My husband and I were debating between Choolah and Tamarind for Indian food. Thought we gave Choolah a try. We like the restaurant settings and casual atmosphere. Just my opinion - their concept is similar to C Mexican chain. However Choolah is seriously way more expensive with its very small portion. I understand the price could be a result of expensive Indian spices. The flavor was good but does not stand out to other Indian food or other restaurant in the same mall. We won't not come back but that would be after we have tried out everything else in the area. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Love this place! Super delicious affordable food with gorgeous in and especially outside seating! The first time I visited a staff member gave me a whole menu tour and I ordered the very yummy chicken wrap! read more

Delicious, fresh and fast. Currently, during COVID there's seating outside. Absolutely, love the Choolaah bowl with black daal. Con- NO WASHROOM! read more

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I rate things on the total package most times and this location has some issues with entering and the seating from a ADA perspective. For most folks not a issue but for those with back or mobility issues these are of concern when selecting a location for eating Our first point of concern was entering.... we saw two sets of doors booth with stairs. While it appears there is a gently ramp to one set if the doors that ramp is blocked by outside tables along that side of the building. If you do sit there beware you don't slide off the small riser as no guard rail. Second is the seating.... while there are chairs with backs they are a minority's to stools and the lovely undulating benches ... for us that need a table with at least two chairs this can be a issue when they are busy. Because of these two issues if I was scoring on their own would probably be a 1 or 2 star. What takes them to a three is their food but even there for us some things fell flat Because we were unsure of what we wanted we ordered in two rounds. Round 1 was a fabulous samosa chaat and disappointing mango lassis. I say disappointing as they lacked in the mango. A nice yogurt drink but ohhhhh how I wish it had more mango. The chaat was the star of the meal. Lovely samosas layered with chickpea masala and sauces. From the condiment area we added jalapeños and onions as we like things spicy I'm glad we split up our order so that we could enjoy round 1 before we ordered more.... Round 2 was our mains. While I liked that the tikka masala sauce was on the side so I could layer on my own I found it very thin. I adore sauce with my naan but the thickness was a disappointment. The chicken was on point and very flavorful and juicy on its own. Hubby had the choolah salad with lamb added and a side of tandoori veggies. He commented he liked the tamarind dressing I got him (evidently a ranch style also available but we didn't try). He did play a bit and added onion, jalapeños and a bit of the mango sauce from the condiment area. He ended up saving the meatballs to eat last. A nice tasting meatball but his comment was he wished there was a cubed lamb option. We found the portions a nice size and depending on the day could be shareable especially if you get the chaat as that was filling. They have kulfi and truffles but I ate to much to try a round three. Next to us we say a family eating something that came out looking like a pie.... evidently that is the biryani.... appeared he enjoyed.... read more

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Good quick Indian food. Only complaint would be it's not a very extensive menu. But the food is quick and we'll prepared. read more

Choolaah - Tikka Masala Naan - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

This place is so good. The food options are different from what we usually get, and everything is fresh and delicious. We particularly like the Tikka and the Veggie Croquettes. Chicken and Yellow Lentil Daal are awesome also. Service is always fast and friendly. One other thing I like is Choolaah was way out in front of the pandemic. They closed their store to retrofit, and added protections to help protect customers. The store is always neat and clean. Portions are generous and everyone is always stuffed after. read more

Was here for the soft opening before their grand opening. Call it an Indian Chipotle/Cava. You pick your protein, rice and etc.... The food is good but I wouldnt call it truly authentic. It's Indian fast food. Everything is made fresh and on premises. The Chicken Biryani looked like a pot pie with a crust on the outside with chicken, rice and sauce/spices inside. Mix well. The flavors are good but add hot sauces, jalapeno peppers, onions and lemon juice for additional flavor. Overall, its a good introduction to Indian food if you've never had it. Naan is really good...ask for extra butter!!!! read more

