Liked the food, straight forward ordering, simple options, everything made in front of your eyes. Clean and open atmosphere. Crowded on weekdays and weekends. A little expensive for the quantity. Paneer was a bit dry though, happens when you cook it for a little longer. It takes out the moisture from it. Don't expect spicy, masala filled food. It's not your usual Indian restaurant. This place is to cater to everyone. read more

Choolaah - Mango Lassi, Tandoori Paneer Bowl with Tandoori Sauce. - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

It's so hard to find tasty Indian food that isn't spicy! I'm such a wuss when it comes to spice. But I do like flavor! Sadly, Choolaah is a little lacking in the flavor department. The tikka masala is a little bland. BUT it's not spicy, so I can actually eat it. Pros and cons! The chicken is good, but the rice is mushy. The naan is delicious. And they are very good about omitting cilantro when requested. So - kind of down the middle. Not amazing, but decent, easy, and fast. It's a really good fast casual option. read more

Choolaah is fast casual build-your-own Indian. It's the Indian Chipotle. Pick your protein, masala, and rice. Their samosa chat is made up of little samosas covered with sauces and crunchy tid bits. The pav bhaji comes with the regular fixings of red onions, lemon wedges, and chopped jalapeno. Everything's gently spiced, but tasty (the spiciness is quite gentle). There's a sauce bar for further customization. It's nice to have freshly made naan in this setting. read more

See all

Delicious Quick Indian with amazing customer service. Outdoor seating Kids enjoyed it too read more

Choolah is a unique fast casual, one that can satisfy both vegetarians and meat-lovers, and they offer a lot of healthy options. Their meats are mostly cooked in tandoor ovens, and they have plenty of veggie and grain-based sides: chickpea masala, lentil daal, tikka masala, and rice. The tandoor-baked naan breads were absolutely delicious. All their menu items are super savory, but not very spicy. If you're a fan of spicy foods, fear not, for their wide selection of sauces should satisfy the hotness that your heart desires. The mint yogurt and spicy mango were pretty darn good. Can't wait to see more Choolah's open in metro areas! read more

Im loving Choolah! I recommend the Tiki Marsala Lamb with added Naan bread :) Great food Great service Great atmosphere Fresh quality ingrediants Your order comes out exceptionally fast The only problem I had was when I left I was stuffed but thinking about how great the food was which made me hungry again which was kinda confusing considering how full I already was! But definetly I left feeling very happy! :) read more

See all

We tried them a day before the new year and they really serve very healthy yet scrumptious food. We were in a large group of 16 people including kids. We had ordered many bowls, but mine was paneer bowl with makhni gravy. They have generous serving and I was unable to finish mine. Makhni gravy was rich and paneer had good taste but it became a little bit dry. However, I loved my meal with lots of greens. They are kids friendly place, my daughter had kids' chicken bowl and she finished at one go. I wanted to try their kulfi but I was full. You must try their mustard chutney and many other chutneys as well. read more

To start off they have a mango lemonade that is sweet and tastes awesome, then you have all kinds of delicious sauces, perfectly made naan and one of my favorite chickens! The service is always impeccable and are so happy to answer any questions. It is always clean and modern. Best indian food around! read more

This is NOT Indian. Call it something else, like "American Indian" or something. So that customers know not to expect Indian. The food we got was fresh and healthy but very bland and dry. Honestly, if this was blind testing I would not guess Indian. Would not eat again. read more

So I've stopped by here a total of 3 times! I go after I get my lashes done, I thought it was going to be my ritual...bc the first time I went I got the choolah bowl half rice half greens with chicken, tikka masala Al with a side of naan. I had to go directly to work...so I got it to go...it was DELICIOUS!!!!! I mean...I work an hour away!!! And I waited a few hours to eat it!!! It was AMAZING! Fast forward to my next 2 visits...they've gone down hill!!! Today I ordered exactly the same thing to go...but I came home 10 mins down the street! NOT happy!!! I could literally see the brown paper bowl at the bottom...that's how LITTLE rice/salad they put in my damn bowl!!! It looked like a child's bowl!! I'm so upset! And the first time I got the greens...I do t think they just put spinach out of a bag in my bowl! This bowl was JUST LACKLUSTER!!! Especially for $14! I didn't even taste my damn naan! Oh! I forgot to add...the ginger lemonade is usually delicious as well! Today...lackluster as well...I even left it on the counter when I left while grabbing flatware! Smh! read more

