I love reinvented Indian cuisine and Daru sets the bar high! We hand a wonderful time this evening making our way through the menu. Everything was made well but the standouts have to be the momo dish, duck kebab, daal burrata, and za'tar naan! We're a bit of momo snobs so we were glad it didn't disappoint! All the dishes were comforting but with a twist. A big shout out to the staff because this was impeccable service and the kind you can only get at fine dining restaurants. My water was never empty, the food all came out on time and they even gave us a complimentary ice cream for my husband's birthday. We will be back to try the rest of the menu (again and again!). So happy to have this place near by! read more

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A very disappointing experience at this Indian restaurant in DC. The food and service were among the worst I've encountered for a restaurant with a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. Having a chef trained under Chef Vikram from Rasika doesn't automatically mean you can meet the high standard expected. The food was underwhelming, and the staff didn't inform us when the last call was approaching. When we asked for fresh bread, they simply said the restaurant was closed. The subpar food and drinks were definitely not worth the price, and this restaurant falls far short of being a good Indian spot to try in DC. read more

The lamb shank is bigger than you think. It's so good, I thought it might be slightly sweet but it's definitely more savory. I enjoyed the blue cheese chicken kebab the most out of everything (the sour cherry chutney made it pop). The naans, paratha, and chicken tikka masala. read more

Daru offers a twist on Indian cuisine, and their menu includes snacks, main entrees, sides, and breads, with an extensive beverage list. We came for an early dinner, and we ordered the following: +Grilled Lion's mane Mushroom - with carom, nigella, walnuts, and sour cherries +Narangha Shrimp Bhel - with mangoes, cashews, mustard seeds, and puffed rice; wasn't really a fan of the flavors of this dish; the shrimp also seemed to be slightly overcooked, as they were rubbery +Blue Cheese Reshmi Kebab - tandoori chicken with cashews and sour cherries; one of their popular dishes, this was interesting with the crunchiness from the cashews, the cheese, and the cherries +Scallops Moilee - prepared with coconut, curry leaf, and gun powder masala; this was a favorite for our table due to its sauce +Short Rib Sekuwa - with blue fenugreek, nutmeg, and chimichurri +Chicken Tikka Masala - prepared with onions, tomato masala, and fenugreek, served with basmati rice; the sauce was okay; I think it could be a bit more thicker and creamier +Wild Mushrooms Biriyani - with cremini, shiitake, mace, apricot, and served with seasonal raita; not really much of a biriyani fan, but this version was pretty good for a mushroom lover; the raita was a good complement +Pomegranate Aloo - with marble potatoes, sumac, and garlic; definitely more sweeter in taste and not what we expected +Bread Basket - came with plain naan, garlic naan, and herb laacha Note that the chutneys/sauces are all at an additional charge, so if you like to sauce your food up, you probably are good in ordering a variety to customize to your palate. Everything was well-plated, but the portions are more on the smaller end; the place seems to be more of a focus on shareable plates with drinks. Service was friendly. The space is small and cozy, and it seems like a popular spot for date nights and small get-togethers. +friendly service read more

Yooooo that was friggin bomb of Indian food. By no means this is authentic but they're not trying to be. Incredible and unique flavor profile, definitely meets the hype. Waitresses were enthused to serve us and that made it more fun. Definitely recommend the scallops, bread basket, daal. Would come back here read more

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We went here for my birthday dinner and had a great experience, delicious food and great service! The place has a nice warm ambience though it can get a bit loud. That did not bother us. The chef clearly knew how to work with Indian flavors, marry with spices/ condiments from other cuisines. Everything was well balanced in-terms of flavor & spices! We were greeted, immediately sat and I got a menu that clearly listed vegetarian options. The server suggested a few items. Highlights pretty much everything we got. Pesto Paneer Tikka, one of the best, the rhubarb honey sauce took the tikka up a notch. Sunchoke chat & mushroom biryani were equally great. The cocktails had enough kick to them. We ordered classic gulab jamun with icecream. To top off they went above and beyond with an icecream and bday candle; I just mentioned in passing that it was a delicious dinner to end my bday and they came with a surprise. The black cardamon icecream was not very sweet & light and tasted good. They thought the free icecream was IT and did not bring the dessert we ordered. We said we still want the gulab jamun and went in with the icecream as a second round :) read more

