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    Karma Modern Indian

    4.4 (500 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    halwa
    Aditi K.

    not bad, as indian food in dc goes! i dined at karizma, karma's new à la carte offshoot, with a friend. we got the tandoori cauliflower to start, which was alright. i had the dal makhani as a main, which was a little tomato-forward but still good and comforting. i had that with the garlic naan, which was great - crispy on the outside and very soft on the inside, as it should be. i ended with the halwa, which was absolutely delicious and tasted the most "authentic" to me. the service was phenomenal and the space is also really nice. it's a bit expensive for what it is but i'm glad i tried it out. my quest for the best indian food in dc continues!

    Bhatti Murgh Skewers
    Patricia S.

    Everything was amazing!! We came for a birthday dinner and they were very accommodating even with our group being late. The appetizers were so good - the goat cheese naan was a big hit!!! Also the bhatti murgh skewers were so tender and flavorable. For mains, the butter chicken was delicious paired with the garlic naan. The side of potatoes were just okay, so I'd skip that. Everything was amazing, def recommend!

    Lunch grab and go!
    Aarti B.

    Creative and unique Indian Lunch Grab & Go sandwiches, tasty and a nice quick lunch option! Of the 1/2 dozen options (veggies and meat), the Hydrobadi Egg Toast sandwich was my favorite and hit the spot! The egg salad stuffed inside fluffy ciabatta bread was bursting with flavor and nothing fell out. The Paneer Tikka sandwich was fun to try, but a bit messy. While I enjoyed the grilled paneer like patty, the pickled salad and dressing were a bit tangy and too sweet and had a weird flavor. Chunky veggies would have paired well with the paneer sandwich. The Paneer Roti Wrap was also interesting, I enjoyed the chunks of paneer. There were too many peppers and just a salad with the paneer would have paired better in the sandwich. The sandwiches are a bit small especially for $12-13, and wish it came with a choice of salad or fries without having to pay an upcharge for the fries. Excited to come back for more Egg Toast and to try the happy hour!

    DAL MAKHANI: lentil stew, fenugreek
    Jamie C.

    A nice spot for dinner. The service and atmosphere is great. The hostess let us choose which table we wanted and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the dishes. She helped us figure out exactly how much to order (for example letting us know the portion sizes) and let us know which dishes take longer to cook. The servers also came by periodically to refill our waters and offer clean plates and cutlery. - Hits: Cauliflower and peas with the parantha, garlic naan, roti, pindi chick peas, batada bun. - Misses: Tabdoori chicken, lamb kabobs. - No strong feelings: dal makhani, chili potatoes. If I could recommend one thing to try I would pick the batada bun. I don't know if I've ever had anything like this at an Indian restaurant. The restaurant is on the pricey side but I did enjoy this take on Indian food and would go back to try more of the menu.

    Chef Ajay's Butter Chicken and garlic naan
    Erienne T.

    Amazing food and drinks at Karizma, but mixed feelings about the service. We came on a very cold night and found the place quieter than it probably usually is, just because it was too cold to leave the house for most people. We assumed that a quiet night would translate into fast service, but we were disappointed to find that we had to wait quite a bit to order even our first round of drinks, and then again on the second round. We asked to be seated at the grill counter as our reservation had indicated, but after sitting there a few minutes we realized there were gusts of cold air coming from the vent hood above us (it was a very windy night, could have just been because of that). The grill was also not in use, which might have been nice to know before we were seated there. We might have opted to sit somewhere else if they had explained that it was not in use. It was still nice to be able to see into the kitchen, and the smells were amazing. Despite our issues with the cold and the slow service, we really enjoyed everything we ordered. The fennel paneer tikka was so flavorful and had a great texture. The bhatti murgh skewers were marinated and seasoned so well that they didn't even need a dipping sauce, although the sauces were amazing. We also enjoyed the butter chicken (which surprisingly had a great kick to it) and the lamb gushtaba, which was so savory and flavorful. The garlic naan was the best we've ever had, somehow it was perfectly crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. We finished with the dal lentil halwa for dessert which we gobbled up in record speed. We had the Silk Road, Vimana, Navigator, and Pink City cocktails and all were wonderful, although the first three were the most interesting and delicious. Would absolutely return, perhaps on a warmer night, and enjoy those drinks again.

    Garlic Naan
    Ian C.

    All the food was amazing! My favorite was the Batada Bun which was filled with potatoes and herbs--all smothered in a lightly spiced mushroom sauce. It was defunitely my favorite dish of the night. The Dala Makhani was also delicious, especially when combined with rice & garlic Naan. Servers were friendly & attentive! I honestly think Karma blows other more popular upscale Indian restaurants out of the water.

    Nirvana

    Absolutely amazing food. Combination of textures and spices made it unforgettable. I'm not particularly spirits in their mock tails were absolutely to die for. I had the Fish Curry and it was spectacular. We had Nirvana that can only be described as an appetizer before the Appetizer. Flavor and texture combo was perfect. Great service even without a reservation but I would recommend one for the future. It was a great evening so we ate outside. A 10 out 10! A must do!

    Kakori Kebab ($16) - came with 4 pieces total but only two shown here
    Calder S.

