I came to DC over the summer in order to see the sights and sample the food. So many cuisines to choose from, DC is truly a melting pot of food. I found it similar to London, in that manner. Maybe all national capitals are that way? Either way, Indian is one of my favorites, so I found an allegedly amazing Indian restaurant for lunch, made my reservations, and came in to see. Right away, you're blasted with luxury. There are shiny things all over the ways and curtains of glimmering glass beads separating the tables from one another. Stark, white tablecloths, I felt like I was in a 1940's hunting club, or something like that. I felt instantly warm and comfortable, and I was greeted by our lovable server. Super nice fellow. And he was quick to make recommendations, which I love when I'm trying to try new things. Of course, I started off with a mango lassi. Pound-for-pound, one of the best drinks on planet Earth. It was nice and cold and thick and mangoey. Lovely. We ordered like three apps, and then we split a main entrée. We started off with the Sweet Potato Samosa (Phyllo pastry/ cranberry chutney). Elevated samosas, tied up like perfect little presents. Never seen anything like it before. Creamy sweet potato within the perfectly crisp phyllo, balanced against the barely tart cranberry chutney underneath. Lots of fun, and lots of flavor! For the life of me, I can't remember what the other two apps were. It's been too long. I am sorry. But I do remember they were things I hadn't had before, shots in the dark, and that they were delicious, so the moral of the story here is that no matter what you order, it'll probably be five star food! I also can't find our entrée... Embarrassing. But I actually think this is a good thing. Because if I can't find it, that means their menu rotates and is seasonal and fresh! It was lamb, though, a whole shank in the middle of some curry. That lamb fell right off the bone, it was deep in flavor, but not spicy, and it was a good ol' time eating the meat and the curry with the carbs from the jasmine rice and the naan. Honestly one of the best meals I had the whole time I was in town. Nothing wrong with this place at all, and if I ever come back to DC, I will probably come back. read more

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When I lived in DC, I always wanted to try this restaurant and never made it. Travels this summer for a conference with work colleagues that love Indian food, we unanimously chose it. The recommendations from the server were spot on! Great flavors and textures. We ordered a few small plates and entrees and shared. Plenty of food. So sad it took me so long and will be back again! read more

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Sensuous, vibrant, and vivacious. Rasika is a tantalizing treat and treasure! Flickering candles and low chatter fill the dim dining room. Crystals cascade from the ceiling, exuding an elegant charm. Its intimate, yet casual ambiance makes it a hot spot for a casual night out with friends, romantic date, or celebration.  This is Indian food with a flair. Their signature palak chaat is flash fried for the ultimate delicate crisp, and topped with a sweet yogurt, tamarind, and date chutney - a melody of flavors. I'm also particularly fond of their sweet potato samosas. It could be because they're shaped like Tom Nook's money bags or because the fluffy sweet potato interior is enveloped in a crispy pastry exterior. The bright red pool of cranberry chutney adds an addictingly sweet tang.  Our server carried so much warmth and liveliness. At the end of our meal, he surprised us with a yummy birthday dessert!  I highly recommend adding this D.C. staple to your bucket list! read more

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I had the pleasure of dining at Rasika on Thursday, April 11th for dinner around 7:30 pm. My birthday was 1 night before & so my husband decided to celebrate. As we got there, we were seated at a small 2 person table even though there were other 2-person diners seated at a bigger table. Nevertheless, it didn't bother me that much. I looked around & did notice a celebrity dining right next us, which was SO cool. He was in modern family :) I didn't go up to him, but just being in their presence was an experience within itself. To start off, we ordered the Nectar of Soma - gin based, which was so good but so strong! My husband ordered a beer. We also started off with the palak chaat (ended up getting 2), and it was SOO delicious. I'm still dreaming about this! My husband also ordered a lamb dish which he liked but it was too filling and he couldn't finish it (also, I'm vegetarian so couldn't help him). For dinner, we ordered the tandoori salmon, which my husband loved & paneer mirch ka salan, which I did not like at all. The paneer was good but didn't like whatever the gravy was. I know now in the future to fill up on the appetizers, as there were more I wanted to try. All in all, a great dinner and I would come back! read more