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This restaurant is one of the best I've been to lately. Unconventional Indian food done right. The flavors were amazing. I liked everything we ordered. And Dawn, our server, was absolutely amazing. Don't think twice about eating here. Just go! read more

We had an excellent experience at Daru with another couple. The food, service and the drinks were outstanding. The restaurant has a nice homey atmosphere. We ordered 4 Apps, 3 mains and 3 small sides to share family style with the bread basket. I could not decide which one was my fav as I lived all of the dishes. The area where the restaurant is located is a bit transitional but there were plenty of cop cars around to make us feel safe while walking back and forth from our car, parked a block away. Parking was not difficult to find. I would say that Daru is a must try. The menu has a fusion feel to it but the food was prepared with authentic Indian flavors. Pani puri, bison momo's, chicken reshmi kebab, paneer spinach lasagne, wild mushroom biryani, chicken tikka masala, baigan bharta, sautéed cabbage were key highlights. read more

Daru has been on my list for a long time and I was very excited to get the opportunity to try it. It's small, definitely do not go without a reservation and expect to be able to wait for a table opening. We did that and were barely able to snag space at the bar after about an hour wait. Not sure if it's normally this way, but seems like they keep tables fully booked with reservations and don't leave room for walk ins! Just important to keep in mind. Ambiance was great, super cute touches of decor and perfect for an intimate dinner. We got seated at the tail end of happy hour and got to try the Chicken tikka masala taco which was amazing! Definitely would say you have to get that. The burrata daal was a perfect side as well. Definitely will have to come back (with a reservation) to try more! read more

Daru is an excellent Indian restaurant on the H street corridor. Excellent and kind service - a highlight is receiving complimentary wine after a slightly longer wait for our table. Their food is a delightful experience, with many complex and complimentary flavor profiles. The lamb chops are a must! I will be back to explore more of the menu in the very near future read more

Daru - Lasooni Lamb Chops (1pc) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of the best DC restaurants in my opinion. Very intimate and cozy and elegant. Not flashy like other dc places. The food is some of the best I've ever tasted, flavorful and transcendent. Service was impeccable and well catered to our table. read more

We booked weeks in advance for our anniversary and chose not to even stay for dinner upon arrival. I wouldn't recommend it for any kind of date night. It's much more of a "shout-to-be-heard" type of place. In many ways it's similar to a restaurant in a busy Vegas casino in terms of vibe and noise. Particularly disappointing was their decision to put an anniversary reservation at a high-top sports-bar-type table at the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. The server couldn't have been nicer but she could see we were crestfallen. Unfortunately she said nothing else was available. I didn't want our anniversary memory to be that one (she deserves better than that) so we chose to leave. We made the drive to Rasika on D street and truly enjoyed it. My guess is Daru could be great if you have a group of friends and/or kids and want a boisterous meal, but I strongly suggest you steer clear if looking for quiet, intimate, calm or romantic. read more

Still slaps, months and more praise later. Tried a bunch of new things this time. The Baigan Paneer Bhurji was phenomenal. The scallops came in the most delicious sort of yellow-curry like sauce and the Murgh makhani sauce was incredible too. The paneer pesto was a bit of a disappointment, kind of dry, wish it came in a sort of Saag curry or some similar sauce. Drinks and cocktails were amazing as usual too. The chai is consistently a standout. I would order all of the cocktails we tried again: Toy Train, Artemisiac, Mango Tango, and Bandit Queen (probably not for everyone, the mole flavor is very forward). Be back soon! read more

