The inside of the place is tastefully done. The music was almost at that point of being too loud. The food was good, not great. The problem is the service towards families. I watched from aside as tables with children tried to get a servers attention and it took some karma points to get service. The second issues is when we asked for boxes , one of the curry containers came to us used. It was clearly dirty with grease lining the sides. The prices are a not too high for the quality. read more

Curry Mantra - Dirty take home container. - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

So I typically don't write reviews, good or bad. But I have to on this place. Let me start with the positives. Great staff, amazing decor and very clean. Now on to the negatives. The food here is terrible! We got the free papadam as a courtesy starter and they were not crispy, yet tasted like they have been sitting around for days. They were soggy! Ok no biggie since it was free, but then comes the main course. I ordered the Chicken Tikka masala, a classic dish that is very hard to mess up. My dish just looked wrong! It was very watery and soupy with no flavor! The chicken was not marinated and was bland. My wife ordered the Chicken Vindaloo, which was even worse. No spice or flavor, and definitely not Chicken Vindaloo! I have a co-worker who is a non Indian Brit and can make a better Vindaloo. Yikes!!! Unfortunately we wrapped up and left promptly, and we're not able to convey our dissatisfaction with the staff. Will not be returning! read more

I've been a regular here for about a year now, and I have zero complaints. I had the opportunity tonight to go eat in the restaurant rather than get take-out as I usually do, and I had a great experience. The waitress was taking orders and handing out take out orders all by herself, and she was literally running through the restaurant. It took a minute to get our food, but I didn't mind, she was working extremely hard. We ended up trying something new, the non-vegetarian thali platter. We ordered 2, but honestly, we could've shared one between the two of us. The portions were way more than we expected, but that's never a bad thing. The food was absolutely delicious. The thali platter had different items than what was noted on the menu, I believe ours had Indian tomato soup, tandoori chicken, lamb saag, chicken curry, naan, rice, kheer, raita, and something that was fried (not sure of the name exactly). The tandoori chicken was perfectly cooked and not dry, the tomato soup was an unexpected dish but still very delicious, the lamb saag was super savory and smooth, the chicken curry was absolutely heavenly, the kheer was delicious to finish the meal with something not too sweet, and the naan and rice were cooked to perfection. Everything was so different but so delicious it is impossible to choose a favorite. If you would like to try indian food but don't know where to start, the thali is an excellent option as its a bit of everything; Entrees, side dishes, a side sauce, and even dessert! If you order for yourself, you will definitely have leftovers. We also ordered hot chai, and it too was absolutely delicious. Overall, my experience here was over the top. I might even go as far as saying this may be one of the best meals I have ever had. I will always return here. read more

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3.5 - Well, surprise me you did Curry Mantra. I try to never have expectations but, for some reason in the back of my head, I thought this place would be less than ok. Not the case. Granted, it is not the best in this area full of competing Indian restaurants, but not too shabby. The restaurant was well decorated, they have a bar which awaits you the second you walk in, and the service was just fine. We came in approximately 35 minutes before they were going to close for lunch and were still offered the full menu and not just the lunch buffet. Here I was thinking they would be ardent about closing on time and direct us straight to the buffet (which we ended up choosing anyways.) So the buffet. You'll have a decent assortment for carnivores and herbivores alike, such as bhel (which was surprisingly good), raitha (yogurt with spices), daahl (lentils), saag with corn (spinach), butter chicken, chicken curry (I did seconds on this one!), tandoori chicken, and a couple dessert and fruit options at the end. As is customary, the waiter will bring you out a basket of naan [four pieces slathered in butter...] Being a bit on the saltier side and unfortunately, at room temperature as well, Curry Mantra had us wishing for a little bit more. read more

