I really want to like this restaurant. Always a fan of local family owned places. But the experience is lacking. Definitely not a place to order and eat there. Space is cramped and hot. I recommend ordering ahead as it can take a while for the food to be ready. Taste is OK. I've had much better. Not bad for the price. They do deliver within a 1 or 2 mile radius so great if your craving Indian and don't feel like going out. I'd rather travel a bit further out and get better quality. read more

Masala Express - Great place for pick-up. Make sure you order ahead of time. - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I loved this place so much the first time I went there, I went back again the next day. Why they earned five stars: the quality of the food was the best I've ever had in the DC region, the prices were reasonable, the menu varied, the staff friendly and helpful. On day one we got the lamb saag, lamb korma, and garlic naan. I asked for spicy and they didn't let me down. The dishes were nothing short of amazing. The next day we got Goa fish and chicken roganjosh. Again, both were phenomenal (and I actually hate tilapia - the sauce was so amazing that I didn't care what I was eating). We also had the mango lassi - rich with cardamom and pistachio. Yum, yum, yum. I pretty much never give five stars in my reviews, but there was not a thing to fault these guys for. Our meals were glorious. I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the menu. read more

A small place which you will miss if you didn't go looking for it. It is more of a take-out place. There are a few tables to sit at, as well. But we had to wait quite a bit. The customers who had placed orders on the phone, had their orders brought out quickly. So I am guessing that's the reason for our wait. They also deliver. The menu selection is ample and the food taste is great. We ordered samosas which were piping hot and very delicious. The chicken curry and Roti were amazing too. The Chicken Biryani was a huge portion size. It's not a fancy place but clean and neat. I am usually very turned off by lingering odors in some Indian restaurants. But this place had none of it. There is attention to customers and they are polite. This is definitely on my list of favorites. I will come here rather than go to Ravi Kabobs nearby as Masala Express has far better food and hygiene. read more

Best neighborhood Indian restaurant. I order take out from here all the time and the food has never disappointed. The butter chicken and chicken masala are my hits for sure. They also do a great job making it spicy if you ask for it. They typically take upwards of 20 minutes which I think is a bit too long, but if they are making it to order, I respect the dedication they put into their food, because it's actually fantastic. I just know I'm getting masala express and call earlier nbd. The place is family run and you can definitely sense that everyone works hard and is happy to be a part of this great establishment. 10 out of 10 recommend. read more

At about 1:30pm on the last Saturday in December, my husband bought two combo platters for lunch. Both of us devoured every last bite, and finished the meal in complete ecstasy. My husband was unsure of what to order, so the owner offered a "little bit of everything for seven or eight dollars." Have I told you exactly how delicious it was??? OMG- it was sooooo goooooddddd!!! On the plate was Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, a wonderful spinach dish with what I believe were a kind of vegetable dumplings? (Please forgive my uninformed descriptions.) The naan was super fresh, and the rice was cooked to perfection. Everything we tried was absolute heaven! We love this place! We'll be back soon! read more

I'm very happy to have discovered this little gem. I work in the area and although there are lots of Indian restaurants, this is the best I've found so far, especially for the price. I had the chicken curry, garlic naan (which was fantastic) and mango chutney. My friend had the butter chicken with two vegetables. Everything we ordered was tasty and my friend, who spent some time in India, said it was very authentic. I could be wrong but I had the impression it's husband and wife team. The woman that took our order was very helpful in guiding me through the menu and served us at our table (there are only a few so if take-out is an option, you should go that route). I would definitely recommend for lunch or take out if you're in the mood for some delicious curry or other authentic spice blends. read more

Quick story: Mom was in town. It was a long day of touring and we were looking for a place to eat. We called Masala Express to order take out LITERALLY 5 minutes before they closed. BONUS: They were more than happy to wait for us even after they closed!!! BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE! Mom had never tried Indian food. She got to sample some food, she ordered spicy, and of course it was too spicy for her. Naturally, I rolled my eyes, embarrassed to keep this wonderful family from closing their store to get home. The family was super friendly and accommodating! Fixed up her meal to be less spicy, threw some extra naan in there too! There was a sketch Latino karoake/cantina bar next door. We salsa danced our way out to the car lol. BEST TAKE OUT NIGHT EVER. THANKS MASALA EXPRESS! read more