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Inventive takes on Indian food classics. Nice interior, too. We had to insist upon an interior dining room seat--their patio seating was a bit too informal for our birthday celebration. Our party of 4 had to wait 10 minutes or so for the restaurant to open for dinner last Friday, even with a reservation. Really good fried cauliflower and appetizers. Chutneys and pappadum were very tasty. The curry entry was basic, but good. Even the duck vindaloo wasn't too spicy. Very reasonably priced champagne and wine list (for DC). Their Hendricks gin and tonic was also good. read more

Great spot to go with a group for Indian food. It had a great selection. The chicken biryani is where they really shined. It was spot on. Loved the shrimp curry. The lamb roll was OK and so was the Tika sampler plate. The table they offered us was in the back literally stuck behind a pillar. Not the best seat for sure (although we didn't have reservations). read more

Rasika - Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Honestly the most BLAND Indian cuisine i have ever experienced. Ambiance is okay nice decor. Service was decent, however no one has a personality. On top of all that over priced! I personally wouldn't recommend. read more

Rasika - Mango shrimp - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Hands down one of the best restaurants I've been to in DC. It's on my Top 10 list. Nothing we ordered was bad. Everything was delicious. It was my first time here so my friend suggested us just trying a lot of different things. We ran a bill up but it was so worth it. The mood and ambience was perfect. Our server was amazing and I can't say enough how good the food is. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. This is a must try if you are contemplating going here. I will definitely be going back. read more

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Solid Indian food. We tried a sample of a few dishes that were all good but based on the reviews we were expecting them to wow us more than they did. For apps we got the truffle oil minced lamb kebab and the sweet potato samosas. The lamb was good but didn't blow us away. The samosas had a really good flavor but the filling was cold. For entrees we got chicken tikka masala and the rasika lamb dish. The lamb dish was disappointing and our least favorite thing we ate. For dessert we had the rice pudding and which was tasty especially the ice cream. Overall I'd say food was a 3-4 and the service was excellent so gave it a 4 overall. read more

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One of my favorite spots for upscaled Indian cuisine. We arrived and we're seated immediately for our reservation. Since it was during lunchtime, we did not have time for the chefs tasting timing, but ordered all the dishes a la carte. Samosa, Mango Shrimp, Black Cod, Tandoori Chicken Tikka, cauliflower, Malai Palak, naan sampler. All dishes were packed with flavor and well balanced. Portions were smaller that traditional Indian restaurants I have dined at, but that was not bothersome. The waitstaff were very attentive and timing was spot on. The restaurant was well decorated and very clean. Overall I would recommend trying it out. read more

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Customer service very good and the food actually is delicious. Very good quality and I love the environment and it's not that noisy. Thank you. read more

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This place lived up to the hype!! My coworkers and I tried to make a weekday reservation, but even then we weren't able to be seated until 9pm (we had to wait an hour), so definitely make your reservations early! When we arrived, we still had to wait a bit as they moved tables together but we were able to hang out at the bar. I first ordered a mango lassi which was super delicious and tangy. Our waitstaff was super nice, helping us pick out dishes to order family style. For our group of about 8, we ended up picking a few appetizers including the sweet potato samosas and palak chaat. The samosa was interesting, not very traditional but still good. The palak chaat was phenomenal and so crunchy and yummy!! For dinner, we had a couple orders of chicken tikka masala, paneer makhani, tandoori salmon, and both regular and garlic naan. Everything was so delicious!! The sauces were awesome and the tandoori salmon was a new dish for me, but really flavorful and I loved how flaky the salmon was. Overall, really great spot for dinner and can't wait to go back!! read more