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Three stars or four.. Decisions, decisions. This is a tough one. There were things I loved and things that were quite disappointing. So all in all, just know this place is good but I wouldn't say super amazing. Be prepared to have your wallet drained here. Everything is pretty expensive. Drinks are also expensive.. $7 for beer? And the amount of wine you get is only enough to moisten your lips. The sad part is that I've had cheaper and better for the same quality food and service. The staff was very attentive. A little too attentive. But that's probably because they were all huddled together with not much to do. The chicken tikka masala's chicken was on the dry side. If it wasn't for the tikka masala sauce, the chicken would be close to inedible. Sadly, I'd have to say the same for the goat in the goat curry. The goat was more on the tough side and could have been more tender. Other than that, the actual tikka masala sauce and the goat curry were pretty delish. But since the meat was more on the dry/tough side, that's a lot of points off for me. The non-veg thali dish was alright. If you have no clue what to order here, that would be a good starter. Gives you a taste of different dishes. The naan bread was bangin' though. On the bright side, I am in love with the decor. Very intimate with the dimmed lights and their booth seats even have these little pillows.. PILLOWS. or cushions, whatever. Props to whoever designed the place. Really the only thing that bugged me about this place was that it was expensive and did not meet up to my standards.. Maybe I have high standards but who knows? Maybe the buffet would be more worth it. read more

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Decided to stay in and order delivery from here tonight....been to the restaurant itself and liked the food so why not do delivery... So ordered the butter chicken, garlic naan ,and Aloo Gobi garlic naan is a must have with your meal it's full of flavor and very good not your typical very chewy naan but naan done right Butter chicken is my go to at this place packed with flavor and very tender chicken and so nooommmm nooommmmmmm The Aloo Gobi sautéed dish of goodness full of potatoes green peas and cauliflower with tomatoes ginger and very good spices you can definitely order it with the spice level you are comfortable with also .... So if you aren't into the burning love or want a bit of burn or no burn this dish is for you without sacrificing flavor... Yes only downside of ordering delivery is the long 30-40 min wait but hey that's what you get if you don't want to go out after a long day at the office. read more

Background I always ordered delivery here and this is the first time I dined in. I have to say that this place surprised me. It's more than just a casual spot, it's pretty nice and visually colorful. Food 4/5 I tried this Thali dish wish includes a tapas style different dishes. I liked it. It had: Chicken Mantra Curry - very good, tasty and the chicken was cooked well Butter Chicken - It was par, the flavor wasn't amazing Lamb Saag - now this dish was AMAZING. The green sauce was so flavorful yet it didn't hide the lamb flavor. And the lamb was perfectly cooked tender Tandoori Chicken - tender and a typical tandoori flavor It came with rice and two desserts which were also good Service 5/5 Their service was top notch. They waited after we ate our appetizers before they came and asked if we were ready for our entree. That's very rare, non-rushed service. The water was never left empty and the servers had a great attitude. Ambiance 4/5 Clean and more than casual. Nice date spot in the evening. The room was a very bright red color with a few visual pictures on the walls. read more

Curry Mantra - Thali. It's several dishes in one meal. - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Ladies and Gentlemen!!! You don't know what you are missing. The service, ambiance, and food are magnificent. We came for the lunch buffet which only cost $12 (before discount). Upon entering we were greeted and was seated promptly. The variety of the food was good. I tried everything especially the Butter Chicken and veggie fritters. It was my first time eating rice pudding and I look forward to eating it again. I was so happy that my colleagues were pleased with my choosing of this restaurant. Curry Mantra thank you for the great service. Oh and the bathroom was clean and stocked with products. read more

Curry Mantra - First round at buffet! - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

***Weekend Lunch Buffet Review*** Sometimes, I don't know why I keep trying other lunch buffets when I already have a favorite.....*whispers, "Raaga." Curry Mantra's buffet isn't too bad. Their veggie dishes are good...but their meat dishes are a little lacking. I didn't care to have any seconds to be honest. The chicken in the tikka masala was dry and overcooked. All in all, nothing memorable, but nothing to complain about.... read more