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I wouldn't go here!! There r plenty of good Indian restaurants close by with good food and polite staff not to ruin your special day!!' Ruined my daughter's birthday pushing the kids in the patio when they reached in the grace period of 15 mins just 2 people when I am on the phone requesting not to do that. We will never go here. Bad experience for a very special occasion. On top of it the Manager was rude to me when he called me back. Food wasn't great either!! read more

A sense of home with the right amount of newness that makes you want to come back to try more. Had an excellent meal at Daru which exceeded expectations and Eater was right to put this on its best new openings list this year. The squash bharta was by far my favorite as it reminded me of something my Aji (grandma in Marathi) would make. The zataar olive naan was a creative twist on a Indian restaurant staple and paired well with the main dishes my friends and I ordered. Service was friendly and efficient. Excited to see this place grow. :) read more

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Not only is the food at this restaurant top-notch, but the service was incredible on our most recent visit. The owner Dante and manager Matthew personally ensured we were enjoying our experience - our server Erin had great recommendations. Plenty of vegetarian options - the Daal Burrata and the Mushroom Biryani were especially good. Would 100% come back! Highly recommend this for a date night. read more

Overall Daru does not live up to the hype. The food was alright. Nothing special. You can get similar quality food in DC suburbs. No need to make special efforts to visit Daru. Service was ok. Table sizes were smaller. The plates were smaller. If they consider themselves a premier restaurant, the plates should be large enough. Food cannot mix. It is located in a run down neighborhood. Sitting outdoors is like sitting on the streets. One side is construction site. So plenty of mosquitoes. We will never go there again. read more

There were so many things on the menu we wanted to try, it was hard to choose! I am already planning my next visit. Everything we ate we enjoyed and my group really appreciated their attention to dietary needs. We went all pescatarian and vegetarian and I can't wait to come back and try more. The fish was a standout, but we enjoyed everything we ordered. The restaurant is cute and bright, with attentive service, although some in the group found it a bit noisy. read more

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So were are tourists in DC who like food with our sightseeing! We read some reviews and made reservations at Daru. WOW!!! Exceeded our expectations by far. Lamb chops, scallops, bass, momas, everything we ordered was fantastic. Great service, fun atmosphere and incredible flavors. Best Indian food ever IMHO read more

Great Indian restaurant. Our waitress was super nice! We got naan, burrata, murgh makhani, and gulab jamun. The highlight for me was the murgh makhani. Super flavorful and if you love tomato based dishes you'll love this one. Would definitely come back. read more

Daru - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Service was so so, was hoping to be checked on a little more often, had to get attention of other folks than our main server, once or twice. Food was fairly decent, Daal Burrata was good, so was Pomegranate Aaloo. Mahi Puri was also great. The Pesto paneer entree was not great. The pasta flavor was not coming through at all, the sweet sauce drizzled on was also a miss. Over all the dish seemed sort of incoherent. Not sure if the decor for the restaurant has been completed or not. The red curtain in front of the kitchen didn't look great, most walls were bare and and the yellow street light streaming in from the windows made the whole place look odd. read more

daru reservations have been fleeting and difficult to snag with all their new accolades (michelin guide 2022, top 50 restaurants in american from bon appetit mag, several others). needless to say, i was excited to try it with a friend last minute. what we ordered: *black daal burrata (1/5) not very soft burrata, seemingly bland beans without much spice to the sauce *garlic naan (4.5/5) solid choice. really can't go wrong with a side of garlic naan *lasooni lamb chops (came with the yogurt dish i think) (5/5) great flavor and peppery, liked that it was paired with the potatoes and tomatoes. i'm also obsessed with figs and pomegranate so i was happy to see it on the yogurt *wild mushroom biriyani (unknown rating) - my friend ordered that one and said it was okay but not great. i liked the idea of cutting open the top and experiencing the fragrant steam *unknown side rice that must have come with one of the dishes (maybe black daal?). not sure since the server dropped it all off at once without any explanation overall thoughts *best part was by far the lamb shank *decent but imo generally overhyped *reasonably priced *unlucky that we had a server who was distant and not helpful in our food selection *gratuity was already included in the bill but the server never mentioned it and i didn't look closely at the receipt. considering it was not great service, i was annoyed that i accidentally tipped over 40% i had a second reservation to give it another try. but my bf wasn't down for something i already said was mediocre so i cancelled it maybe one day in the future read more