Rasika - Sweet potato samosa - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went for restaurant week and to my surprise lunch was $35 instead of $25. I forgot to bring my sweater because they keep they a/c in tip top working order in August. The maitre'd sat me down with menu down first and restaurant week paper menu on top, the waiter was quite aggressive and moved the paper to be under the leather bound menu. Then he said bottle water right which I almost didn't catch because normally waiters say tap right. I looked around and saw everyone else was drinking tap. Then when he came around for me to order I'm pointing to what I want on the restaurant week menu and he said "oh you want to order from the restaurant week menu". Dude don't be annoyed people want to take advantage of restaurant week, honestly! I should have read my last review before coming because I once again ordered the Sev Puri and still didn't like it. See I know I don't like Palak Chaat so was just trying to order anything else. I got the Vegetable Thali which came with Paneer Khubani Kofta / Khumb Palak / Dal Makhani, rice and bread. There was no cheese in the spinach!!! It was Potatoes instead (but I googled Palak and it says mushrooms). It was a huge disappointment. Lentils were amazing and spiced perfectly but lukewarm warm, I prefer my food hot. Dumplings with gold foil were so good. The Thali had paper dollies under the serving bowls which stuck to the bowls then got in my plate, they may look nice but are not practical in use. My water constantly got refilled after one sip. Kind of annoying. My table was not cleared when the check was brought. I guess since the bill says tip included now they know I don't need to write anything but they still brought the envelope to sign for additional tip. Rasika has stopped using opentable which I find inconvenient. I had to get a phone call and text to remind me of my reservation even though I made the reservation online and they had my email address. read more

It's been about 6 years since I last went to Rasika. It's still enjoyable, but I think the quality's gone down a bit compared to my last visit. Palak Chaat ($14) - Crispy Baby Spinach, Sweet Yogurt, Tamarind, Date Chutney. This dish is still as great as I remember it to be. I have yet to find another dish similar to this one. It's still the star of the show! Scottish Tandoori Salmon ($26) - Salmon, Kashmiri Chili, Cinnamon, Black Pepper. It's good, but I'd like to taste the tandoori a lot more. It's a bit bland without the green sauce. The salmon's really nicely prepared - the texture's just perfect. Their rice felt off, I think it's a bit overcooked or something. Their mint paratha could've been great, but they're too burnt to the point it's just bitter. Date Fig Halwa - Pudding Dessert. This is horrible lol... Last time I tried their Halwa, it's actually good. The people next to me had the same reactions & also couldn't finish their halwa lol. read more

The Palak chaat here is something to dream about for a while! I have never had anything like it and would recommend to anyone and everyone! We also really enjoyed the crab pepper masala. We ordered the green chicken masala which I was not a huge fan of because I found the chicken dry but the flavors were good. When I go back I might consider ordering multiple palak chaats! read more

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Probably our best experience dining in DC! The service was excellent, attentive, and friendly with good recommendations. We sat outdoors which was quite pleasant. The food was excellent; if you're willing to try modern Indian food, this is a must. read more

Got recommended this restaurant by someone that used to live in the DC area. Ordered the palak chaat (what the chef is known for), mixed grill (salmon, chicken, seekh kebab), and a side order of garlic naan. First -- the palak chaat -- I can see why this came highly recommended and why every table ordered this. This was so good. It was a mixture of refreshing, sweet, but also deeply savory. The mixed grill was also very delicious. I loved having the option of trying all the different grill options. Garlic naan was crispy on the outside but nice and fluffy on the inside. The decor of this place is a little dark and moody but the lights around the place allow you to have conversations with the person across from you. Service was quick and easy and the dishes were paced nicely. Highly recommend coming here!! read more

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Pros: Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the museum we were at. Very easy to pop over to for a nice lunch. Balanced the fine line of authentic Indian food vs elevated Indian food. In a perfect way, I think. Elegant ambience. Felt like the President or a Senator or something could walk in at any moment. Forget about it, the food was out of this world. Never had anything like the samosas before, all tied up like a cute little present. All the food was incredible. You probably can't go wrong. Cons: There is not a single con. Maybe that the glass of mango lassi wasn't bigger. Tips: Get the samosa, get the lamb, get the naan, just get everything. I loved this place. read more

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A great Indian restaurant located in the heart of Washington DC. They have a second location (West End) near Georgetown as well. Probably one of the top rated Indian restaurants in the city. read more