I loved this little joint - authentic homestyle food, quick service if you opt for the plated specials of the day and generous helpings. This is a great place to pop in for a curry or two, and the value for money is good.. read more

What happened? I ordered a few items for lunch at the office and I was shocked by how neutered the Vindaloo was. Zero heat, as a fact the Chicken Korma was spicier. Flavor was as good as always, but no heat. Yawn. read more

I was driving home tonight and after seeing Masala Express several times but never trying it, tonight was my night to give it a shot. I placed a take out order of butter chicken. It was $8.95. It comes with a hearty side of rice and a good sized container of butter chicken. It is incredible. Like, 5 stars incredible! I will definitely be going back! read more

Everyone has such good things to say, we must've come on an off night I guess? We got chicken tikka masala and butter chicken. They were both soooo bland. No spiciness and no real flavor. It was like a tomatoey vegetable soup but puréed and thick. It was really hard to distinguish the tikka from butter chicken, the only difference was the tikka had chunks of green pepper which added a little of that taste. Maybe we got the white people special or something and they toned down the spice way too far definitely wouldn't go back. read more

Incredible food and family owned. A true hidden gem in Arlington. Chicken masala and naan are always excellent. If you haven't tried Masala Express I would highly recommend. read more

Masala Express is a hidden jewel of North Arlington! This small, family owned establishment offers friendly service and flavorful Indian fare at a reasonable cost! The lamb was tender and juicy. The tea was the perfect complement to the aromatic flavors of my meal. It's a satisfying and no-frills experience. read more

Ordered delivery tonight as I usually love the food here, but what we got was borderline inedible. The naan bread was hard and probably several days old, the fish was rock solid from how old it was, and the chicken was extremely dry and also old. The food is usually fresh and delicious but tonight we were given leftovers that should have been tossed in the garbage. read more

Amazing food! Fresh and delicious at reasonable price! Very polite & dignified duo runs this business. One way I judge an Indian joint is by ordering the most common dish, the chicken Biryani or chicken tikka masala. Both of them were awesome. I live in Alexandria but wouldn't mind driving all the way to this place. Better than IndAroma or Namaste or an Aditi. read more

Masala Express - Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

There are many reasons to give this place 5 stars. Today was my first meal in here and I LOVED IT!. I order the Chicken Tika Masala with rice and naan. Very very good. The Chicken was fresh, the rice was amazing and the naan of course amazing combination with the tika masala sauce. I was debating whether to get butter chicken or tika masala. I actually didn't know the main difference. The owners were so kind and gave me a little sample of both. Both were exquisite! The restaurant is family owned, I love such restaurants. Their owners were very very kind. The place was very clean and the attention was excellent. I've tried all indian restaurants in the area and with no doubt this is the best one. Definitely coming back here every time I'm craving a good fresh plate of indian cuisine. Way to go Masala Express!!! read more

I get Shahi paneer and Malai Kofta (both vegetarian ) from here. The taste is good and like their service. Its mainly a takeout place. So i ususally call up ahead and go pick up the order Samosas are ok; can do better here They do home delivery too which can take upto 30 mins if they are very busy read more

My husband and I went here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. He ordered Butter Chicken and I ordered Chicken Biriyani. We sat down to eat outside as the weather was nice. Inside was a nice sober decor but there was a strong cleaning agent odor that I found to be off-putting. But don't let that deter you from coming here. The food was excellent, butter chicken was creamy and flavorful. The chicken Biriyani was plentiful, perfectly seasoned and the chicken was very moist! However word of caution, if you're looking for a quick bite to eat, you may want to reconsider as the food does take a little while to come out. It didn't bother my husband and I as we had enough time. All in all we were very satisfied and we will definitely be back again!! read more

