The team at Malabar is amazing. We have collaborated with them for a grand opening party, and they took care of everything. And the food was great. Rasika is probably the best Indian food in DC. Well, Malibar is owned by the same group that owns Rasika, so you know it's going to be good. The restaurant is very comfortable and built around the original Rosdale theme, so it feels more American than Indian in its decor. Rasika is better for Indian food if you are downtown, but in Van Ness and surrounding areas, this is the place to go for Indian food. read more

Malabar certainly makes a lovely first impression. The restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere, with warm lighting, exposed wood ceilings, greenery, and an inviting bar area. It's a visually appealing space that sets the stage for what I hoped would be an equally impressive dining experience. We were welcomed with a complimentary dish, which was just okay. The plain naan, however, was a nice start. We opted for the $35 brunch buffet, which featured a selection of Indian dishes, including: Goan Fish Curry Salli Margi (chicken with malt vinegar, jaggery, and straw potatoes) Lamb Chettinad Bhindi More Kozhambu (okra with yogurt and coconut milk) Paneer Makhani Dal Jeera Pulao (basmati rice with cumin) Naan, papad, pickles, kachumber salad, and cucumber raita For dessert, there was Gulab Jamun and Jalebi Rabdi. The cocktails were definitely a highlight! I ordered the Maharaja, which was beautifully balanced and delicious. My friend enjoyed her cocktail called the Bollywood kiss as well. Both were very enjoyable. As for the food, here's where things were a bit more mixed: Rice: Just fine. Naan: Warm, fluffy, and good. I would have preferred garlic naan if it had been an option. Fish: Alright. I did enjoy the chili sauce accompanying it. Chicken: The standout among the buffet selections. It was moist and tender, and my friend said it was her favorite. I agreed it was the best of the food options. Lamb: Unfortunately, pretty tough. Perhaps the buffet-style preparation played a role. I noticed the lamb shank on the regular menu, though, and it looked fantastic. I'd love to try that next time. Paneer Makhani: I enjoyed this one! The sauce reminded me of a butter chicken sauce, which was delicious. The desserts were probably my least favorite part of the meal. My Indian friend mentioned that they should have been served warm. One of them was also unusually crunchy, which apparently isn't how it's traditionally prepared. Final thoughts: All in all, the buffet wasn't quite for me. I think some of the dishes would benefit from being freshly prepared and served to order rather than sitting out in a buffet setting. Our bill came to approximately $100 for two brunch buffets and two cocktails, which felt reasonable. I wouldn't rule Malabar out based on this experience. In fact, I'd like to return and order directly from the menu. There were several dishes that caught my eye, and I think that might be a much better way to experience what the kitchen has to offer. For now, I'll reserve my final judgment until that next visit! read more

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My friend suggested we come to this place cause we both love Indian food (very different spice levels though). We shared the chat and then I got the black cod pictured below, which was fantastic. She got the saffron rice, and we shared the palak paneer and okra. Everything was fantastic and I would definitely come back here again. The service was impeccable. We sat at the bar, where the bartender provided great suggestions. The ambiance is also great. It's a wonderfully decorated place. I would definitely come back here again! read more

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I had high expectations. And I wasn't let down! Beautiful space, friendly and helpful staff. Great happy hour. Ample and flexible menu to accommodate all tastes. I love the option for half size vegetarian dishes! My friend and I tried black cod, palak chaat, bhindi pepper fry, malai palak paneer, and saffron rice. Everything was so good. I had never seen the bhindi anywhere else and it was so fun to taste! Good Aperol spritz and wine for happy hour at the bar!!!! I highly recommend all of it. read more

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Across the street from Bread Furst is a South Indian restaurant serving coastal dishes like garlic black cod and scallops with coconut from a James Beard Award-winning chef. One block from the Van Ness-UDC Metro and near easy street parking, Malabar is worth a visit. Open every day from 5-10 p.m., the space is huge with a spacious dining room and bar. Service is on point and the food is very tasty. To help feed two of us, we ordered the palak chaat, scallops, arancini, chicken curry, and garlic black cod. Everything was beautifully presented and full of flavor, but the winners were the scallops, arancini, and palak chaat. If you love Indian food, go here. Its coastal southern style is unique and worth your time. read more