Food is good but the staff are not friendly. Their first attitude is we are right. They don't want to take customer's feedback. Twice I had the situation were one time I told them to do well done nan which was not done and every staff was trying to convince me how that nan should be and this time the tea was cold and they were not ready to believe it is not hot (temperature) the they took it to reheat, when I waited for 10 + minutes, they gave me exactly the same tea. read more

Great food, great flavors and super vegetarian options! Something for everyone! Smells amazing. Lamb lovers rejoice. Juicy tender meatballs. I had the yellow lentil Dahl. Super yummy and filling. Samosa on pointe! We will be back! Now please open in Leesburg so I don't have to go all the way to Sterling!!! read more

Great food and service. Something stupid they started recently. They hand you over a receipt saying FREE TRUFFLE ( ON NEXT VISIT). Ask the owner of this place how many time he has saved funny receipts to get FREE TRUFFLE. So idiotic in computer age. Either text a text to send free truffle or get rid of this stupid marketing SCAM. I like the salad so I will try to visit the place as regular but please get rid of so so Indian way of marketing. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

See all

What a cute little restaurant! Very kid friendly. I'm not a connoisseur of Indian food, but this was great for a newbie like me. Great kids menu options as well, and they have a big glass window where you can look in and see the food being made. The outside walls can actually be drawn up to open to a patio in nice weather, and there is a really cool fountain right outside where kids can run and play. Great ambience and we had a really nice time here. read more

Ok so I might not be the best judge of Indian food, but I love paneer and the paneer here was really great. I got a choolaah bowl with paneer and yellow lentil daal. The naan was really good too. Really delish and would recommend to anyone! read more

Choolaah - The moment I realized I wanted to write a Yelp review - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Big fan of Choolah. I used to frequent the Mosaic location, but they have been closed due to COVID. Choolah has tasty options that don't feel heavy. I like that you can customize vegan, vegetarian or lighter bowls. Their naan is so yummy. The staff is friendly and their prices are reasonable. They were very accommodating when we dined outside during COVID. In more traditional times, their indoor dining is comfy and it's always bustling. Make sure to wash your hands with their built in hand washer! read more

My wife and I ate here mid-Saturday-afternoon, so there was no wait, and we had the place almost to ourselves. Everything was clean, and the garage doors were open, so we could enjoy outside fresh air while seated inside. We both ordered the Choolaah bowls. I had the chicken and my wife had the paneer. We both had the brown rice and tikka masala and two naan breads. We thought the portion size for the bowls was "just right" for each of us, and the flavors of the bowls and naan bread were heavenly! We savored every bite. The person who helped us was friendly and answered all of our questions about the menu items. His enthusiasm enhanced our experience. I am looking forward to trying the Perfect Balance Bowl which adds roasted vegetables to the mix of items. My wife and I are looking forward to our next visit. read more

This was my first visit and it did not disappoint in flavor, presentation or customer service. Having an allergy, sometimes it can get frustrating eating at restaurants. But their program notifies the order taker if an item has the allergen in it. So that is a huge step in the right direction for us allergy folks but then somehow I still ended up with my allergen in my salad. Not to worry though, they corrected the mistake, which we're all human so it was not something I was angry about but then went above and beyond by giving me a gift card. I would have returned regardless, but that was true customer service and I more than appreciate the staff that went above and beyond today! read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

If there were an option for 3.5 stars then that's what I would've gone with. Very friendly staff. And delicious food! Only reason I'd go with 3.5 is because I felt the 'price paid to amount of food' ratio was a bit lacking. I ended up getting the BBQ lamb with brown rice, wheat naan, and yellow daal, and the lamb was delicious. Just wished that I got more meat balls since I was paying a little extra for lamb. Also wish there was a bit of flavor in the brown rice. But I'm still thankful that they had a brown rice/wheat naan option! Other dishes ordered in my group were the samosa chaat and cauliflower wrap, and they enjoyed their dishes. The mango lassi was also tasty. I'll definitely come back and try their other options! read more

Choolaah - BBQ lamb, brown rice, wheat naan, and yellow lentil daal - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

Inconsistent taste quality the chickpeas were so dry I could have couched up chickpea balls

The food is good. Was getting food about 2 times a month. Food is still good but not same as before. They are trying to cut corners. Just got paneer roll and it was half the size of what it use to be. Last time got the tikka gravy and it was little watered down. Owner needs to understand that by cutting food quantity and quality to save money will just hurt in long run. Will not be ordering again until they fix the issues. read more

