Masala Express was recommended to me as one of the better Indian restaurants in Arlington, so I got dinner here with a friend this past Tuesday evening. The interior is minimal with zero frills and more of a take out spot, but there are still a few diner-style tables and seats for dine-in. There were a couple fruit flies while we were eating, but at least none landed on our food. PALAK PANEER - 14.99 Very green and ready for me to eat. Palak paneer is my comfort option when I want something creamy but vegetarian. Each order comes with 16 oz. of curry and 16 oz. of basmati rice. The palak paneer was flavorful with a good amount of spice, and the puree was the perfect texture. There was plenty of paneer which was light in flavor, but delicious. It was a bit saltier than I'd like, but this palak paneer is reliable. I would definitely get it again. My friend got the garlic naan which came in a generous portion. It was very garlicky with lots of parsley which was absolutely delicious. The naan was on the thinner and crispier side, and went well with the palak paneer. The butter chicken my friend got was pretty creamy and lightly sweetened, which was promising. Overall, the food was pretty good, and I'd order from here again! read more

Masala Express - Garlic Naan + Butter Chicken - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Ordered via Grubhub.. no issues. Food was well packed and hot. The chicken was cooked perfect. The potatoes were cooked perfect. Rice was good. But it was super salty. I have a pretty high tolerance for salt. The chicken saag tasted like it was spilled in. Chicken vindaloo was a little salty but the curry wasn't very good. It was spice and salt but definitely more edible than the saag. Probably an off day... so I would try it again. read more

Ok, the Malai kofta was really, really good. But the lamb vindaloo was way too oily. And the veg biryani wasn't good. The vegetable samosa was really lovely. So 50/50 on satisfaction for me. read more

Food was good The have the best steamed chicken momos Ordered mango lassi which was also good Chicken biryani was ok Service is bit slow Ambience is very simple small place with 3 couples sitting Recommended for momos read more

All around wonderful food! The tikka masala is some of the best around Will buy form them again read more

Top class. Amazing quality and perfect spice level. You gotta try this! Had it for 3nights because wanted to try all the things and nothing disappointed. As in Indian I can attest to its authenticity. So proud of this place and wish they had a branch in Houston!!! read more

Like another reviewer, I realized I've been ordering from Masala Express for over 10 years as well. I still remember picking up my orders and seeing the family in the cafe together. I've mostly been ordering delivery now so I haven't visited in a while, but sometimes I wonder how everyone is! Must be all grown up now. I love their chicken korma, butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, and chicken biryani. Their dishes are simple but delicious - flavorful sauce, tender meat, and generous portions of biryani. My go-to when I'm craving Indian food. read more

We have been ordering from this small but mighty shop for over 12 years. The chicken and vegetable dishes have sustained us through triumphant and dismal days. The food is prepared with care and it is a family-operated establishment. Do not expect anything fancy - just great food. read more

Went to this place before work. I was looking for authentic Indian Cuisine in the Arlington area. Very satisfied with my meal. I ordered the Chicken tikki masala and rice. Very flavorful. read more

I needed some appetizers for dinner party at my friends were throwing. The menu on the dinner party with Indian style food. I have never had Indian foods before. And I did not know what to get. I searched on yelp for help of an Indian resultant in my neighborhood. So I decided to order from Masala Express their Vegetable Samosa. Customer service over the phone was suburban, and very friendly and helpful. I order 12 pieces to be ready by a certain time and paid over the phone. The order was placed in a to go silver tray with the lid and it came with the sauces on the side. Let me tell you the vegetable Samosa was delicious warm and the sauce that it came with the green one in particular were so delicious. They were nice big and fluffy. The filling had great flavor and taste. I will definitely recommend this place and return for to try more Indian food. read more

Masala Express - Vegetable Samosa - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Food was good and would purchase again. It's a carry out restaurant, not much Ambience.

**HIDDEN GEM** My husband and I spotted this place when walking around the neighborhood. We were in a hankering for a spicy snack and ordered the Vegetable Samosa with Chole. O.M.G. So good!!! The samosas were crispy and fresh tasting and smothered in a heaping spoon of delicious chole (chickpeas). The fresh chutneys to drizzle on top were nice as well. We devoured the whole thing. Also the gulab jamuns (dessert, like soft donut holes drenched in a sugar rose water syrup) melted in my mouth. Pro tip: heat them in the microwave for like 10 seconds until they are warm. The owners were super friendly and noted that business has been tough since the pandemic started. So basically-- EAT HERE! Support a local business and reward yourself with delicious food. read more

Masala Express - Gulab Jamun - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Great little hole in the wall. We ordered Chicken tiki masala, Butter chicken Lamb vindaloo Cauliflower and potatoes Samosas I'd order everything again except the samosa. read more