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If I could describe this restaurant in one word, it would be flavorful. The menu is thoughtfully curated to perfection, with outstanding and creative flavor pairings throughout. Service and Ambience was 10/10--everyone was incredibly attentive, friendly, and helpful, which truly elevated the experience. Must-try: the gin and tonic. I've never tasted anything like it before--absolutely standout and unforgettable. read more

Malabar - Drink menu - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Any place that serves this amazing palak chaat is someplace I want to be. That includes any of the restaurants in this group and now this latest, Malabar.  The vibe and décor are very similar and the dishes, featuring more seafood entrees perhaps, are just as good.  We started off with the tamarind margarita and the sunset in Goa.  Both were enjoyable.  I am definitely finding more and more great uses of Tamarind and they are always really tasty.  We shared the aforementioned palak chaat (which I have a hard time sharing with anyone because it is awesome!), the scallops and the lamb samosas.  For entrees, we chose the cod, the duck and the lamb shank.  The shank was definitely the favorite.  The duck was really highly recommended by our server (who was very helpful) but we didn't find it to be the most flavorful of the selections.  The naan and chutneys are a must to sop up all the great sauces.  For dessert we had the coconut crème caramel which was good and the chocolate bebinca which was good but not what we expected when they said multi layered coconut pancakes.  You can never fail to have a great meal at any of this family of restaurants establishments. read more

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I enjoyed dining at Malabar with family. The decor is upbeat and pleasant. We dined on palak chaat (wonderful), softshell crab, and snapper, and butter chicken. Everything was tasty and the service was good. read more

Got delivery from here and it was an unexpected delight. All the seafood was tender and flavorful, especially the cod. Strong recommend Malabar if you're looking for something beyond the typical curry house! read more

Such a great addition to the neighborhood! A beautifully decorated Indian restaurant with fantastic drinks and delicious food. The menu goes beyond what traditional Indian restaurants offer--there is truly something delicious for everyone. The service was great as well. If you are looking for a chic atmosphere with unbelievable food, try Malabar, it will not disappoint. They are also starting a new bottomless brunch this Sunday! read more

This restaurant exceeded all of my expectations. The best Indian meal I've had in a very long time. Everything we order from the Palak Chat to the fish curry was perfect. The service was flawless and the atmosphere was lovely. I can't recommend Malabar enough. We are lucky to have this Coastal Indian restaurant in DC. Head to this spot in Van Ness ASAP!! read more

Genuinely one of the most complex and properly structured establishments that I have ever visited in my life. The food was prepared by Chef Alvero and our server was Abhi, both showed the best service that my friends and myself were able to have the pleasure of experiencing, the food truly opened my eyes to what it means to witness passion in not only cooking but love for a customer, 10/10 would visit anytime in the area/ the state read more

Malabar - Lamb Roganjosh and Saffron Rice - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Malabar opened just a few months ago in the old Rosedale space under same restaurant group. Would have tried it much earlier had we not had all that snowfall and then we were out of town. Finally went on a weekday evening. It started getting busier around 7 pm. The dining room decor is not much changed which is great as I have always liked the way all the tables were set up, most very well spaced and a few quite secluded so you could have privacy even in a busy environment. We had the palak chaat (crispy spinach), lamb biryani, okra, crab cake, coconut rice and for dessert coconut crème caramel. Of which I really liked the crab cake and okra (Bhindi pepper fry), as well as all the coconut dishes. Especially happy to see that they have a relatively extensive and interesting dessert menu which you don't usually get at many other restaurants. Service was good overall - very attentive and water glasses were never empty - although some trainees could use a bit more training. read more

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Amazing drinks and happy hour bites in a beautiful space. The stars were the cocktails - neat spins on classics like A Tamarind Margarita and martinis. The food, while very tasty and affordable was too small a sample to definitively say that whole menu is good, made a statement it might be. Will be back. Great Vesper too, last Thursday HH read more