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Writing this review so full after doing the four course tasting menu. I gotta say, this was the way to go. There was a good variety from start to finish and not one item disappointed. Notable favorite like many other reviews is the palak chaat. The description doesn't do it justice. That is an item I will go back for as I am already craving it. Light, crispy, full of flavor - mouthwatering. read more

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Over the summer, I was having a hard day and needed a drink to bring me back! The 'Kashmiri Sour' will keep me coming back. I'm really sad I can't remember the bartender's name but we had great conversation and he was a beautiful host. I also had the duck vindaloo with garlic naan! Not a fan of the pearl onions but the duck was cooked tenderly and had a hell of a kick. Very upscale with a calming ambiance. Perfect for a date night or lunch with coworkers. read more

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A more high-end Indian restaurant with two locations in DC, offering some great dishes. The portion sizes are a little smaller for the price, but the service is excellent. The best dish hands-down is their Palak Chaat, an appetizer of perfectly crispy spinach in a delectable sauce. We also got their Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Coconut Fry, and Papeta Ringna Nu Shake (eggplant), with the eggplant dish being the best out of them. The meat for the other two was tender and the sauces were good, but for the price, as mentioned earlier the portion sizes were a little lacking. It is a pretty popular restaurant, so make sure to make reservations in advance! The setting is rather dimly lit, so be prepared for more of a romantic vibe. read more

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My mom's coworker recommended this spot to us and it was probably the most disappointing Indian food we've ever had in our entire lives. The only saving grace was the Spicy Reshmi Kebab which my mom says she's never been able to find on a menu anywhere else. It was my little sister's favourite and we ended up getting two orders of it. The Biryani was dry and grainy and the chicken was even drier. It was almost like eating sandpaper and every bite was a struggle to swallow. We also ordered chicken tikka masala which was way too salty and didn't really taste like any chicken tikka masala we've ever had before. The plain naans weren't bad, but the texture was very doughy and hard to tear apart with your fingers. Even the vegetable polao was bad, my sister usually loves veggies and for the first time in my life I watched her pick out all the peas, she said they were disgustingly dry. Our food also came with plain basmati rice and thankfully that tasted fine, though I'd imagine it's difficult to make plain rice taste bad. We ordered our food through Uber Eats and it came really quickly so the stars are for the fast service and the kebabs. We definitely won't make the mistake of eating here again though. read more

Attended this restaurant during restaurant week. The ambience was beautiful. The service was incredible and the food was absolutely delicious. We enjoyed everything we ate and we went home with leftovers. Well worth the price and I would definitely come back when I am in DC again. read more

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We actually came by on a busy Friday without a reservation and lucked out because the ladies at the hostess stand were lovely. It was cold and the one hostess even hooked us up with seating away far from the door. Super grateful for that! Our server was absolutely spectacular! We got the rundown of all the favorites and detailed descriptions of anything we didn't know, and we were well guided. The Tawa Baingan starter was just lovely; it was eggplant stacked with potato puree and came with a peanut sauce. So good!!! And, our neighbor actually shared her Palak Chaat appetizer with us; it was a fried spinach dish that was crazy good, too!! For my main, I got the Butternut Squash Bharta which was great, but it was a lot as a meal (I should have just gotten it as a side). My date got the recommended Black Cod, which I had to try, and honestly that was one of the greatest things I've ever tried....ever. It was incredible! Definitely getting that next time I'm here. read more

Pros: Great food! So tasty and prepared perfectly. Cons: Price! Surcharge may be added to bill without explanation. Need reservations every day, even if there's only one or two of you. read more

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

Absolutely lovely! The waiters were kind and knowledgeable about every dish and my Chicken Korma was filling without being too heavy on the stomach for a lunch. Bonus points for being a gorgeous dish. The garlic naan left something to be desired as it was not warm and a bit more chewy than I usually prefer. Reservations were easy to make just an hour before lunch on a Thursday. We sat outside on the patio where there was plenty of space for more diners if they had come. Restaurant is a short walk from the Sculpture garden and metro station. read more