Not a fan of the food style, or the ordering process. Tried to take back a nan bread that has burnt edges and got attitude from the person that made it even though the manager quickly told them "just do another". I know others like the food, but too much garlic in everything for me. read more

Excellent taste! So glad I have this close by, ordered for pickup and food was available on time and tasty! Lowest spicy level sauce was still very spicy for me, as expected. Naan was great!! read more

Great place, great concept. Loved the décor and setup and my kids loved the tandoori ovens that have name tags (Tom, Dick, and Harry, and the Other Guy).. lol.. The food was really good. I had the lamb meatballs on a salad and my hubby the grilled chicken on brown rice. Smaller portions, but still filling. Would definitely go back. read more

Tasty Indian bowls - I like the "carb friendly" option to have super greens instead of rice. Today I noticed prices using order pickup from Google are more than prices when ordering at the restaurant so to save ~ 10%, order when you arrive, if you are ordering takeout. Also, the portions are on occasion inconsistent. read more

We had an order mistake and the management at Choolaah made it right and the experience great was great. I'm going to go back.

Oh man! My cousin convinced me to get the tikka masala and it delivered AFFFF! So yummy! Sat outside on the patio, gorgeous weather, great food! Quick service and the sauces were the best. Got a side salad so I can claim I'm healthy but it wasn't necessary! So looking forward to going again to try more things on the menu! Ps. My dogs were allowed on the patio. Double PS, Monday night is kids' night so it was fun to see the kids playing in the water fountains. Highly Recommend! read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

See all

Can't go wrong when you order to-go or ahead of time. Never had to wait a ridiculously long time or ever had an order error. One of my favorite places to eat after swimming :) Love the naan and chickpea masala. read more

Fast casual Indian- I guess it shouldn't really be surprising. Not only does it work, its actually really tasty. We've been to this location several times now- I like the town center vibe but still with parking available. You order at the counter and pick up up from a window, similar to Panera style with a buzzer. I love the setup of the place, with the big tandoori ovens so prominently displayed along with the open kitchen layout. I have usually ordered the tandoori chicken wrap. Great blend of spices on the chicken, and the sauce is delicious. Its a good portion size too, easily enough for a full dinner meal. They have some kids meal options too which we really appreciate- our daughter seems to love the rice. We'll continue to keep coming back! read more

What up world? So I'm generally a fan of choolah, i think their bowls are decently priced and they taste great. Generally their bowl is about $11-12 depending on what meat you get, also comes with side of naan, side bowl sauce of choice, and decent amount of rice. though they must've recently added these new wraps. The lamb wrap specifically is what I got and I paid $9 for it. So I'm like oh it's prob a bowl just in a wrap except it's literally just the naan some sauce and what ever meat you get.... It might just be me but cm on bruh how you gon give me less shit but only cut me a dollar? If I had got the bowl it would've been like 11 bucks with all the fixings?! At least add some rice in my wrap fam. I mean I'm not saying it wasn't good but I'm just saying I'm still hungry...I should've gone to Chipotle and I don't even like them. read more

Didn't know what to expect with the westernized indian food but it was surprisingly really good! :) Would go again!

We decided to come here for dinner after reading the reviews. We were excited to find out that this was a fast casual Indian place. What caught my eye to this place was the large glass windows outside. Daughter and I ordered Black Iced Tea and Mango Lemonade. She liked the Mango Lemonade and thought it wasn't overly sweet. It was just the way she liked it. She ordered the Tikka Masala BBQ with chicken and naan. I thought it was a bit oversauced but she liked it. She thought the chicken was nice and soft. I ordered Chicken Biryani and thought it was a little different. It had a pie pastry on top of it and it kept the biryani warm. This dish was more a Chicken Biryani Potpie. Daughter didn't care for it because it had raisins in it. Hubs had the Cauliflower and Chickpea Wrap and thought it was nice and vegany. Daughter thought it was no big deal because it was vegetables. LOL. There is one lone community table that seats 22 seats. Tables in middle have long caterpillar like cushions that snake around each table. One can see into the kitchen because the walls surrounding it are glass. Each tandoori ovens are individually named Tom, Dick and Harry. The 4th oven is named ...And The Other Guy . These ovens resemble cauldrons. Service was friendly and fast. Will definitely return to try other items on the menu! read more

