Rasa is a wonderful new establishment in the Navy Yard that has not only studied the diversity of tastes that make Indian fast casual food wonderful but the atmosphere that makes the average consumer walk in the door - and stay. The menu provides an option to choose from signature bowls or build your own bowl - the process is similar to a Chipotle or Shophouse, meaning that the service is quick and gives you full control over what you want in your bowl. Very few restaurants offer comprehensive dishes with jackfruit, sweet potato tikki, and tumeric ginger shrimp - Rasa prides itself on the unique. The space itself is wonderful - you can relax on a hanging swing or sit at a communal table with strangers. While you eat, you can admire the extension of the artistic decisions that make the Rasa aesthetic beautiful - from rainbow strings that are reminiscent of Gabriel Dawe's weavings at the Renwick, a set of watercolor paintings to brighten your walk to the line and an Instagram worthy pile of boxes that are connected to the wall and full of items you would find in an average Indian household. I had the 'Tikka Chance on Me' bowl with Chicken Tikka, Rice, and a medley of sauces - the mix was perfect. I added a coconut water which (wait for it) was available in an actual coconut. A certain rarity for a fast casual restaurant. Perhaps the icing on the cake was watching one of the owners walking around and talking to the customers, actively engaging their feedback and eagerly providing suggestions. While this may be more of a habit in the restaurant's nascent stages, it's certainly a testament to a customer commitment that will maintain a durability in a DC area food scene awash with chains. Highly recommend Rasa! read more

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Stopped by here to grab a CYO bowl for dinner and was very underwhelmed. Whenever I think of Indian food, I think of flavors and spices that are in your face, aromatic, and flavorful. The food here wasn't that - the curries were watered down and toppings/proteins were very bland. Garlic naan barely had any of that buttery garlic flavor. Glad I finally got to check it out but will not be returning. 3 stars for the samosas though - they were the best thing we tried out! read more

This has been one of my favorite places so far in our neighborhood. It goes along with the new fast-casual vibe and is similar to the Chipotle style of serving. BUT... RASA. Serves. Indian. Food. GREAT Indian food at that, especially for a fast-casual restaurant! The ambiance is beautiful. They can open the front facade on beautiful, sunny days so that you can enjoy the nice weather. They have a great happy hour AND do game day specials for Nats games... which, believe it or not, is a novelty in the area. We will definitely be back. I believe I will become a new regular! Thanks so much, Rasa! read more

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This was delicious. Think Cava but with Indian food. The meat was moist, tender and delicious. The sauces had a steady heat that enhances flavor but didn't kill your taste buds. Filling and tasty - can't be beat. And try the lemonades...yum! read more

So many options!!! Meat, vegetarian, spicy, mild, and everything looks beautiful! I tried Home Cooking and my friend had Tikka Chance on Me. The combination of flavors was a nice blend of sweet and savory. The options to customize your meal make it an ideal place for people who know exactly what they want in a meal or those who want to try something new. Try the rice noodles in any dish. I've never had them before, but will probably eat them every time I come in. The music and decor also complement the food and made me happy to be there and comfortable. I walk past this area regularly and when they started putting up the decor and the ornate door, I knew that I had to stop by, and I am so happy I did! I would recommend Rasa for a quick lunch or a relaxing dinner with a friend. read more

The food here was pretty good! Very similar to Cava in my opinion!! I made my own bowl and every ingredient in it tasted pretty fresh so no complaint there! If you are going to eat outside, make sure to bring bug spray because my legs were destroyed by mosquitos!!! No indoor seating available during COVID! read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As good as advertised!! My wife and I went in for lunch yesterday after reading great reviews for this place in the Washington Post and on Yelp. It didn't disappoint! The food was fresh and flavorful. The interior was clean, spacious and lively. The folks were friendly. I had the Chicken Tikka with basmati rice, charred eggplant, tomato garlic sauce and a bunch of other toppings. Everything was fabulous. You can create your own bowls, or you can opt for one of their recommended combos of meat, grain, veggies, etc.My only issue, and it was entirely my issue, was that I'm not totally literate with all the Indian spices/flavors, so it was a bit hard to create my own bowl the first time out of the gate. Really just that there were SO many good things to choose from! read more