Rasika - Chicken Korma - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was extremely delicious as usual, but it seems that they might be overwhelmed with the Saturday evening dinner rush. It didn't take too long to be seated for our reservation for four, but it was closer to ten minutes than five minutes. Sadly, there is not much space to stand around and wait and there was already a family of four waiting in the entry area. After being seated, our water and drink orders took a long time. After we were initially served water, the waitress with the water pitcher showed up quite frequently though. It was another significant wait for our food order to be taken and another long wait for our food. I might not have noticed the wait time except we were enjoying our cocktails on empty stomachs. We wondered if being placed in a tight corner table next to a waitstaff station was part of the problem. A note on the crowded tables: One member of our party did start to have claustrophobia due to the minimal space and he stepped outside for a spell before we received our appetizers. I recommend that you request a window or other table if this is something that you also might experience. The food was absolutely the star of the evening and would have been regardless of the ambiance. But the vibe of the place was hurried, tight, and overly crowded for such a fine fining establishment. read more

Rasika - Chicken green masala, Butter chicken, chicken Tikka masala, and a side of zucchini fritters - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I had a great time here. I love Indian food, but this menu was almost overwhelming (in a good way). I admittedly spent a good chunk of my time looking up dishes on my phone. I love that Rasika covers such a wide range of cuisine beyond the usual fare you get at your local Indian restaurant. Both my friend and I had delicious meals, and the setting was very nice too. It's in a nice neighborhood (we both walked here) and the ambience was a good mix of classy and still comfortable. read more

Second time I have been here. The first time was in 2012. Back then Raskia was probably considered the best Indian restaurant in the DC area and also one of the best in general. After all this time, they have been able to maintain this reputation. The food was really good. We got two of the seafood fish dishes and really liked it. We also got some great which again was great as expected from an Indian restaurant. The atmosphere was very nice. It was crowded on this Friday night but we were seated promptly. The servers were very proper and friendly. We came here to celebrate a friends birthday and everything went well. Hopefully we will be back in less than 10 years. read more

Loved my first visit during restaurant week: Palak chaat - 5* Veg Thali - Paneer Kofta 2* - Palak 4* - Dal Makhani - 4* Roti and Rice Lovely ambience and nice service Looking forward to doing their tasting Menus next time. read more

Rasika - Veg Thali selection for restaurant week lunch - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been coming here for years and it never disappoints. Food and service is always top notch and I never leave disappointed. I'm not lying when I say that this is probably the best restaurant I've ever dined at. Go and find out for yourself, trust me when I say you won't be disappointed. read more

I'll begin by noting that I appreciate a restaurant with a dress code, especially when so many patrons take it almost as a perverse badge of honor to present themselves for supper as slovenly dressed as possible. Rasika's ambiance was sleek and pleasant, with a trendy vibe, and the waiter was welcoming enough. This is all to say that all was fine and good until the entrees arrived. The salt! My goodness the salt! I recall once being in the Middle East and accidentally getting a taste of the high-salinity water of the Dead Sea as I paddled about. As much as I recoiled when that water touched my lips, I would have preferred it many times over to the salt bath chicken dishes we were served. I eat Indian food frequently, perhaps more than any other cuisine, and this was far too attractive a restaurant at a bit too high of a price to serve a meal I struggled to eat. I cannot remember the last time I went to an Indian restaurant and did anything other than eat every morsel of my entree. And for all of this disappointment to come so close to our seat of national government makes the experience all the more upsetting. Return again I shall not. read more