    I visited Karizma for the first time recently, and the food, drinks, and service were all very good. Karizma is an offshoot of the similarly named Karma Modern Indian restaurant. In October 2024, they split up their restaurant space to have a more casual, a la carte concept (Karizma) and a chef tasting menu experience (Karma). They have separate menus, websites, and reservations but share a space and kitchen. You will probably see some Karizma reviews on the other Yelp listing for Karma. To eat, we got the Nirvana 37 ($28), Kakori Kebab ($16, four pieces), Chevre and Herb Naan ($9), Dal Makhani ($17, without rice), and Kerala Fish Curry ($32, includes rice). To drink, the Vimana ($15) and Vieux Carre ($17, but menu said $15). I heard that Karma was creative, modern Indian so I expected the same from Karizma, albeit a la carte. That wasn't really the case. The menu was fairly standard dishes that I've had at other Indian restaurants, like lamb chops, chicken tikka, butter chicken, dal makhani, and lamb vindaloo. The most interesting dish was the Nirvana 37, which they heavily promote. It is a huge tower constructed of 37 different ingredients. It was the highlight of the meal. They present it as a tower and then mix it up on your table, turning it into sort of a salad. It reminded me a bit of bhel puri. It serves 2-3 people depending on how much else you are getting. It was delicious and, despite the size, felt light and refreshing. There were sweet bits, savory bits, spicy bits. It was great. The Chevre Naan was also a highlight. The kebab, dal, and curry were all good but not very interesting. We would have liked more lentils in the dal and more fish in the curry, especially given the fish curry was the most expensive entree (and I don't really see why). Between two of us, we had about half the naan and dal as leftovers and skipped dessert. The drinks were good. Either the menu is outdated or I was overcharged for the Vieux Carre, but I decided not to take it up with management. Service was very good. Staff was both friendly and informative, including good, clear descriptions of the menu and other pleasant interactions. Service charge (20%) was included and the service was worth it. The decor was new and modern, but also a bit generic. I'm sure how to describe it, except it reminded us a bit of a hotel lobby. Like, it's new and clean, but not very welcoming. Overall, a good experience, and I'm curious to check out the more creative Karma menu.

    Interior
    Angel I.

    Stopped in for a Friday lunch. Surprisingly, we were the only diners for most of our visit. The restaurant is beautifully decorated (though I was confused by some of the very noticeable duck-taped wear on their bench seating) and the service was friendly and quick. The two stars of our dining experience were the 37-ingredient nirvana salad (so complex with a balance of sweet from mango and spicy from chilis and more than enough for two people) and the goat cheese naan (absolutely delicious).

    Left side of dining room near bar
    Esha Z.

    Went here after a work conference, where they reserved the whole restaurant for us and served items buffet style. Ambiance is dimly lit but not too dim, bar seating and semi-circle/moon seating in the main part of the dining room, and a side room with extra tables for parties/events I'm assuming. Servers would come by and grab plates, but I think they were struggling to keep the buffet tables stocked, bc I wasn't even able to grab a plate until the 3rd round. I ordered the non-alcoholic dragons coast mocktail, which had pomegranate and spices - it was good and the spices weren't overwhelming. I read various reviews and noted the owner mentioned on yelp that most of the meats are halal - so I stuck to chicken. I tried the chicken jalfrezi which was nice, and the fried fish was absolutely amazing, as well the chutneys (spicy green + a tarter sauce raita combo) accompanying these items. The paneer stuffed kulcha/naan was great and not overbearing, so this was a highlight as well. I wasn't a huge fan of the paneer, which I was looking forward to, just bc the blocks were thick so it felt bland since the seasoning is only on the outside. They also had beef seekh kabobs cut into small pieces, which I did not try. On a normal day I would think the portion size is very small so I probably wouldn't dine here or go out of my way to come here, but would return if it was convenient since it's located a few min walk from the Chinatown-Gallery Station Metro near capital one arena.

    Butter Chicken (Dinner)
    Reeya A.

    We are at Karissa (the a la carte side of the restaurant) and everything was upscale and delicious! The menu has takes well known, comforting foods and puts delicious modern twists on the dishes. Each dish we had was VERY flavorful and unique. The curries we got each were tomato based but each tasted different (butter chicken, karala fish curry, and paneer croquettes). The drinks were also very well crafted and tasty. We were celebrating and the kitchen gave us a free dessert which was thoughtful. I also appreciated that the owner came and personally checked on each table multiple times throughout the dining experience. I would definitely recommend!

    Amritsari Snapper

    Nirvana was absolutely delicious! Not sure of all 37 ingredients but I'll definitely be back to enjoy it again! Fried snapper was flaky, fried well but lacked flavor.

    Michelin recognized lobster dish-  3/5 stars
    Mary W.

    I was super excited to celebrate a birthday at Karma with my Indian food loving family. I cannot express how disappointed I was to arrive and then be told that they do not accommodate food allergies. Everything is pre-seasoned and/or pre-marinated. I asked if they could just grill a couple of the lamb chops or a piece of salmon without for me and they refused. Considering the chef is as rigid as he is, the lack of flexibility is on brand. However, chef should recognize that it's the customer service and therefore, the customer, that suffer. Perfect example, we wanted to order our appetizers first while we continued to review the menu. Twice we asked to put in an order for appetizers and twice our server refused because of chef and his "preference" for curating the meal a certain way. Very off putting. Finally, check your bill before you leave. Our server charged $118 for 2 glasses of wine that should've cost $30 total. Bottom line, will not return and do not recommend.

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    Great restaurant. Food is terrific. It's "fancy Indian" so not really traditional Indian food. But it's a really excellent meal.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Karma Modern Indian Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Karma Modern Indian

    What are the happy hour specials?

    Is the meat halal?

    Yes, most meats are halal. Please notify your server of your preference

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    Karma Modern Indian - indpak - Updated May 2026

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