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I've eaten at Daru a couple times, while visiting DC. The foot is creative and delicious. On my most recent visit this week, I was alarmed and disappointed to see not one but TWO mice running around the dining room. When I brought this to the attention of the staff, the head bartender (I think that's who he was) just shrugged and said there is nothing he can do and "welcome to DC". While I can believe rodents are a problem in DC, I have had many dining experiences at other places where this is really not an issue (at least in the main dining room!). Please do something about this, Daru! read more

Went to Daru last night for dinner and was incredibly impressed with their service! Our party has multiple allergy restrictions that usually require questioning the wait staff about ingredients. When making our reservation through Resy we were prompted to include any dietary restrictions. Upon arrival, we were given a personally annotated menu with modifications that could be made for certain dishes and eliminating others where substitutions or omissions were not possible. Felt incredibly personal and thoughtful and also expanded our options! We had the Mango Tango and Chai-teaini cocktails, along with the Sunchoke Chaat, Paneer Pesto Tikka, Squash Bhartha, and Garlic Naan. Everything was incredibly flavorful and creative. Will be returning for the food, drinks, and attention to service. read more

Daru - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Overall pretty good experience. The ambiance wasn't anything to write home about, but was cozy and modern. Really liked the beet patis and eggplant appetizer. The chai-tini was also one of the best takes of an espresso martini that I've tried. The dal makhani in the dal burrata was AMAZING, but I don't really think the burrata added much. Didn't like the squash curry that much. Would recommend to try once for some interesting fusion ideas - but I'm not sure I'll be back. read more

Daru - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The best Indian restaurant in the area! Amazing food with modern twist to classics. Highly recommend the Blue Cheese Reshmi Kabob and scallops for snacks, Paneer Pesto (bit on the sweet side) and Sea Bass as mains. Drinks are also really nice only disappointment was the beet halwa since I didn't really taste the beet. But def an amazing spot for some bomb Indian food. read more

Giving this restaurant five stars because the food is just so good! They need to do some work to make the patio space a little more appealing so I recommend trying to get a seat inside, but the food is great. Here's what we had: Scallops: incredible Lamb chops: incredible Cauliflower tacos: incredible Naan basket: great Sweet potato entree: just okay Cabbage: tasty Eggplant side: tasty The duck skewer was the only dish we didn't enjoy, it was hard to eat. We ordered the mango tango cocktail and really enjoyed it. The staff is lovely and accommodating for dietary restrictions. The food is filling and has so much flavor. Can't wait to come back! read more

Daru - Cauliflower tacos (no sour cream) and scallops - both incredible - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Meal was well packaged for takeout and held up well. The hosts were friendly and helpful in quickly locating our orders. The biryani, dal, raita, and naan were all fine but my friend and I were not fans of the flavor/ texture combo on the mushroom app. Would be curious to try again and dine in but would skip on takeout for the value. read more

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Such a great meal we had in the DC area. As Indians ourselves, we had high expectations and these were met! All of items were to die for, but definitely get the wild mushroom biryani and the Za'atar Olive Naan ! For Indian fusion, it was some of the best food we've had and we will be back! read more

Daru - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was delicious however, I did not know it would be fusion Indian. They puree most of their side dishes. Didn't think much of that. There is a 20% additonal service charge and it doesn't matter the size of the party. I guess they think we are in Europe. Two pieces of lamb with 3 to 4 very mini potatoes is $24. The mix drinks were ok. Other than that, the staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. read more