Curry Mantra - Buffet - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is our favorite Indian restaurant in the area. The food is consistently delicious. Most importantly, they always get the spice level right. The service is always very attentative without being overbearing. I highly recommend it! read more

**Review is for Carry-Out only** I was having one of my Indian food cravings again and decided to try a new restaurant in the area. My bf was at work and instead of eating there by myself, I decided to place a pick-up order! MURGH MAKHANI (Butter Chicken): I ordered extra spicy because I've seen that other nearby Indian places usually skimp on the spicy levels. However, this one was actually very spicy that I was shedding tears of joy (because it was still very good). The sauce was thick and creamy, but my only complaint is that the chicken was a bit tough/stringy and not as tender as I had hoped. Service is friendly and quick. I placed my order and was surprised that it only took 10 minutes to be done! The inside looks large (it's newly renovated/expanded) and nicely decorated. I will be back to try more things on the menu (but will probably only go for Spicy instead of EXTRA spicy)! read more

Curry Mantra - samosas - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Ordered dinner for the first time from curry mantra. Soup container was not sealed properly so had spilled in the bag. Aloo gobhi was not cooked properly and was bland. I had high expectations from this place but was so disappointed the simplest of dishes ............. read more

Delicious food, reasonable prices and super-friendly staff/owners. Don't let the exterior fool you...this is a gem for the community?

We went here for dinner. Ordered aloo Chaat from apptizers which was decent. Ordered chicken curry from entree - taste was not so good, tasted stale. The biggest problem was with service. Everyone was so confused. Severs were nit assigned for each table. All servers were working for all the tables. I asked for tamirind chutney 3 times but no one was bothered. Such a big miscommunication between servers, we were served papad twice, salad twice, got cheque twice. Management really need to work on their service. Will not go here again. read more

I wanted to relate a horrible experience with a delivery from this restaurant. We ordered a good amount of food through BeyondMenu at about 5:30pm. At 6:30pm we began to wonder where our food was so I called the restaurant and was told that a driver was not yet available to deliver and that we would have our order in 30 minutes. Of course when we did not have our food 1/2 hour later I called again and was told that the driver left 20 minutes ago and would be there shortly. At 7:20pm we finally got our food. Needless to say after almost two hours the food was freezing cold and almost inedible. Called BeyondMenu to complain about the lack of drivers and cold food and was told that the restaurant supplies drivers, not them. They were willing to advocate on my behalf for some compensation. They called me back and and said that the restaurant would reimburse me 10% of the total cost. Insulting. The restaurant then called and when I explained the situation - very late delivery, cold food - said that the next time we came in for dinner they would give us a free entree. So basically if we spent MORE money they would gIve me a free entree. Ridiculous. I told the man on the phone that this was unacceptable, this situation was under their control, if they had no drivers they shouldn't have made the food. He said he would have the manager call me to discuss my unhappiness and, you guessed it, I am still waiting for the call. The customer service at this establishment is beyond bad, it's horrible. They don't care at all about unhappy customers as long as they make their money. I am never going back. read more

Ordered take-out dinner during Fairfax City Restaurant Week. Deal is 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes for $35 (for 2). Portions were very large and we also had leftovers! Both appetizers were excellent: Samosa Chaat and Hariyali Tikka Chicken were both flavorful and tasty! Chicken was cooked perfectly (baked with a fresh herb flavor on the outside). Entrees (includes rice for each entree): Chicken Tikka Masala was tasty and flavorful! Chicken Vindaloo was just as spicy as the menu describes. The spicy, buttery sauce was so good, I ate it by the spoonful! Highly recommend Curry Mantra for dinner!!! read more

First time trying this place. The samosa chat was a soggy mess squeezed into a small container, not at all what one expects. No crispness, chutney or onions/tomatoes layered in it. When I called them to ask what they gave me, their response was that's how they make it! Very disappointing. The curry was a little better but still bland. I will not be going back, many better options around NoVA. read more