The first time I went to RASA I wasn't a fan - maybe I just got a bad batch of something. I didn't get sick, but I didn't love the flavors. I'm glad I gave RASA a second chance! I really enjoyed the rice noodles, chicken tikka, and spinach. The garlic naan was delicious! The spinning chairs are so fun and the decorations inside are great. It's a good spot for lunch or to stop by before a Nats game. read more

RASA - Super cute reusable to go bag! - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

RASA is SO cute! We stopped in one night (pre-pandemic) when they were probably 30 minutes from closing. We felt terrible but they reassured us that it was fine, and we were able to quickly grab take-out. The interior is a freaking delight. In a post-pandemic world I'd love to stop by for lunch and sit in one of the colorful swinging chairs or just generally feel uplifted by the happy vibe of the place. The food was good for fast-casual but definitely is fast-casual Indian and not super-traditional Indian or high-class Indian fare, which is fine! DC has other great spots to do both in, and when you need to grab a quick meal it's perfect. I also just love that big blue door welcoming you in. read more

I've eaten RASA several times and the bowls are sooo flavorful you can't go wrong. The inside is also fun and colorfully designed. The lamb is delicious as well as chicken tikka. I love the assortment of veggies and the dine in bowls. I don't usually eat rice but even the basmati rice here is pretty good. We came on a slow weekday night and was surprised how loud the music was blaring. It isn't really a stroller friendly venue because of narrow pathway in the seating area. However, there are two bathrooms, and apparently one of them has a changing table. read more

I've never had fast casual Indian food and I wasn't disappointed! I was here on business. Too bad I don't live there because I would at at RASA once a week! It was really delicious for a quick meal. It's the same set up as a Chipotle. A bunch of bases; rices, lettuce, etc. A mix of proteins. Then vegetables. Then sauces. A million combinations for sure. I went went a group of 7 and everyone agreed that is was great. But don't tell anyone because the line isn't long yet! Check it out. read more

We actually went to Mt Vernon Triangle location and loved it. We absolutely loved the Spicy Chili Chicken bowl so much that we ate there 2 days in a row. Amazing! We thought it was something special. We live in PA and there isn't a ton of good Indian. My husband, however, grew up in Sydney, Aus where Indian is quite popular and he loved it. If we lived in the area, we'd frequent it. read more

I'm leaving a 5 star review because I believe in this place and want it to succeed! I love the food. However, every single time I place an online order the staff doesn't start it until I arrive to pick it up. Totally defeats the purpose. I'm sad to say I can't keep doing this and won't return with any on line ordering. Get your act together guys! I want to continue coming but today was the 4th time in a row this has happened. I'm ordering multiple meals for a staff meeting and can't afford to sit around and wait. It's irritating and frustrating. When I arrive at my pick up time it has never been crowded, it seems the server staff stand around and wait for the pick up person to arrive before they start putting it together. Not cool. If you're not ordering on line or ordering for a group, I love Rasa!! Also, bring your own bag!! They give you non recyclable bags that I find to be very wasteful! Lastly, couple of items on my wish list. I wish the ingredients that are spicy had an indicator. Spice isn't indicated anywhere that I can find on the menu and some things are spicy (like the eggplant) and others are not. No way to differentiate. And lastly, the eggplant is consistently undercooked. No one wants crunchy eggplant. Gross. read more

Solid food, great sauces. Super cool decor. Love the hanging swings; can't wait for the day when we can once again enjoy them - and you know, regular indoor seating - safely. We sauntered by on a warm Sunday and decided that the 90+ degree weather did was not too hot to be able to enjoy a big bowl of Indian food. It proved to be super heavy, but the flavors are well-done here so it was worth it. Love their sauces, especially their spicy red one (in the bottles) and tomato chutney. I appreciate the clearly labeled vegan options, though I do wish the protein options were stronger. The tofu/cauliflower main was ok, but pretty forgettable- I'll try the jackfruit next time. But seriously, can a girl get some tofu tikka or Impossible beef stew? :) You won't be disappointed here; come and support a local business and get food coma in the process. Win-win. read more