Talked to the manager Ruben at the store. He was really friendly and took care of the issue and informed it will never happen again. Satisfied with the aftermath . read more

Have been getting food from here for a long time. Was so excited to see them open again during Covid. Have tried many things on the menu but favorites by far are the samosa chaat and pav bhaji as appetizers and the perfect balance bowl with lamb meatballs and Tikka Masala sauce. read more

I like this place because it has plenty of vegan options that are properly labeled as such in their menu. No more trying to explain to an Indian restaurant manager that ghee is not a vegetable! read more

Outstanding food, solid portions, delicious tastes, and something for the kids too! Definitely, one of my first thoughts when thinking about ordering out! read more

So we all know that the fast-casual restaurant train is here to stay, and up until now, it was safe to say that no Indian restaurant had successfully boarded, said train. However, I think Choolaah is the first Indian restaurant in the area that has perfected fast casual indian food trend; a restaurant that is both trendy, and capable of serving delicious, authentic cuisine. When you step into Choolaah, you are immediately taken aback at how modern the decor is. You see a huge lighted up menu on the wall, along with a few counters with ipads where you can order your food/beverages. The ambiance is fun, casual, and trendy. There is even an automatic hand washing station in the restaurant. Much of the food is prepare in actual "choolaahs" (aka: tandoor ovens), which you can visibly see through clear glass. The menu consists of many customizable options, which provide a little something for everyone. The food is flavorful and hearty, and the option of adding a number of condiments and chutneys, only enhances the experience. I absolutely love the pav bhaji, the samosa chaat, and the paneer wraps. The tamarind apple sauce at the condiment station is a can't-miss! I docked a star because the bowls in general, leave a bit to be desired. I wasn't a huge fan of the add-on tandoori vegetables, and the bowls with just the tofu or paneer and rice, seemed a bit lacking in some depth. I would definitely recommend this restaurant, especially if you are sick of the tired and true neighborhood indian restaurant you've been frequenting for ages. Give Choolah a shot, and be prepared to have delicious food in an upbeat, fun atmosphere! read more

I tried this place for the first time a few days ago with my friends. I've heard many good things about this place, and it was finally time to taste it myself. Ambience: This place has a really upbeat vibe. From unique table seating to modern artwork that depicted a bit of Indian culture. You definitely feel that this is a new place and is meant to have a fast food environment. Menu: The common phrase I hear is "its like an Indian chipotle" pretty much holds up. To make your own BBQ meal, you can choose from the type of meat, rice, Naan and curry. They also have a bunch of specialties which include biriyani and rice and curry mixes as well as some salads. They also had a some very popular side dishes like samosa chaat, pav bhaaji, kulfi and mango lassi juice which was a pleasant surprise. Presentation: The food is presented in an interesting way. The rice and meat you choose goes in your bowl while the curry and Naan are given separately. Though I'm brown, I found myself a little confused as to how to eat the food. I kept fiddling around with the various items to find the best way for them to come together in my mouth. I ended up pouring the curry into the bowl and mixing it with the rice and chicken to add some flavor. And I kept having to go back to the naan because I kept forgetting since it's placed under your bowl. Taste: Chicken and brown rice I ordered with Tikka masala was pretty good. The flavors weren't exactly as I was expecting, but the food was flavorful nonetheless. The meat was a little dry for my taste but it didn't make much of a difference as I mixed everything I ordered together. The masala wasn't too spicy so I ended up getting some chillis and sauces for my dish. My friend ordered veggie croquets (basically a culmination of potatoes, peas and carrots fried together) and I ended up liking it more than my food. The chickpea curry was also very good. Definitely would go back to try that again. Overall I enjoyed my meal and I would go back again to try the biriyani and some of the other side items too. Definitely would recommend everyone to try it out. read more

I had the tikka masala with lamb, some samosas, and a mango lassi. The samosas were not that good. The tikka masala with lamb was ok. The mango lassi was good. Overall the meal was ok but disappointing given the other reviews, the price, and that there are better Indian restaurants around that serve better food for a cheaper price. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia

See all

Wanted to try this place for a few weeks and finally got the chance today. OMG. Amazing. Delicious. Food. I had the chicken bbq bowl with yellow lentils. The extra sauces (spicy mango, tamarind apple, cilantro, and lava) are all phenomenal. Topped it off with a mango lemonade (!) and experienced nirvana. Definitely making it back here soon with the fam. read more

Choolaah - Indian Near Me - Sterling, Virginia