This is my favorite Indian place to go to for take-out. Their butter chicken, in my opinion, is phenomenal. I read some other reviews talking about how it isn't spicy but that's exactly how I like it. If you're a fan of spicy food, you might want to ask if they can make it spicy because it comes very mild. One thing I wish they would work on would be their customer service. I've never really felt welcomed both in person or over the phone. You're a business and you want to make money. Making your customer feel like they're inconveniencing you by purchasing food at your restaurant is a quick way to make someone not want to come back. Also, service is very slow. I called in an order for pick up and came 15 minutes after the time they told me to and ended up still waiting around for another 15-20 minutes for my order to be ready. All-in-all their speed and customer service won't keep me from coming back. I truly enjoy their food. read more

I've ordered delivery from Marsala Express a couple of times now, and it is so good! I've had both the palak paneer and the shahi paneer. I had the shahi paneer this evening and it arrived hot and flavorful with really large chunks of paneer with a really nice consistency. The shahi is also very tasty, a little sweet with a bit of spice at the end. I also ordered the vegetable samosa with chole which was also hot and generously portioned (so much so that the container broke a little but not a bad thing), heaped with the chole - it tasted great with all of the sauces on top, very filling, it could've been a meal in itself! Last but not least, I ordered both they regular naan and the garlic naan. The regular naan was a little burnt on the edge, but still nice and doughy. The garlic naan smelled so good and is very garlicy and will be good later when put in the toaster oven. Also want to mention that the side rice was really fresh, sometimes for other delivery places you can tell the rice has been sitting a while, but not the case here! read more

This is one of the best Indian Restaurant in the area. Food is flavorful and authentic. The entrees are well priced. The portions are generous. I would actually pick this over any of the places in DC! read more

Amazing! Where can you get bomb butter chicken naan and rice for $12.50.. nowhere!! Owners were really nice, portions big and fair price and food DELICIOUS read more

Tasty nan bread and excellent butter chicken. They serve yummy hot deserts as well. It's a friendly family-run place and they deliver. read more

Soooo goood!!!!!!!!!! Chicken Teka Masala, Chicken Roganjosh, Chicken Biryani are recommended. read more

Cute little place limited indoor seating, but pricing is good. Soda is only .99 cents!

We were visiting DC and the kids didn't want to eat out so we were recommended this place by our hotel staff. I did yelp it which I often do and they had a 4 star so thought this should be good. The food came in good time no problem with that. The butter chicken was good the chicken didn't taste very fresh but it was overall good. The mango lassi wasn't good at all. I tried ordering a bunch of different things which they didn't have available so had to do 2 extra lassi's to make the $20 minimum. I told the lady I need the food delivered to my hotel not realizing that I needed to ask her for plates and silverware which were not sent with the order. That is one of the main reasons I am giving them a 2 star. The price was reasonable delivered in good time good was average. Just felt the person taking the order should have added the plate and spoons since the order was going to a hotel not a residence. read more

I ordered online since I am visiting VA. When I went to pick it up, I was harassed by the husband and wife "You have cash?", I said no, "sorry." The husband asked 3 times AGAIN, "No cash? really?" I was like no! Horrible service! Food was even worse! Ordered Malai kofta, which tasted too sweet. Gross food. read more

I got delivery from here and I loved it!! I got the chicken vindaloo and garlic naan and it was so good! The vindaloo was just the perfect level of hot, there was a kick but I wasn't dying. The only reason I give this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because the amount of rice I got with my order didn't correspond to the vindaloo, so I had more sauce than rice and the ratio of sauce to rice was off. That being said I will definitely be coming back here! read more

This is my favorite takeout place. Malai kofta is best. This place does no have seating or dine in but food is awesome for the price

Hole in the wall - but it is SO yummy. Great, classic carryout Indian. Garlic naan is a must, and many of the meat/veggies dishes are wonderful. Service can be a little slow but it's worth it. Meat is always super tender and flavor is on point. No charm in the restaurant so def get takeout - but perfect cozy dinner. read more