I'm so happy that rasa exists; it may be my favorite take on fast casual yet! I visited rasa on a snowy Saturday night, and quickly felt warmer just by the bright, colorful space :) As a vegetarian, I found that rasa provided plenty of variety at a decent price. There are custom options, but I opted to make my own bowl, and filled it with with super grains, sweet potato tikka (as my protein), spinach (so good!), the coconut ginger sauce (would get again) and basically allll their unlimited toppings (I wanted to try each one! The mango chutney is fabulous I could eat just that) The entire meal was flavorful and tasty. My only wish is that I was served more delicious food! I only got three pieces of sweet potatoes tiki, not sure if that's the standard or not. Everything about rasa, from the food to the decor is vibrant and hip. Don't miss out! read more

As soon as you walk through the big blue doors of Rasa you are taken away to a Mediterranean escape. Once inside you can smell the wonderful food and the design and layout are just as cute as the food bowl itself! There are many different bowls that you can choose from whether you want something of their choosing or a make your own! I have done both and both options are very good. I am always so indecisive when it comes to food but Rasa makes everything taste so yummy that it hits the spot every-time! I will definitely be adding this on my list of Mediterranean places to stop at in DC! read more

RASA - Caul me maybe - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I am really psyched to have another fast casual spot open in Navy Yard. I visited Rasa to grab dinner to bring home and was surprised by the bright and modern decor. (That blue front door is fantastic). . Because it was my first visit, I decided to go with one of the combinations on the menu instead of creating my own. I went with the Tikka Chance on Me, which includes chicken tikka over rice and spinach with a blend of sauces. I was pleasantly surprised that the staff even checked to see if I was happy with the amount of sauce on the dish. As for the food, I was really happy with my order. Even though there are plenty of excellent looking vegetable options, no one should miss out on including the creamy sauteed spinach in their order. I failed to consider adding a side of garlic naan or a drink. I'll make up for it in the future. read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a "build your own bowl" Indian food place, similar to Chipote. Unfortunately, I was not impressed at all and do not intend to ever go back. Here are just a few reasons: 1) service was lackluster, almost poor. The gentleman that prepared our bowls ignored us and proceeded to help another customer, who was nice enough, to recognize that we were standing in line waiting patiently. 2) the food lacks flavor compared to what I expect Indian food to taste like. The samosas are tasty, but dry, the sauces slightly bland, green beans under seasoned. It just wasn't that good. 3) there were flies flying over the food 4) the naan is made fresh, but takes too long to cook (by the time it was ready, we were done with our food) and lacks flavor. The frozen naan at Trader Joe's taste ten times better 5) they didn't have any water to sell 6) the guy gave me the wrong change, and I had to ask for another dollar All in all, I just didn't have a good experience at all. There is nothing to return back to. read more

This was my second time at this location and it was just as good as the first time. My boyfriend and I picked up food to go before heading to the navy yard for a free concert. The line was long but moved pretty quickly. We ended up ordering the tikka chance on me which I have tried at other yelp events and it's my fave. I also order the bottled water that came in a carton....while i do appreciate all of the environmental benefits of the packaging...the water had an aftertaste. I chugged it cause I paid for it and didnt want it to go to waste. Overall my experience was good...the food is delicious. If you like spicy, add their pepper sauce to your meal. Sooooo goood! Please open in Maryland soon! read more

Awful customer service at RASA. The employee was busy on her cellphone and left me waiting for awhile without taking my order. When she finally did take my order, it was amazing how rude and condescending she was, rolling her eyes, and just an overall bad attitude. No food is worth being treated like crap as a customer, especially when trying to support local businesses. read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

4.5 stars! I can't exactly remember my whole experience since it was a while ago, but I did really enjoy my meal. It was basically an Indian version of Cava!! I built my own bowl and it was easy. The staff are super friendly and helpful. If you get it to-go, they give you this reusable bag!! Definitely a great place to go if you want a quick Indian meal. read more

I had decided to create my own bowl . Added Spicy beef along with green jackfruit, fried eggplant , green beans added yellow rice and noodles . Topped it off with cilantro tamarind sauce and fried coconut powder with pickled beef . Taste was spicy , tangy and a bit of sweet . I enjoyed each and every bite of my food by making up my own mini combinations. Would recommend everyone to visit this place friendly staff and nicely decorated. Try their fresh coconut water and kulfi . read more

My new favorite fast casual eatery, RASA, offers food that's fresh, very flavorful and colorful. Having come here twice, both times I've been impressed with the flavor combinations I chose or were suggested. The portions are generous and usually I have to take leftovers home. You can find the owners either in the kitchen, preparing your meal, or walking around talking to customers, which makes the place that much more authentic. The space is brightly decorated and I love the white floating basket chairs hanging in the front window. read more