We went here right after work and didn't have reservations, but they were able to seat us with the caveat that the table was reserved for another party that was coming in about 1.5 hours. We were happy to be accommodated. The place was clean and had romantic vibes. There was also outside seating. The service was interesting. They were super attentive without constantly being in our face. All the dishes came out quickly and things were explained well. The vibe was very serious though. We ordered several appetizers including the crab pepper masala, palak chaat, sweet potatoes samosa, and scallops. The palak chaat was excellent. Even with all of the fresh tomato, onion, yogurt drizzle toppings, the spinach teatimes its crunch. It had a ton of flavors and the portion was pretty big. The sweet potato samosa had a nice crunchy outside layer and good filling flavor. Though my preference is still the typical white potato fillings this was a really good dish. The crab pepper masala was just under good to me. . The crab filling was shredded very fine so I couldn't really get as much of the crab flavor or texture as I would have liked. The scallop dish was just ok to me. The scallops were cooked well but nothing about them wowed me. We also ordered the mint paratha and that was perfectly made. Layers of soft goodness. I ordered the mango drink and it is good if you don't mind the flavor of artificial mango juice. I am not a fan of that flavor. We ordered the chicken biriyani for dinner. It was huge portion and the chicken in it was plenty and good. I thought the flavor was decent and I liked that it was not overly oily. But, I've had tried chicken biryani at a lot of different places and this one had average in flavor to me. The people with me that are not as familiar with Indian food loved it. read more

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I am going to dream about this Indian food. Sweet potato samosas: 9/10 The samosas had a bit of a kick, which made them super flavorful. The different between the sweet potato and regular potato in a samosa was marginal. You honestly couldn't taste it. I liked the sweet cranberry chutney and the presentation of the samosas. They look like they're in pouches. It's a cool presentation, but doesn't necessarily make for the best mouthfeel experience. The layer holding the contents is so thin and is plated on the chutney that it gets soggy quickly. Then conversely the top part has no filling but is extremely crispy. I think I'd prefer the crunch with the filling. Truffle Lamb Kebabs: 9/10 Surprisingly the truffle comes through yet is subtle. The lamb is very well seasoned and so soft and tender. I loved the spices and the green chutney too. My only caveat is this came out barely room temperature. It would have tasted a lot better if it was hit. But otherwise delicious! Chicken Tikka Masala: 11/10 This is one of the best chicken tikkas I have had!! The flavor of the butter really comes through. The chicken is so tender even the white meat chunks are not dry. The pieces are cut so the flavor is really absorbed in the chicken. The sauce also wasn't too creamy but the perfect balance of everything. Green Chicken Masala: 8.5/10 I thought the chicken in this dish was good, and I liked the flavor, but overall it wasn't anything I'd order again. The curry was a little thin, and I'm not great with spice so this one was too spicy for me to enjoy. Garlic and herb naan: 8/10 The naan could've been fluffier and had more of the garlic flavor. It was a little burned on the bottom and too thin. Overall this place is incredible! So many great and delicious choices! Great place for a nice dinner. read more

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This restaurant came highly recommended, so I decided to go for dinner. The location is nice, and the ambiance is fancy. You'll need a reservation around dinner time. The host and waiter were very friendly, offering great recommendations with prompt service. We ordered several dishes, all of which were very tasty. I did like the presentation on the dishes. My favorite was the chicken biryani. The drinks were also good. Overall, the food is good, but for the price, it doesn't stand out as exceptional. I've had similar or better food at more affordable restaurants. Perhaps the upscale ambiance justifies the higher prices for some customers. I can see why it's rated highly and I would return, but it won't be one of my must visit places. read more

Nice meal. Great service, but special treatment for a VIP. I would visit again and see if the experience is similar.

They opened promptly at 5pm and I had a drink in hand at 5:03p. The bartender was polite and attentive. I ate my lamb biriyani at the bar, although this place makes an impressive first date. read more

REALLY GOOD Indian food! I enjoyed the basic dishes, as well as their lamb dishes, which were so savory. Loved the variations of naan bread, sauce, and rice they had. My favourite thing overall at this restaurant though was their passionfruit dessert - light, good mix of sweet and sour, and pretty! It was a great way to end the meal. Service is attentive and nice, and the place is a little crowded for my liking but still nice. It definitely gives off a more elegant vibe but people still dress casually here. I would definitely come back here again if I'm craving Indian food! read more

Rasika - Passion fruit dessert - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Best Indian food I've ever had. The quality of the ingredients is on a whole different level. The flavors are so rich. Prices are expensive but that's to be expected for the middle of D.C. and it's more fine dining. I sat at the bar and was served pretty quickly. The staff was very nice and helpful. Definitely encourage everyone to try at least once to get some high quality Indian food! read more

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