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Choolaah would be really good if I'd never had real Indian food before. The whole 'fast food version' just doesn't do Indian food justice. I always think it sounds good, but then I end up disappointed. Not because it's bad per se, but it just reminds me of what I'm missing. It's just not a cuisine suited for converting to the fast casual experience. Also, on my most recent visit, the restaurant was absolutely freezing inside, and the music was earsplittingly loud (this coming from a pretty big metalhead). read more

The best place to grab a quick and delicious snack! I'm in love with their mango lemonade and crave it all the time. Their samosas are perfectly crispy and not oily. I've tried their wraps as well (lamb is halal) and so good. Highly recommend if you like Indian food! read more

Choolaah - Samosa Chaat, Samosas, Mango Lemonade - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

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Swore off fast food over 15 years ago. The 'fast - casual' concept has improved so much. This one hits on all cylinders. When you think about it, this fast-casual concept is actually more expensive than a sit down casual restaurant. Trade off: no tipping and you really can customize your order. -Delicious Indian food - two of us $24.38 without any drinks. Since i don't eat meat but do eat fish, this was perfect for me. -incredible sauces - you can have as many as you can pump into the little tiny cups. Our table looked like a mini-cup version of Beer Pong... -Salmon Choolaah Salad for me and the Chicken Choolaah Salad for fiance. Salmon cooked perfectly and a decent sized cut too. -Wine wine wine. They sell Eve Chardonnay, one of my faves-affordable. -excellent food selections to choose from: Vegan and Gluten free and noted on the menu, which is helpful. -Speedy service. The only reason I gave it 'four stars' is that the seating and condiment areas were not clean. The restaurant was not packed, there were plenty of seats and enough employees to check the space. We wiped down our table, which had spilled water and food on the tabletop. There was debris on the floor. Just a quick once-over and it would look better. The bathrooms were very clean though. read more

Choolaah - Choolaah Salmon Salad - no pickled onions. Tamarind Ginger dressing. I actually had 6 other little cups of sauces too! - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

hot and dirty ambiance they told that the food take 15-20 minutes but it took them one one hour and the in the counter told me 5 minutes more, I went to see the kitchen to talk to them I saw it was horrbily dirty and I come out and ask my money back they were rude with me and never ask me for an apology and throw back the money I recommend for not too long to be served but too dirty read more

The first time I tried Choolaah, I was at Yelp's Mixtape event and my tastebuds were piqued. So, I headed over here and ordered the chicken tikka masala. There was so much sauce in my bowl that it was more of a stew/hearty soup. The chicken also had a good amount of char, so much that half of the chicken was blackened - which is why I gave them 3 stars. Their mint chutney is great though, it's my favorite sauce to use on Indian food and papadums - it's got the right amount of spice to mint to yogurt ratio. I love Indian food, so I would give Choolaah a second chance, try something else......... read more

So 10 minutes after my good service from server Sebastian S unknowingly comes this disappointing bag of a meal. On my ride home, I couldn't wait to get home to devour my Lamb meatballs & rice. Overall, the rice was dehydrated & the meatballs personally didn't please my taste buds. I only appreciated the Yellow Lentil Daal--15 dollars down the drain. I will give this place a second chance, but there will not be a disappointing third! read more

Y'all... the samosa chaat?! Definitely order it!!! Sometimes if I just want an afternoon snack I will come to Choolaah and order the samosa chaat as it is filling, delicious, and affordable! I've been coming to Choolaah sterling since it opened up last year, at that time it was just okay. But after I came back from university a month ago and tried it again it has DEFINITELY stepped it up to A+ game. I have been here a few times already this month and it has been CONSISTENT delicious! The bbq chicken is grilled so well, the naan with the cilantro and being cooked in the choolaah is insanely good. We love the tikka masala, the yellow lentil daal and the black lentil daal. read more

Choolaah - Samosa Chaat - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

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Indian version of what is similar to Chipotle or Cava. Overpriced IMO for "modern" Indian fast food. Ordered the tikka masala with lamb that tasted and smelled kind of gamey...would probably get chicken next time. Naan was very good and buttery but would have preferred more dry naan to go with the sauce. The best part for me was the sauce bar. They advise which sauces to use for each meat but I got all of them to try and they are all very flavorful and good with just the naan or rice mixed with it. Favorite sauces were apple, mango and mint yogurt. read more