This is def my Indian go to place. Their butter chicken and shrimp is so amazing. The tandoori dishes are also fabulous with a little spicy kick. Their weekend buffet is def worth the price. Unlike other buffets, this one lets other customers from the same table order a la carte while others dine off the buffet. The garlic naan bread - OH MY. so good. read more

Great food and service. Especially love their lunch buffets. Nice variety in selection. read more

Curry Mantra - Delicious and freshly prepared buffet dinner at Curry Mantra. - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Did the buffet and was not disappointed. The only thing I would say is don't eat anything before going. I was so stuffed, I wish I had deeper pockets in my stomach. Great selection and all very tasty. Great selection: Spinach with cheese balls, tandoori chicken, butter chicken, chickpeas, fried critters?, and a bunch of others that made the wife happy. My only complaint was that my wife ordered a chai that cost us $4, almost half the price of the buffet which we could have gotten it cheaper at Starbucks. I'd stick with water or order something less substantial. read more

Curry Mantra is arguably the best Indian food restaurant I have ever tried. I usually eat there at least once every two weeks and order the Lamb Byriani, Jaipuri Bhindi Masala and Palak Paneer and let me tell you: fantastic! I have tried other items in their menu and they are equally delicious, but I have a thing for these 2 dishes. Keep it up, guys! Definitely one of my top 5 restaurants in the area. read more

3.5 stars. Food taste good but can be pricey. We had the chicken tikka masala and goat biryani. The masala was creamy and flavorful. The biryani was average. Rice was somewhat dry. The disappointment was paying $5 for a mango lassi that is barely 3/4 filled. read more

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Good Indian food in a great atmosphere that has an authentic vibe (except for the music was more American Indian spirit flutes than Bollywood). It's delicious, and the service is speedy and attentive. Don't be fooled by the shady looking strip mall it's in -- it's actually a really nice place on the inside. The menu mimics many other Indian places, as does the food. It's really good, and I have no complaints. However, it's really expensive compared to other Indian dinner options, and the portions are pretty much the same. About $60 for two (including tip). I think the food at Jaipur is a little better and definitely cheaper. So will I be back to Curry Mantra? Probably not... but it's certainly worth a try if you're an Indian connoisseur. read more

First time in an Indian Restaurant. While I was waiting for my emissions testing from Shell next door, I got superb customer service and attentiveness from the three people not just one who was there today. I even got free Mango Lassi. The owner Pramesh was the one who actually took time to explain the food since I haven't tried most of the food. He's very hands on, you should visit! Food is delicious and price is very reasonable. read more

Curry Mantra - Mango Lassi, got it complimentary! - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I am trying to eat more Indian food and this was pretty good. I went for the lunch buffet and they had a decent amount of options for the price. The service was great and they bring naan bread right to the table. I liked the sides a lot, but the butter chicken wasn't as good as I'd hoped. read more

Good lunch buffet. Probably the best butter chicken I have had in DC area but the other dishes are just OK. It is fresh and good nan. The rice pudding was tasty. The tandoori chicken was juicy but again bland for my taste. It is a very safe Indian food, not too hot and not very outstanding but solid three star restaurants. read more

Yummy lunch buffet. Chicken and goat were meat choices. No lamb . I'd go again. Friendly attentive staff Quiet nice Indian background music read more

I went here for dinner with a large group of friends and the food was absolutely delicious. Probably one of my favorite Indian places in Northern Virginia. I can see why it is featured in so many publications. First, the decor is beautiful (Even though the outside isn't too great). The chicken byriani and the spinach was amazing. The curry/masala type dishes are served in individual "warming" trays which I thought was really cute. I didn't find it at all spicy, but my friends who tried my spinach dish said it was "intensely" spicy. Either way - I really enjoyed my meal and the service was spectacular. The young lady (who seemed like the manager) and the army of waiters who bring you your food were top notch. I used a restaurant.com certificate and they totally didn't mind at all - they just invited us to come back again. CM exemplifies what a dining experience should be - great food, great service, and great atmosphere for a great price. I'll be back! read more