Today, we went to the Malabar in DC, and it was absolutely amazing. The restaurant has a warm and cozy ambiance, perfect lighting, and the decor is beautiful with detailed leaves on the walls. As for the food, 10/10. We started with Meen Varuval, which is sea bass with an orange sauce. The sauce was mildly spicy, and the sea bass was delicate and flaky. The feeling you get from biting in -- absolutely delicious. Our next dish was Scallop Caldine, which is scallops in green sauce. The scallops were soft and smooth that sliced like butter. The scallops were not for me, but my parents loved it as the sauce was tangy and flavorful. We also got Red Snapper Pollichathu, which was a Red snapper, draped in banana leaf, with a side of lemon rice. Which was tangy and spicy. All the dishes overall was amazing, and I definitely recommend it. The last dish we had was mangalorian chicken curry with parotta. The chicken was tender and delicious, while the sauce was tangy and had a hint of coconut. We also got Payasam and coconut jaggery Empanada for dessert and we loved it! In my opinion, the Malabar is a great restaurant with great ambiance and even better food. It is a perfect place for a fancy dinner or party. - Reviewed by my 12year old foodie! read more

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We tried Malabar last week, and it was sooo good! Definitely a great new addition to the neighborhood. It took the place of Rosedale on Connecticut Ave across from Bread Furst. Same restaurant group as Rasika and Sababa. Delicious food, great service, good cocktails, great experience. The crabcake appetizer was amazing, the cauliflower bezule so good, the ginger black cod delicious, butter chicken, lamb shank, everything, so so good. Definitely make it your next night out in the neighborhood! read more

Malabar - Halibut Goan Curry, Butter Chicken, Lamb Shank Chettinad, Ginger Black Cod - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food, service, and ambiance all top notch. We ordered palak chaat, lamb shank, and butter chicken (as well as cocktails)--everything was excellent. Very well done concept and great addition to neighborhood! read more

Too!!!! Salty!!! Looks like a Steakhouse than an Indian restaurant. 2 half Naan bread isn't enough. Tiny rice bowls... don't worry they'll charge you for more. read more

This was one of our best dining experiences ever. The food, service, and ambiance were all great! Each dish was delicious. The palak chaat, the goat cheese kulcha, and the bread pudding were totally amazing. read more

really really good indian food like yum the spinach is the same as rasika which is my fav & the service and atmosphere was super classy & great, even had good desert options like chocolate mint dessert we had was really good!! read more

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We had an amazing dinner at Malabar last Saturday. We have been regular patrons of Rasika & Rasika West End for over 20 years and wanted to be one of the first to experience this new Knightbridge restaurant concept. It did not disappoint! Service was on point. Kudos to our server Shelley, and Veronica the hostess. Every dish we ate was delightful and exhibited the complex flavors Vikram is famous for. For starters we had Cauliflower Bezule, Palak Chaat, Randall Pattice, and Paneer 65. For our mains we had the Red Snapper Pollichathui, Halibut Goan Curry, Paneer Lababdar, Dal Makhani & Butter Chicken. All were remarkable but the standouts for us were the Red Snapper, Halibut and Butter Chicken. Malabar will definitely be on our list of go-to restaurants! read more

Malabar - Dishes top to bottom: Red Snapper Pollichathu, Halibut Goan Curry, Garlic Naan, Paneer Lababdar, Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Our server Abhi was phenomenal! The food was sooooo yummy & everyone who waited on our table made us feel so welcomed!! 10/10 experience!!

Excellent preparations! 1rst rate creative chef! Very gracious, attentive wait staff, nice decor!