Absolutely fantastic meal, so many things to try. There was nothing we didn't enjoy, cannot wait to go back and try some other items. One of the best Naan breads I have ever had, so even the basics are over the top. And that pear-cinnamon lassi OMG, delicious! read more

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One of my favorite places in DC to order delivery from. Chicken Tikka and Garlic Naan is the go-to order, and since it comes with a free side of rice so it's easy to stretch one order into two meals. The chicken tikka is one of the best I've ever had. For the quality and the ability to make an order two meals, the higher price tag is easy to say yes to read more

One of the best meals I've had in DC. The service was phenomenal- our waitress walked us through the menu and helped us craft a meal, especially because so many dishes were new. We were celebrating a birthday and there was a sweet sign on the table and a delicious dessert. The ambiance is lovely - we were a little concerned by the broken outside door but inside was an oasis from the busy street outside. I'll definitely be back. read more

I was very excited to try this restaurant and it definitely lived up to the hype. My recommendation is to make a reservation at least a week in advance. The restaurant is pretty compact, but the flavors are not. We were greeted by a fantastic waitress who came ready with menu recommendations and was ready to answer all our questions. The drinks were absolutely fantastic, so definitely try the Smokestack Lightning. We ended up starting off with the chicken kebab (so juicy!!) and the short rib, then we followed that up with the black daal, Murgh Makani, and the Barwhan Mirchi Ka Salan along with garlic naan. Everything was absolutely incredible, all the flavors were on point, and it was really great to share plates to try a little bit of everything. We finished up dinner with something off their dessert menu that was a great palate cleanser. This restaurant is fantastic and it was probably the best, personable service I've ever had in DC read more

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So many complex and delicious flavors. Service was amazing. Such a sensory experience. I hope to go back soon! read more

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this is really tasty food. We had the sweet potato chaat, the shrimp, the buffalo Momos, the bread, basket, and chutneys. All of it was delightful. Among the chutneys, the sour cherry is so delightful. I will be back. read more

I love the spin on typical Indian cuisine here. Garlic naan: I was concerned it would taste too garlicky, but it was just perfect and tasted very fresh too. Sunchoke chaat: Tasty, and a bit spicy, but I could use a little less sauce on top. Baigan paneer bhurji: Delicious and with great texture. Chicken tikka masala: A bit spicier and less tomato based than what I would get at a typical Indian restaurant. Black daal burrata: Yummy. I'd recommend the small portion of it as it is quite substantial. Gulab jamun: The best I'ever had, especially since it was served with cardamom ice cream which was delicious! Chaitini: Delicious. I normally do not finish cocktails, but I finished this one. Masala chai tea: Definitely tastes homemade and fresh, but there was sediment at the bottom of the cup that we could not finish. It's not very sweet and slightly bitter. Service: Helpful and accommodating. You cannot directly reserve a table outside, so I contacted them twice to make that note and did not get a response both times. They did seat us outside as a I requested, but I would have liked to know that they could do that before we arrived. If you've got a sensitive stomach, I'd advise you to perhaps order judiciously from the menu. Dinner resulted in some issues of the GI kind. :) read more

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Not sure where to start. I have been following this restaurant for a while now and finally had a chance to check out. We had an amazing experience. The vibe was so pleasant and was perfect for a date. We ordered Suchoke Chat and Duck Kebab in starters and Murgh Makhni, Mushroom biriyani, lamb chops from mains. All the dishes were amazing, tasted amazing. We would definitely go back with the family and taste the rest. read more

Daru - Mushroom biriyani, Murgh Makhani, and Lamb Chops - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A good modern take on Indian food. Definitely on the pricier side. Got take-out for 3 people. I really enjoyed the Paneer Pesto Tikka, the Lamp Chops, and the Pomegranate Aloo. They had good and unique flavors. The Chicken Tikka Tacos and Black Daal Burrata weren't too bad, but probably wouldn't order again since nothing too special about them. read more

One of the best meals I've had in DC. Excellent service and food. Flavor is very authentic. The scallops are a MUST HAVE