Wow! I don't typically eat Indian food but that's going to change after having dinner here. Not only was the food great it came to the table so quickly. And the servings so generous, we had enough leftover for another meal at home. read more

The food was excellent. We all enjoyed the meals. Spice levels were as described. I had the paneer makhani which is one of my favorite dishes and I loved it. Husband got the chicken biriyani which had a nice spice level. Friends had a goat and chicken dish that looked good. We all had some leftovers which was nice too. Service was uneven. And I found a piece of plastic wrap in my food. The server was apologetic but did not offer any compensation. While not necessary would have made it much nicer. They also mixed up our credit card orders. Fixed it but never had that happen before. The decor was nice, ok for casual, a date or family gathering. read more

Excellent customer service, very polite, warm and welcoming. The decor is great. Order Samosa for appetizer, hot and tasty, come in 3 pieces. Also have Mango Kulifi and gulab jamun as dessert cuz I can't help it. Both are a bit too sweet for me but both taste amazing. Garlic naan is ok, I have better. Not a big fan of shahi naan much, taste more like a dessert for me. The chicken tikka masala is SUPER DUPER TASTY AND YUINMY. Just kinda expensive for a little portion for the price of $17- but it's so good though. The cleanness of the restaurant is on point. 3 stars over all. read more

Curry Mantra - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Very nice service and westernized Indian food. Good selection of meat and vegetarian items. read more

Curry Mantra - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Lunch buffet was $11.99 on weekdays. There were salad, two types of rice, plenty of vegetarian options and three chicken dishes (butter chicken, tandoori chicken and pickled chicken) and two types of desserts. The buttery naan was delicious. The tandoori chicken was spicy. Everything else I tried was very good. The service was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is divided into two separately dining areas. One side of the room could be used for private parties. Definitely a good lunch option. read more

Curry Mantra - Buttery naan with lunch buffet selection - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

My first impression of this place was very good. It is brightly colored and the staff greeted us right away and were friendly. We started off with the Bhelpuri, which had a nice presentation and flavorful. We then ordered the Shrimp Masala and the Paneer Makhani. Both were sooo good and it was very filling. The paneer makhani had cheese blocks that have a similar texture to tofu that I really like. The servers checked in on us and were very hospitable. I would come again. read more

Curry Mantra - Paneer makhani and Shrimp Marsala - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Love the chicken curry, but it is sometimes spicier than expected. I usually get medium, but I couldn't eat it. Looking forward to giving it another chance. read more

This is the only place all four of my family members love to eat -walk in -order the butter chicken, saag paneer, some shahi naan and some garlic naan -and share it family style. They also have a lunch buffet ($12?) if you want to taste many things at once, includes salad and fresh fruit. My Kids eat until their bellies hurt. So delicious! read more

We went for dinner on a Sunday night. I am really impressed with the interior. Well lit just enough for a perfect family dinner. Our kids loved the Malay kabob and chicken 65. Samosas and pakora was good. Goat biryani is awesome and my parents loved vegetable korma and roti. Excellent service, great food and awesome interior. read more

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We did a home delivery !! I think food was great !! good portions and tasty enough ! It is slightly pricey !! we got Goan fish curry , dal makhani ,assorted bread basket (onion naan , butter naan , etc),complimentary rice ! the bread basket is worth the price $10 for five naans ! read more

Curry Mantra - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Still waiting on my food delivery- it's been almost 2 hours. Have called them 3 times. They never offered a refund, never offered a credit, nothing! Unbelievable. Never ever ordering from here again. read more

Their "butter chicken" tastes like a can of tomato soup. Chicken is extremely dry and tasteless. Samosas weren't bad, but the sweet chutney tasted a bit off. No flavor or spice to anything. Very meh overall. read more