I love the food here, and the staff are always great. I order my food by calling Masala Express directly and then picking it up myself. This way the Masala Express restaurant gets fully compensated for the food that they have so deliciously cooked. read more

Food is very tasty and portions are great, a little bit on the pricier side, and service was a little slow - food wasn't ready when it said it would be. I ordered off a 3rd party app and the lady helping told me not to order off that app again bc they take a large cut, which I understand - but at that point just remove your restaurant from that app. read more

Lamb Britain is great and I would love to buy it again. I also recommend butter chicken too

So glad I found this neighborhood spot! Takeout only, but the women who greeted me at the door were lovely. I preordered through Chow now- for two people we ordered the shahi paneer, lamb roganjosh, and butter chicken. Everything was incredibly flavorful. Only downside is the actually protein servings are a little sparse, but the leftovers even without meat in them were so delicious I can overlook It! Would definitely order from here again. read more

Ordered via uber eats. I had garlic naan, malai kofta, and saag paneer. I would have loved to like this since it's affordably priced, and close by my house. However, both the curry dishes were extraordinarily loaded with jeera/cumin. It was far too intense. The malai kofta was otherwise fairly bland in flavor, but may have been tolerable without the cumin overload. The saag paneer was a bit better. I'm hopeful it was a fluke and someone just messed up the recipe today, because as far as indian food goes this was otherwise very subpar. read more

I ordered Butter Chicken, Lamb Roganjosh, Chicken Biryani and a Naan. my mistake was hoping that this place is be like Naan & Beyond in DC (L st) before 2012 (before they started to go downhill), and you know .. no, not even close. average food. I will keep looking. read more

Masala Express - Butter Chicken, Chicken Biryani, Lamb Roganjosh, a Naan Bread $38.00 - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

ONLY TAKEOUT. Covid friendly. Ordered Chicken Kadai, vegetable samosas and garlic naan. The Chicken Kadai was less of a curry and more of chicken in oil sauce with chunks of tomatoes and peppers. Would have preferred more of a sauce as I've had traditionally with kadai, but the sauce had great flavor and the chicken was very tender and moist. Both the samosas and naan were delicious. Will definitely come back to try more dishes. Paid ~$12 for the curry and got two services. Great bang for your buck! read more

See all

Good enough local joint. A solid average place for indian takeout. The basic curry might be the best dish.

This is a small, family-run place and is carryout-only. I placed one carryout order, and the entrees were extremely flavorful. The only issue I encountered was that there was not a lot of paneer in the palak paneer. Order ahead because preparation takes a while. read more

Just discovered this place and was pleasantly surprised. Portions are quite large, so you can share for a light meal, or put yourself in a food coma. While this is not the best Indian food I've ever had, I think it is very good for its niche of Indian Takeout. Not overly complex, but satisfying in that comfort food way. I've only had a couple of their chicken curries so far, and they have given me no worries about continuing to work through the menu. Give them a go, orders are filled quickly and food is good. They also have a few seats, but I would skip the spartan seating and go home. read more

See all

My wife and I ate dinner here on our overnight stay in the area. Looked at the Yelp reviews and wanted to give it a shot. Absolutely loved everything we had. Wife had the butter chicken and I had the lamb and peppers. Both dishes were delicious and well spiced. Just the right amount of spice for each dish. We also had the garlic naan which was light and fluffy. Also had an appetizer which was also well made. Everything was just right.. Highly recommend. read more

Hands down one of the best Indian food restaurants I've ever been to!! Clean, quality and consistent. We ordered take out 2x from here.....like a lot of take out. If you're gonna try something ya better try it right! I don't think there's anything they make that's not quality and balanced with flavor. Definitely give them a go!!!!! I'm just sad they're not close to me. read more

My go-to take-out Indian food. I'm partial to the Malai Kofta, garlic naan, and vegetable samosas, though the aloo gobi is great and my husband loves their chicken tikka masala. We order from them almost every week. The prices are great and the staff is really friendly. read more

god tier chicken biriyani. some of the best biriyani ive had in my life and perhaps the best ive had in the DC area

I used to frequent this other restaurant up the street from Masala Express for my Indian food. Then one day, I walked into Masala Express and my tastebuds were so happy. Immediately, that other spot lost my business. Shrimp Biryani! Flavor bomb in your mouth, and a hefty portion, definitely enough to share or eat for leftovers the next day. Tonight's meal, I'm having the Shrimp Biryani again and they're making me Palak without the cheese. Woot! Woot! This mom and pop shop is great, friendly, and all of the food is made to order. Get in my belly! read more

Masala Express - Shrimp Biryani! Surprisingly tasty. - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

One of the better places for Indian food in the area. The prices are reasonable and the food was good. I liked the shahi paneer and samosas. My boyfriend loved the butter chicken. We had garlic naan too and was happy to see it loaded with garlic. Will order from here again! Also, it appears to be takeout only. read more