RASA - One of the many delicious combinations! - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to RASA with friends after a busy day in DC and I was amazed by the variety and quality of food. I tried the chicken and shrimp, and loved both of the protein options. In addition, the chutneys and other toppings were delicious-- I can't wait to go back and keep trying other toppings, drinks, and dressings. read more

The CUTEST little place in Navy Yard. 1. The decor is super cute and cozy. Brought a friend visiting from Boston here and we just cozied up on the swinging chairs and chatted the night away. 2. The food is actually DELICIOUS. My advice is to not mix TOO many ingredients in there. The created bowls are actually really good ideas, I just like to take out the items I don't like and always add in the mango toppings :) Love love this place - a good fast casual! read more

Unimpressed and underwhelming to say the least. I most likely won't be going back...why? The bad: Naan was horrible (tough and doughy) A good portion of the food options were sold out Lamb wasn't the best (a little on the dry side) I was pretty excited to try Rasa based on the reviews, however I began to regret my decision after the first few bites of food. The one good thing I can say about my visit is that the portion size was excellent...definitely enough to split it with someone or save leftovers for another day. As mentioned above, a lot of the items were sold out for the night which was pretty disappointing. I get it that these things could happen but it was a Thursday night (and didn't appear to be super crowded).. maybe I picked a bad night to stop by. I always have to have naan when I eat Indiana food so of course I ordered some...biggest mistake yet. It appeared to be fresh when they pulled it from their oven, but it had the be the toughest, stale, doughy-like naan that I've ever eaten. The bowl itself wasn't that bad though. It was okay but certainly not impressive (and I loaded my bowl up with a lot of items). The presentation was wonderful though. I'd like to think that I know good Indiana food since I eat it quite often.. this simply wasn't that good. Honestly, Trader Joe's frozen Indian food is tastier than the stuff that I had last night (and certainly cheaper). It's clear that people like this place so I'm not going to say avoid it, but if you know good Indian food then don't have high expectations upon trying it. I regretted not walking over to Cava instead. Live and you learn! read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow! We stopped for a quick bite before jettin home to Laguna Beach, Ca. Really great. The girlfriend can't deal with spicy food and she got the "Home cooking" she loved it and I liked it. I love spicy, I got "Goa Your Own Way" spicy and great. I added some of the spicy hot sauce to make it greaterer! Girlfriend says we gotta jam so adios. Ps. Indian take on gin and tonic was fun. read more

I am so excited that Rasa is finally opened! When I first hear about it, I couldn't wait for it to finally open. It lived up to its hype also! I got a made your own with the ginger shrimp with coconut ginger sauce and the mango lassi. Although I was super full after I felt like it was a good balance with vegetables and protein. The mango lassi was also super delicious! The decor and the story of the place are rich and vibrant. The staff was also super friendly and welcoming! Can't wait to come back! I went on a snowy day and it was already pretty popular. I predict that when the weather is nice and given the location, Rasa will be super popular especially in the navy yard area! read more

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Rasa is delicious, fast casual, comfort food with fresh ingredients! I tried the sweet potato. Aloo need is love, bowl, and it was delicious. I wanted more of the coconut ginger sauce alll over everything, it was delicious! The dark sauce in the middle of the bowl was a bit overpowering, but crazy flavorful. The crunchy lentils on top were super yummy too. I can't wait for their additional locations to open up so that they'll be closer and I can try making my own bowl too! read more

RASA - Aloo need is love bowl - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food is excellent, far tastier than Cava. The Indian chutneys and yogurts are fantastic and the veg are fantastic--particularly the charred eggplant. Options for protein include chicken, lamb, tofu and chickpeas. I love it. read more

It's a small trendy place where the food and service earns a great reputation. Trust me and stop by to try their yummy not spicy bowl! You won't be disappointed! read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What's not to love about Indian food and the fact that this was Indian fast food. I enjoy Indian food and I am always looking to try new places. This place is like chipotle with the concept of things. Anyways when I arrived to this restaurant I was greeted right alway with smiling faces which I enjoy seeing. As this was my first time to this restaurant the guy working explained how it works and also offered some suggestions. He was very helpful and friendly. You choose your base for the bowl then you pick your protein and side and the topping are unlimited. You also pick the sauce you want. I went with the lemon turmeric rice with chicken, carrot slaw, pickled onions, Brussels and there spicy sauce. The star of the meal was the rice it was perfectly season. The chicken was pretty good and had some flavor to it. They also offer kombucha which is my favorite. I got the wild mango kombucha! read more