I was surprised to find a crowd at this chipotle-style Indian fusion place! That means the flavors and spices must be spot on! That was the first sign that we were in for tasty food. The second sign was the open kitchen filled with unique cooking instruments for the meat and naan. The third sign was the plenty, yet simple menu filled with classic Indian dishes with a twist, as well as build your own meat, rice, masala, and naan. My husband and I built our own bowls. I ordered the paneer cheese with brown rice, chickpea masala and naan. My hubby ordered the chicken with brown rice, tikka masala and naan. I loved the firm and salty cubes of paneer cheese, the tender and juicy chicken, the flavorful tikka masala, and the fresh naan! It was also fun watching part of the cooking process of the meat and naan through the open kitchen. I loved the mango lassi of course! I definitely want to try specialties like the biryani and tandoori wraps like the lamb meatball when I return. Also, the drinks menu was very intriguing with the salted lassi, Choolaah chai and ginger mint lemonade! I definitely need to come back! read more

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This place has such a good vibe. The ambiance is colorful & the kitchen is open view. You can actually see your food getting prepared. I really liked the modern style tandoor that says Tom, Dick & Harry :) We got there around 1pm & were able to order immediately. We got chicken tandoori wrap, bowl of salmon & a tikka masala, cheesy naan pizza, malai & mango kulfi. We weren't disappointed from any entree. I would say it's a chipotle style indian bbq joint. It's a neat idea esp. if you are looking for a faster service. They also have a sauce bar where you can serve yourself. It is filled with spicy mango, tamarind, lava, and cilantro. The staff is very friendly! They also have an outdoor area for summers. read more

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If you already like Chipotle or Cava, give this place a go! I found out about Choolaah when my office was invited for the grand opening last year. I had never had Indian style cuisine before so I was a little apprehensive but it was surprisingly delicious! Now it's become a regular lunch spot for a lot of us in the office. I always get their chicken bbq meal with white rice, naan, and black lentil dal (around $10). It's a little pricey though especially when adding on grilled vegetables ($3) or a drink. I will say however, they offer some of the most unique flavor profiles in casual dining all while keeping great customer service and sustainability practices in mind! Also don't forget to check out their super-techie hand wash machine. I have no problem at all giving them 5 stars! read more

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My husband is a HUGE chicken tikka masala fan, so when we found this spot on Yelp we were stoked. The food was great, however next time we come in we'll probably order an extra side of tikka masala sauce since the bowl was a little light on the sauce. It also was slightly disappointing that the chicken is cooked separate and not in the sauce itself - so the chicken really just tasted plain. read more

Good quality, fast Indian food. The atmosphere in the restaurant is pretty loud but nice, their mint ginger lemonade is to die for and their Choolaah bowl is perfectly balanced. read more

This is very nice modern and artistic atmosphere with decent food. I got the tofu lettuce wraps with brown rice and naan bread. The naan bread was fresh and delicious. The lettuce wraps weren't as good as the ones at the Cheesecake Factory but we're light and filled me up, given the rice. The food was aesthetically pleasing and served on trays that had Indian inspired artwork which made for a good picture. The interior of the restaurant had unique quirks to it like a unique hand washing station and hilarious bathroom signs. Overall was clean and pleasing to be in. It was very packed, which must mean that the dish I chose was lesser than the best dishes they have. My cousin got a build a bowl with white rice, salmon, and vegetable masala and it was flavorful & her go-to meal. Overall my meal was a 3 Star meal but the clean and pleasant atmosphere made it a 4 Star experience! The employees were also nice and looked like they were keeping busy. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

I'm so glad hat Choolaah is still up and running during COVID. There are a number of cuisines that should work well in a fast casual environment and Indian is one of them. They do a great job with the proteins, masalas & lentils, etc. My favs are the chicken, tofu and chickpeas. I personally would skip the naan, but other than that I recommend anything you can get here. read more

