great time at Bindaas yesterday. We were planning on going to an ice cream shop in the neighborhood, but then happened upon Bindaas and decided to try it. It did not disappoint! Our server was kind, personable and attentive and when we couldn't decide on what to order he asked what kinds of foods and flavors we liked and made a great recommendation. We loved the Palak Pakodi Chaat. I would come back just to eat this. We also enjoyed the Avocado Golgappa- super refreshing with a great crunch. The atmosphere was casual, comfortable and modern. We will be back! read more

Bindaas - Palak Pakodi Chaat on the left and Avocado Golgappa on the right- so good! - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great Indian restaurant. It's located in a communal market which doesn't add to the ambiance but the quality of the food is great. Flavors and spices are strong and done well. Staff was friendly. I wish there were more drink options as it was pretty basic. read more

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This place is delicious. Great Indian food. At good prices.. I love the samosas, the chicken tikka masala, and the various chutney's. The pao baji is really good. read more

Loved this spot when I visited DC with some friends! We were trying to get into Founding Farmers, but the wait was impossible, so we spotted Bindaas and it was such a lucky find. We got seated right away and even though there was some confusion about who our server was, the food came so quick after we ordered. We got the COCONUT-JAGGERY PANCAKES (with mixed berries & whipped cream), EGG CURRY, and the LAMB KATHI ROLL. Everything was so delicious! I also got a MANGO LASSI which was so refreshing. Really enjoyed this spot! read more

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Solid option when you want authentic flavors. Service is always solid and it's beautiful inside and out. Lamb curry was fabulous and decadent. Dinging a star as I felt the tamarind sauce and snacky options similar to street foods felt waayyy to sugary and unbalanced. Hope they'd consider tweaking it. read more

Bindaas - Bhel Puri - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Just okay, not anything life changing. Better options in the area. Cool interior. Service was fine.

We came here after a long day and wanted to just get some tea and snacks. Throughout the time we were there it felt that we were trying to get rushed out of there even though there were plenty of seats. The waiter didn't write down our order but when he repeated it, some of the orders were wrong and we had to repeat it again. We ordered 4 chais, 1 without sugar and the rest sweetened. Instead we got all 4 without sugar. The food was still okay. The kati roll was pretty good, I'd rate it 4/5 and the chai was good as well (3/5). read more

The Food was amazing, great ambiance and good vibes here! Must try the Paneer, Sweet Potato Kofta with the Tika Masala Sauce! We got to meet Chef Ajay, very sweet and grounded! It really is Bindaas! We can't wait to come back! read more

Bindaas was incredible! My friend and I had lunch here and loved every sip and bite. Their Mango Pani Puris and Avocado Golgappa were flavorful perfection, as was their Paneer Tikka Lababdar and Lamb Goli Kebabs over rice. We also ordered dessert: rose falooda + sticky pudding cake. Divinity! Highly recommending! read more

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Just had an incredible dining experience at Bindaas in Foggy Bottom, DC! The flavors in every dish were on point, leaving me with a happy and satisfied palate. My personal favorites were the Dahi Papdi Chaat, a burst of textures and flavors, and the Chicken Tikka Masala, a rich and aromatic delight. Watch my video of my food experience - https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2jBAh2uuCa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== read more

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For a more casual, street food spinoff of DC's high-end Indian restaurants, it was pretty much right on par. The portion size is indeed small for the price, and now that a new food hall is open out back if you're trying for value you might be able to do better. But this is a downtown location and an upscale venue with excellent service and ambiance, so I was okay leaving a generous tip. I wouldn't go often, but I was happy they were open on a holiday, and the staff was in good cheer as they sampled the holiday special menu items. The Wada Pao was as good as I've ever had, with the freshly fried potato burger topped with a delightfully off-color assortment of pickled jalapenos and gunpowder spice. I got a dal makhani to fill me up, which was good but nothing special (and is literally just a small serving of dal with no rice). My chai took a minute but delivered a rich spice mix and was unsweetened and left for me to sweeten to taste. For what they're going for here, I found them successful, and I was happy they were open on a holiday when I needed a pregame meal worthy of the occasion. read more

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Pleasantly surprised with bindaas! I'm not a fan of their other restaurant Rasika, but bindaas was a good experience. We came Saturday night for dinner and sat at the bar. I started with a mango lassi which wasn't bad but could be a tad sweeter. There's also a strong taste of cardamom which I didn't enjoy. For food we got the chicken curry puff which was one of their specials, the paneer kathi roll and the chicken tikka masala with garlic naan. The chicken curry puff was delicious and really flavorful! It was warm and filled well. The paneer kathi roll was also very good and had a good filling. The chicken tikka masala was delicious and a good serving to finish. The garlic naan tasted fresh and was very soft too. Overall our dishes were good, but one thing I noticed is for the price you're paying for the chicken tikka, you're only getting enough to finish in one sitting. Normally when ordering curries at Indian restaurants there's enough to take home as well for another meal for the same price. read more

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*Food: 4/5 We ordered cauliflower pakora, dahi papdi chaat, avocado golgappa, chicken biryani, and all the curry dishes. Everything was quite tasty but I definitely recommend the dahi papdi chaat. *Prices: 4/5 For three appetizers, six entrees, and six drinks, it came out $45-50 per person. Not bad for a restaurant in DC, but not a budget-friendly choice either. *Services: 5/5 We were seated quickly and the food also came out quite fast, but it's a Monday evening. read more

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A fun, trendy Indian restaurant with a modern atmosphere and decently authentic, tasty food located in the heart of DC...there's honestly so much to love about Bindaas. I came here with a friend for a Saturday lunch, and we were thoroughly pleased with the overall experience; our server was friendly and helpful (I admit that the service was a touch slower than what I would have expected considering how empty the restaurant was, but it certainly wasn't egregious enough to make it worth complaining about, and it gave me extra time to catch up with my friend!), and I loved the trendy, upbeat ambiance. I wasn't quite as sold on the food itself -- the dishes we ordered were solid, but they were quite pricey for the tapas size and their flavor wasn't exactly something to write home about. I selected the spinach kofta, which included four small kofta atop a bed of rice with a thin layer of curry that just barely coated the vegetable balls. The rice was super flavorful (which was a nice surprise), but the kofta and curry were not; there also just wasn't nearly enough curry to make up for how dense...and, well, I hesitate to call them completely flavorless because that's not quite an accurate description, but I can't think of a more suitable adjective...the kofta were. All in all, if you're in downtown DC and really craving Indian food, and if you're okay with a slightly pricier (but not break-the-bank pricey) meal, then I would recommend giving Bindaas a try. However, if you have a car / can easily leave the Foggy Bottom area or are looking for a more authentic, full-fledged Indian culinary experience, I might recommend turning somewhere else. read more

Bindaas - Spinach kofta - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here for lunch while I was in DC a few months ago. The place was nice and the staff were kind. We ordered masala popcorn, gunpowder fries, Dahi papdi chaat, masala chai, Pav bhaji and biriyani. The food was good but didn't have an authentic Indian flavor. The people and ambiance were great and made up for the food but I'm not sure if I would want to dine here again. read more

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