This was one of the only places open on Christmas day, so we had very little choice. Luckily for us, Masala Express had pretty good reviews on Yelp, so we decided to give it a try. A warm family and the musty smell of burning incense greeting us as we entered. A woman, a man (presumably her husband) and a child were all behind the counter. They smiled at us as we looked at the expansive menu on the wall behind them and ordered a large quantity of food. The more the merrier! For a restaurant with the word "express" in it, the food came out pretty slowly. At least the weather was alright to sit in, but the smell of cigarettes from smokers outside a nearby karaoke club was a bit overwhelming. But when the food came out, I realized it was definitely worth the wait, rain or shine. The shahi paneer I ordered was exquisite, and had a bit of zing to it. The naan bread was fresh also delicious. In general, everything that came to our table during that meal was rich in flavor. Malai kofta, baingan bharta, and some sort of curry, all possessed a unique flavor. We had a great time! And all throughout the owning family was friendly and helpful. We had a great time! (It's easy to enjoy yourself when you have great food :) We left with full stomaches and joyful hearts. read more

Masala Express - Located in a small shopping center - Indian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

I ate here twice and will probably order it again tonight. It's incredibly delicious and the prices are great. I had the Mali kofta and paneer tiki masala and eggplant. All were incredible. The Rita is different than what I've had at other places. It's sweet with dill and no cucumbers. Not for me, but others may have a different opinion. Overall, I love this place. Update I returned two more times and each time the food was consistently excellent. read more

Are you kidding me guys? Used to get Uber Eats from here and it was always solid. Ordered the same go-to dishes from Uber Eats tonight, and the $10 entrees are about the portion size you'd expect for an appetizer. Like could barely satisfy a sparrow. No joke, the chicken entrees tonight had SIX bite-sized pieces of chicken. Six. If Masala Express was drawing a pie chart for what they'd do if they found a million dollars, they just served us the "donate to charity" piece of the pie. We're out on the Masala. read more

Great place for takeout, and pleasant outdoor seating available. Delicious food, great service, and can't beat the price.

I got a to go order for lunch here and was very happy with my meal. I ordered butter chicken, lamb korma, and garlic naan. The prices are extremely reasonable. The chicken was tender and delicious and the butter sauce was tasty. The korma was very good, but the lamb was not as tender as the chicken. An order of garlic is very large, and the bread was really good. The actual restaurant is in a strip mall and not much to look at but the interior is clean. There are a few tables if you want to dine in. The man who helped me at the counter was very friendly. I would definitely come here again the next time I'm in Arlington! read more

Love this place! I usually get the malai kofta and garlic naan. It's a family owned small business, so if you can order directly over the phone, they'll save money from Ubereats, etc (and you got a bigger takeout portion!). They're open right now only on the weekends: Fri-Sun night. read more

The best Indian takeout in Arlington, and they now deliver! The food can be uneven at times, which is disappointing, but most of my experiences have been very good. (And certainly better than Delhi Dhaba, my other option in takeout/delivery grade Indian in North Arlington.) read more

simple and yummy, like a ravi kabob but for curries, with a larger and more varied indian menu. not a place to sit and kick it-- though they have a table or 2-- but i have ordered delivery and picked up and both are great. the people who work here are warm and friendly. the biriyani (and i have tried them all, lamb, chicken, shrimp) is ridiculously good :) its also one of the few indian places in arlington that will deliver! read more

I had a great experience the other day. I spoke with the owner/chef and was introduced to his son. Between the food and the love between father and son, I really don't know which part I appreciated the most. This man loves his son and this great effort is reciprocated by his boy. I am a Chef and meeting people with such depth gives me hope and fuel to direct my future. I want lean into the idea that this love spills over into this Chef's life work. I wish this man, his son, his guest and his business peace, love and abundance. read more

Food was ok. Had biryani and chicken khadai. Lamb biriyani was decent. Khadai chicken was OK. Would maybe go back for biriyani, but wasn't excellent. Staff (who I think was the owner) wasn't extremely helpful in menu selection. read more