This place is incredible. Awesome decor. Quality sourced ingredients. Extremely friendly staff - he even let us sample several of the options. They make their own naan... that alone qualifies for a minimum of 4 star rating. I was just so impressed in their unique set up for a lunch spot. I can't wait until this makes it to the west coast! read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

This place was so satisfying to find! Wanted a new location for date night, and we wanted a lil spice in our life. When you first come in you can wash your hands at the wash station (must try!). You then go to the counter to order and they have everything nicely laid out on the order board with bright colors. You can create a meal by choosing a meal (protein), rice, nan, and a Marsala. They also let me try different Marsalas to decide on the spice. You get a toppings bar after you order which has jalapenos, onions and another topping. Then you have multiple chutneys you can add to your meal! A water station you can fill up your cup at. It was clean inside with a variety of types of chairs and tables for sitting from round tables to square and a long communal bar sitting. Overall it was a great meal and a good experience. read more

It has a modern feel. Good is good and service is fast. I like that the kitchen is transparent so you can see how your food is being prepared read more

Love this place! Ive been here so much and all their food is delicious. I am in love with their mint sauce! Their meat is seasoned very well and they have very fresh ingredients as well! The customer service is also wonderful! I'm always greeted when I walk in and treated with care:) read more

Great attempt at fast casual Indian food. I got the chicken tiki masala with brown rice, and it was okay. The sauce was a little watery, I prefer a thick creamy sauce. I added some lava sauce to it to make it spicier. The naan was great, although it's hard to mess up naan. What sets this place apart is every worker was super helpful and friendly l. So 5/5 on costumer service. Also, the atmosphere is nice and modern and comfortable for lunch. read more

Choolaah - Chicken Tiki Masala - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

I like it! It was good for Indian fast food and there are an assortment of adding you can put with your food. Super hot sauce, hot sauce, mango sauce, endless options. The naan wasn't too crunchy when it got cold which was nice! The chicken was tender and it wasn't dry, always a plus. My biggest gripe is the brown rice to be honest, which is a choice I made. My brown rice seemed undercooked though, which I definitely didn't enjoy. Other than the brown rice, I'm going to say I will come back here. read more

Choolaah - Chicken, brown rice, and tikka masala! - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Tried this for the first time this past week. The service was great, food was delicious. I actually brought home samosas for the family and they reheated amazingly well! Loved it and will be back. read more

-Food was really good. -Good Presentation - I don't like how you can sample foods while people are waiting in line it holds up the entire line and when you're hungry that's irritating -could do better about cleaning tables -staff was friendly -the naan wasn't that good kind of oily -food is very filling read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Delicious, but I am never going to feel good about the prices on these portions. I paid $46 for 2 bowls, 2 naan and 1 lassi. Salmon was tiny (one finger sized) and lamb was 3 meatballs - both of which were an upcharge. For three meatballs. For that tiny piece of salmon. Why upcharge and then still skimp? I feel ripped off. I effectively paid $50 for two cardboard bowls of wet rice. Can't enjoy this meal. read more

Choolaah - $46 for this? Where's the food? Smells good, but this is seriously not going to feed us. - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

I loved the Choolah@ Merifield and was really excited for this place.Just loved the food here.Everything tastes so fresh. Some observations - BEST DAL MAKHNI BEST LAMB MEATBALL KEBABS Though the BIRYANI is not authentic but tastes really really good. NAN is awesome SAUUCES are great The hosts are great.The place is neat and clean. I have been a regular here and I will continue doing that ! read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

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Consider this to be more like a 3.75 star review, since we are talking about the desi food offerings in the DMV area. The concept is fantastic and so is the ambience. However, the flavors are somewhat missing. Yes, i understand that this is Indian Fast food concept, however, if they had fewer items on the list and more focus on what they had, i think that could elevate the flavors. Overall, good for a quick meal and office lunches, not my go to place for an Indian meal. read more

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I love the the portions and packaging of the food here. It's westernized Indian food. The taste of the food is also good.