I ordered online and received by delivery items completely different from those I purchased. I called the restaurant, and they refused to fix the error. I then called the ordering/delivery service, which also called the restaurant. And the restaurant again refused to send the right food or otherwise provide a refund. read more

GrubHub (again) I'm supposed to be eating lots of protein, so I ordered the butter chicken, shrimp curry and lamb kabob. This was one of those weird experiences where your order is just all over the place - one item ruled, one item was whatever and one item was awful. So I figured I'd average out a 5, a 3 and a 1, which is how we get three stars - although honestly, that might be a bit generous when factoring in value. My order with delivery fee and tip came to $50, and I'd estimate that 50-70 percent of each item was just sauce or rice. I started off on a high note with the butter chicken, which was phenomenal. It was tender and juicy with a delicious red sauce, and I wish I had just gotten three orders of this instead of wasting my money on the other two things. The shrimp curry was next, and it was extremely disappointing in comparison. It just didn't have any flavor. Pretty nondescript. I ended up saving the worst for last by finishing with the lamb kabob. The lamb was tough, chewy and so overcooked that the edges were too charred to even eat. So the butter chicken really saved them here, and without it I wouldn't dream of giving them three stars. If I ever order from here again, that's all I'm getting. read more

Our favorite spot for Indian cuisine in NoVA. Since they opened years ago, the food has always been reliably good and reasonably priced. The butter chicken and veg samosas here are hands-down the best around. I have been trying my way through the rest of their menu and wow I'm glad I tried their roganjosh chicken--it's my new favorite dish! In addition to great food, it's run by a lovely family who are warm and kind. Overall just a great restaurant. read more

Everything I've ever ordered here has been great. My favorites are here are the chicken rogan josh and the lamb biryani. Pair it with some naan from Trader Joe's while you wait for delivery and mwah *chef's kiss*. I've had better experience picking up than delivery, but all in all, the best Indian option in the area. read more

This place has one of the best lamb kormas I have had. Tucked away in a small plaza near Clarendon station, Masala Express is a great pick-up Indian food restaurant. They do not have much seating in the restaurant- just bar stool type of seating. However, do not let the outer features fool you about their food. My husband and I ordered the lamb korma and chicken tikka masala, and they were both very delicious. It was obviously full of flavor, but what was pleasantly surprised both of us was the meats just melted away. The lamb, especially, was one of the most tender lambs I have had in a curry form. However, I would note that if you cannot handle spicy food, do not order the korma or the tikka. Usually, korma's are more creamy and not spicy, but their version definitely had that chili pepper spice. I would 100% recommend this place if you are in the mood for Indian food. For ~$14, you can get more than enough food, and GOOD food. read more

Literally, just skip it. Ordered the chicken tikka masala, buttered chicken, samosas, and naan. Absolutely worst tikka masala I've ever had. It tasted like straight up tomato sauce, and the dark meat was disgusting. Threw it away. Buttered chicken wasn't much better. Naan and samosas were average. Definitely will not be ordering from here again. read more

Masala Express - Chicken Tikka Masala??? Really? Gross. - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Love supporting this local business. Love the chicken Rohan Josh and the Palak Paneer. My husband loves the chicken tikka masala. Wish they had a few more menu items to try, but I do love these solid options. read more

Whilst I was on a trip to the area I stumbled upon Masala Express. In search for gluten free and vegan friendly options I decided to give it a try. I ordered the Aloo Gobi which comes with a large side of rice. This was truly the best Indian food I have ever had. The service was phenomenal. The waiters as well as the owners were very kind and appreciative of the tip I left at the end of my meal. Masala Express is a fairly small restaurant with only two tables, so if you have a large party I recommend taking out your order. Overall, Masala Express is an amazing place to spend your evening when visiting Arlington, VA. read more

I frequently ubereats this place and have never once stepped foot into their brick and mortar. It came highly recommended from my roommates and I now eat their food as least once a month. Their samosas are fantastic and flavorful as well as their sauces. I usually get the butter chicken because it's simple and also my favorite. Their naan is plentiful and I've had the garlic and regular naan. I'm partial to the regular naan because I dont like having garlic bread, but other than they are both amazing. In addition, portion sizes are enough for leftovers the next day depending on how much you eat. It's cheap and tasty. Would recommend. read more

The roti was thick and rubbery and the Dahl lacked any significant flavor, the lamb korma was ok and we would have given 3 stars for that alone. Price for the meal was good. A note about this place - it's not a restaurant, it's a take out joint. There are 4 tables and 6 chairs and the ambience isn't set up for dining. It's a take out place. read more

My favorite Indian restaurant in the area. This gem is family owned and operated and the food tastes like its made with love. I am obsessed with all their dishes but my absolute favorite are the saags, roganjosh, the biriyani, chole and the samosas! read more