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Oh Rasa, I'm trying to find the words to explain my experience. One word: ALLADAT (All of that) and then some. I've been wanting to try Rasa as I frequent the area for work but just never got around to it. So today, in 30 degree weather I decided to take a walk because I really wanted a good, flavorful, hearty lunch. I first approached and the door didn't open so I thought they were closed but there were people inside. So a man walks up a few moments and disappears. Apparently you have to actually pull the door, it's a beautiful blue door and maybe I got mesmerized and didn't pull it properly. Anywho, I go inside, whew the aroma of Indian spices, ohhh weeeeee, I knew I was in for a treat. The young man behind the line greeted me warmly and I must have looked green, because he said is this your first time? I said yes. He said let me know if you have any questions. He was super warm and friendly. I ordered the Home Cooking and subbed the noodles for rice, and got a piece of garlic naan. Came back to my office and opened my bowl, the aroma was glorious, but the taste was epic! There was such a diversity in the flavors and with every chew you got another flavor profile. Extremely complex flavors for what could be viewed as the Indian version of Chipotle, but by no means is it cookie cutter or lacking flavor. I loved every bite, didn't want it to end. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and seasoned, not overcooked which is easy to do in a fast casual settings Garlic naan was perfectly garlicky and good. I'm so happy I walked the 1/2 mile in the cold to get this for lunch. It warmed me up. I'll definitely add this to much list of lunch favorites in the area. The cashier was delightful and pleasant. Customer service put the cherry on top for my experience today. RASA ROCKS! read more

I ordered lunch via Yelp for take out. Always saves me time to search on yelp for places to eat that allow you to order takeout or delivery. I got the chicken tikka and added cauliflower and tofu. Everything was incredibly tasty and perfectly spiced. Just enough "heat" without being too spicy. Definitely one of my new favorite Indian food places. I don't work in DC - but when I'm in town for lunch - I'll be back. read more

I love Indian food, so I'm always wanting to try places. I ordered the Aloo need is love. The potatoes were delicious. The other sides in the bowl were good as well. We also got a side of naan which was fine. You will find better Indian in DC, but for a fast casual change up, it's good. Pro tip: $5 local draft beers on tap. read more

This is a review for Rasa's catering. There were great protein options and several vegetable options for our vegetarians/vegans. The toppings were very colorful (beets and the mango looked great together), and guests enjoyed the bottles of sauces. I would use Rasa catering for my meetings in the future. read more

RASA - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I really enjoyed this restaurant but I think my expectations were too high! I tried a wonderful hors d'oeuvre they had at the Junior League holiday shops and instantly fell in love with the flavor, but unfortunately when I went to the brick and mortar there was nothing like the hors d'oeuvre that I had experienced. If you are looking for a Cava, Chopt, or Chipotle style quick-serve restaurant but for Indian food than I recommend this place! It was very flavorful and lots of options! One thing that could be better: more descriptions of the options. I love Indian food and frequent it but I always find myself lost to anything past butter chicken, tikka marsala, saag paneer or chana masala! read more

Very good! It's nice to have Indian dishes in a much fresher/lighter form than we normally receive at our local restaurants (from out of town). Lots of vegetable options and really flavorful sauces. Solid 4 stars. (I reserve 5 stars for the very rare occasion when I am blown away by a restaurant...so solid 4 is high praise) read more

Food is alright and not the best. Not what you expect. What got me was the mango lassi. They fill it with ice so your lucky if half the cup actually filled with the lassi read more

My first impression was that it was more of a choose your own adventure style and I wasn't feeling adventurous but then I saw preselected combinations so I ordered the Home Cooking which was turmeric ginger shrimp, rice noodles, green beans, and mango salsa. I enjoyed it with the fire sauce and ginger lemonade and garlic flatbread. The vibrant artwork didn't seem to distract too much from the conversation and in fact complimented the mood, whatever mood that may be. read more