The food was really great chef Alvaro did really good also loved how he went and greeted himself to us. He was great he's the guy that loves to cook and I can tell!!! the server probably the best server I ever had, avhi was the best and his service was just soo good!!! read more

Innovative food, attentive service. Not keen on feeling rushed after meal but overall, a restaurant worth returning to. read more

Malabar - Dessert Menu - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good service and nice decor, but substandard food. Having lived in central and southern India for many years, I was excited to see a new Indian restaurant in my neighborhood. Went with a friend. The waitstaff was really nice and the drinks were good. Our food, however, left quite a bit to be desired and in the end, my friend didn't really eat much. I finished most of my food because I was hungry but I wouldn't order that dish again. We did find it a bit much that we were asked by multiple restaurant staff, multiple times, whether we liked our food or didn't like our food as we were trying eat it. It does make me wonder if this is a recurring theme. read more

We loved our dinner at Malabar! Don't skip on the palaak chat. While the coastal influence puts a nice twist on what you usually expect from Indian restaurants, my husband and I particularly enjoyed the vegetarian curries we ordered. The beautiful decor (love the art) was a bonus. read more

Promoted and priced as upscale Indian, Malabar doesn't deliver above more modest Indian restaurants in D.C, such as Cafe of India, to name one. Just one of six main dishes, the spinach appetizer, Palak Chaat, was a real winner. The three scallops for $17 were unremarkable. The Lamb Roganjosh was taugh, and the Halibut Goan rather dense and tasteless, despite the cuisine of the Malabar Coast of India being renown for its seafood. The Eggplant Kozhambu was ok, but, again, not special. Rasika, if you can tolerate the noise level, is a much better choice in this chain of restaurants. read more

Busy on a Wednesday night and I can see why. Pleasant dining room with comfortable acoustics meets attentive service and a mouth-watering menu. Nice array of appetizers and well-portioned, well-priced entrees. Even desserts! High recommend. read more

Had a terrific dinner here this evening! We ordered the scallops and the crab cake appetizers, both of which were great, but the crab cake stole the show. I had the black cod and my husband ordered the bouillabaisse as entrees, and the cod was cooked perfectly. The bouillabaisse was in a light coconut broth that I thought my husband would drink out of the bowl. We enjoyed an order of gunpowder paratha alongside, which had a delightful heat to it. We had the banana and coconut dessert- can't recall the name of it right now, but it surprised me with how good it was. Service was pretty good, considering that it was their first Saturday dinner service, and the minor bumps were smoothed out quickly. They'll get it all ironed out in the next couple of weeks, I imagine. In the meantime, we enjoyed our meal tremendously. read more

Richard and Angel were amazing! Great recommendations! Food was excellent and so were the drinks. Ask for their take on the margarita. Get the cod! Soo good. read more

Nice space, but the food was disappointing. Palak chaat is not as good as the Rasika version, seafood bouillabaisse had very little seafood and a sauce that wasn't great for eating on its own, eggplant was indistinguishable relative to tomato / fennel / pepper in the eggplant dish. read more

The food was excellent, service fine, ambience pleasant -- but at 7:00 p.m. on a week night it was noisy. Is there anything to be done about that? read more

Malabar has just opened under the same ownership and in the same space as the recently-closed Rosedale. It was nice to see that ownership has retained much of the excellent staff who helped make Rosedale such a great experience. As you would expect with any newly-opened restaurant, there were a few glitches. My entree came out before my wife's entree was delivered--a mistake that bothered the waiter more than it bothered us. But the service overall was very good and friendly--just like Rosedale's service was. The menu is interesting (though not as wonderful as Rosedale's was). Malabar features quite a few dishes that you don't necessarily see in most Indian restaurants. Now to the food itself: My appetizer was a scallops dish (Scallops Chaldine) and my wife had a crispy spinach appetizer (Palak Chaat). The latter was the best thing we had all evening. As for my appetizer, there was a surprisingly generous amount of scallops, but they were too salty. Unfortunately, that was a preview of what was to come. I had a salmon entree (Salmon Masala) that featured a significantly over-salted side of spinach. The salmon was prepared really well--the perfect level of doneness--but the cheese topping was mediocre, and it may have detracted from the fish. My wife had Halibut Goan Curry, and it too was way too salty. Her red wine was excellent. So on the whole, we were a bit disappointed. It certainly isn't Rosedale (yet). We fully intend to visit again, however. The staff is great. It's super convenient because we live only blocks away. And we hope (and expect) that they will lighten up on the salt. read more