It felt like entering a Chipotle for Indian food, when I first entered here, till the food came out! Meat as fresh as can be and flavors are deeply infused but subtle and so will feel kind to the American palate. I'd recommend the chicken biryani, the wraps (you can substitute the roti with lettuce) and the chicken makhni meal. Portions are perfect so you won't leave stuffed or with a lot of left overs. Good place for early dinners - watch the kids enjoy the water fountains just outside (in a non creepy way, please). Also, don't forget to the try their cool hand washing machine! read more

Choolaah - Chicken BBQ - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Very Interesting place with amazing menu options.I had the kabob meal with tikka masala and chicken as protein. The service was quick and the food was great. Also, they have several signature sauces, and the spicy mango one is my favorite. I also tasted the chicken biryani, it was good too. I would not compare this to the typical, dum biryani as this is very much different yet tasty. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Outside seating only for now. Handwashing station up front. Lots of plexiglass. Salmon , chicken, chickpeas are good. Order extra bread amazing dipped in chickpeas. read more

Choolaah - Mango Lassi semisweet goodness - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

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Like my coworker said, Choolaah makes Indian food "sexy". I was excited to hear that Choolaah in Sterling was FINALLY open after peeking through their windows for months every time I was in the area. I spent my lunch break on a Friday here where it was BUSY. there was a line out the door and around the corner at one point, but they folks behind the counters were fast, efficient, and so friendly. Special shout out to the gentleman manning the middle counter (Crap - I forgot his name, I believe it was Antonio. Sorry [perhaps] Antonio, I let too many days go by between my visit and this review). He helped me out tremendously with a gift card that was giving us some trouble. I ordered the Chicken Biryani and a side of the chickpea masala as well. I prefer the Chicken Biryani to the BBQ Meal with chicken because the biryani meat mixed in with the herbs and spices under the warm bread blanket is just so flavorful. I could kind of do without this bread though, but it's a very thin layer and after breaking it up with my fork and letting it fall into my chicken and rice mixture underneath, it wasn't too bad. Don't skimp on the naan though. They have a wheat or regular naan option and that less healthy naan all buttery and cilantro-y is GOOD. I couldn't resist getting a truffle (actually 2...2 truffles). Truffles on an Indian restaurant menu was an interesting sight, so I had to try them out. The kind lady behind the counter informed me that the head chef is from Switzerland, so he knows his chocolates. The truffles were actually so rich and creamy and a really good treat after a meal with quite a bit of spice. Thoroughly impressed with Choolah's fast casual "sexy" food as well as the fun, tech-savvy details of the restaurant. (Make sure you try out the hand washing station near the front door...it's fun.) I was happy to see that Loudoun County welcomed them in with a long line of open arms. I know I will certainly be back. read more

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Choolah is a nice little fast food Indian restaurant. They don't have many options on the menu, either a wrap or a bowl of your choice but they have good authentic flavors. I really like their sauces and of course mango lassi. read more

Choolaah - Chicken tikka misala - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

This is probably the best fast Indian restaurant I've been to. It is very similar to cava if you yelpers have been there. We got two BBQ meals here, one chicken and one lamb meatball. It comes with white or brown rice, naan or wheat naan, and a type of masala. We got white rice, naan, and tikka masala and black lentil daal. The naan is actually garlic naan which was a nice surprise: the first indication that the food was going to be great. The lamb meatballs were nice and flavorful, and the chicken was very juicy and well seasoned. Overall with the masala it was a well balanced and filling dish. What really made this place amazing is the variety of sauces. They offer 5 different types of sauce: a hot sauce, a mint and cilantro one, a mango sauce, a tamarind sauce, and another Indian flavored one(not sure what it's called). These sauces offered many changes in flavor to each bite and keep things from getting old. We also tried the herbal iced tea and it was GREAT. Really delicious. Finally, what really made this place shine. The handwashomatic. They have a machine that washes your hands for you. GUYS, you literally get your hands washed for you. It was a great experience. My only complaint is that the tray they gave us to hold the food was unstable, I was afraid of dropping it when we were walking to our table. Five out of five makes me feel alive. read more

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