Excellent service and absolutely delicious food! Rasika is one of my favorite DC restaurants and truly never fails to disappoint. Came here for dinner with my friend before a concert and was excited to try some different menu items. To start off I had the Asha cocktail - a unique blend of spices all bound in a strong tequila. The star of the show was the Malai Sheek Kabobs! Absolutely divine with the spicy green chutney and lemon. Cannot wait to get this again! We also got a Chicken Curry that was a delicious tomato base. Both dishes and their masala paired exceptionally well with the cocktails! The ambiance was lively, bright, and social! Loved to see customers from all walks of life enjoying meals with family. The staff were so helpful and accommodating. I wish I got our waiter's name! He did an excellent job making sure we were satisfied and really went the extra mile. Overall, highly recommend the Penn Quarter Rasika if you are in the mood for fine dining in a beautifully lit restaurant! read more

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

See all

This place came recommended by family members, so I decided to try it out. Honestly, the place had great ambiance, felt a little underdressed! The drinks were great and the service was fantastic. The food for me was okay, the Kale (spanich) salad was the best, so flavorful and loved every bit of it. The paneer was okay and so was the Naan, it lacked that indian flavor and very bland. Overall for me it was an okay place. Great service and drinks, just lacks tge flavor in food. read more

See all

It has been a few years since we last visited and this was for a private event. The main restaurant was packed as usual, with valet parking must given the area. They have crated with dividers a private room that with small tables can hold around 35-40 people. The menu was quite large with appetizers and entrees including dessert. The majority of food was great and kept coming. Drinks also was served as quickly as required. Given the space, it didn't take long to want to stretch your legs so there was a lot of walking around. Very nice atmosphere. Restrooms too few for such a restaurant. 2 joint men/women and 1 for just men. Heard a few female customs complain . A great evening with excellent food and service. read more

See all

Rasika is always a must-do when I'm in DC. I prefer the other location in Penn Quarter, but same great taste. Penn Quarter has a more intimate vibe. This location is far more open and spacious and has outdoor seating. Go with the tasting menu for $80 with $45 wine pairing. It'll force you to try items from the menu you probably wouldn't otherwise order, especially if you're the chicken tikka masala type who has a hard time branching out when it comes to Indian cuisine. The whole 6 course experience lasted about 2 hours, but some of the courses, to include the curry and dessert courses, came with multiple items (ie. 5 different curries and 4 different desserts). The service was spot on. Reservations highly recommended, if not required. read more

See all

Rasika West End continually pumps out some of the best tasting food of any restaurant - not just Indian restaurants but all restaurants - in DC. We started with the cauliflower appetizer (cauliflower bezule) which was outstanding. We ate so quickly that we did not speak! My main dish was one of the best I have ever had. Shrimp curry. It was so good! Ok so maybe there could have been more shrimp - that would have made me happier. But, overall, this dish was inventive, unique and completely satisfying. The sauce - I'm a total sauce guy - was velvety and rich. I will order this dish again. My spouse had the snapper rechad and loved it. I think it might have been the biggest piece of fish I have ever seen in a restaurant. The service, however, was not up to usual Rasika standards. Our server, Abhinav K., was slow, inattentive and not very communicative. Maybe he was new, maybe he received some bad news that day, maybe he was just not a good server. I vote for the 3rd choice. He did not seem to care about our dining experience at all. read more

My parents have been raving about this place and I finally joined them! We had a 4pm dining reservation and were able to enter and be seated immediately. We were seated in a cozy booth next to the window. Service was great! Our waiter was friendly and helpful with my questions. We ordered 2 orders of the Palak Chaat. This was phenomenal! It is crispy baby spinach, yogurt, tamarind, and dates. Wow! I'm not sure how they crisp up the spinach but it was amazing! For my entree I ordered the Paneer Tikki Masala and an Onion and Sage Naan. Both were great! Only request is each person get their own rice. I would definitely recommend and come back! read more

See all

They are trying too hard to add unique twists to classic dishes. I'm a bit surprised by how much attention this restaurant has gotten nationally. Palak chaat: 5/5, best thing on the menu Duck makhni: 3.5/5 Chicken tikka masala: 2/5, very unusual flavor Malai kofta: 2.5/5, the pistachio flavor hurts rather than enhances such a great classic dish Mango rasmulai: 3.5/5, nice presentation and good flavor, but the dried mangos were so out of place read more

A solid restaurant. The chicken tiki masala was very good -- as a hungry guy, I think the portions could be a little bigger :-) I thought it was really nice that the Manager came over at the end of the meal and asked how our meal was , Our waiter was really nice and had a good tableside manner. This is a definitely nicer Indian place that's a little more on the pricey end. I usually prefer something not as pricey, but a little more casual atmosphere with still a good taste, but overall, I think it was a really good restaurant and the tiki missile had a nice rich flavor. read more

Rasika West End - Tiki masala - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The service here is top tier, if you are really trying to impress someone I highly suggest making a reservation at Rasika. Make sure to schedule it in advance and show up on time for your reservation. I have dined at both locations and they are consistent across the board. The ambiance is romantic and the service is impeccable. When it comes to the food it's good but lacks seasoning and the bold flavors I expect from Indian cuisine. The food caters to a milder pallet. Mind you this is coming from the perspective of someone who has traveled to India and tried the cuisine there. I started with the Palak Chaat, crispy baby spinach, yogurt, tamarind and dates. I highly recommend this appetizer. The lamb shank was good, the meat just falls of the bone. Again, I would've loved more seasoning here. However it paired nicely with the garlic naan bread. The star of the show was definitely the Gulab Jamun. The cardamom ice cream was so good. Parking is limited but valet is available. read more

See all

An excellent place for dinner before the show. We came here before attending a performance at the Kennedy Center and had a perfect meal. I was surprised at how full the place was at 515pm but we were seated promptly. We started off with appetizers: Seabass and an incredible flash fried spinach salad. For dinner, I had the chicken tiki masala. She had lamb biryani. In our collective judgment, the A-List was the spinach salad, the tiki masala, and the sea bass. The lamb was very flavorful and authentic, but a little overwhelming with all the rice and bread, but still a solid B+! The only minor disappointment was the naan, it just wasn't very flavorful or substantial. Our waiter was excellent, providing just the right amount of advice; and very accommodating about a minor mistake about the food that came out. That was much appreciated. Finally, we really appreciated the prices. Very affordable for fine dining in downtown DC. read more

See all

Kalkidan was absolutely amazing!! She was incredibly welcoming as well as knowledgeable about the menu and answered all of our questions. Also had great recommendations!! Truly made our night and I will be back! read more

Disappointing Birthday Dinner - Never Again I came to Rasika West End with my husband to celebrate my birthday. It was his first time dining here, and since he's a chef, I'm always a little nervous about whether he'll enjoy the food. Luckily, he did -- he had the sweet potato samosas, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and ginger lemonade. He said everything was good, though the samosas were heavy on the cumin. My experience, however, was much less enjoyable. I ordered the spinach chaat, lamb biryani, okra, dal makni, and the Rasika cocktail. The biryani was incredibly dry, so I swapped it for the lamb curry, which was much better. I didn't eat much at dinner, so our server offered to have everything packed to go. Here's where the 1 star comes in. We live 45 minutes away, and it was already late when we got home. I put the containers straight into the fridge without checking. The next day, when I finally went to eat, I realized the lamb curry -- the one dish I was most looking forward to -- wasn't even in the bag. I'm beyond pissed. I barely ate any of my meal, and now it's just gone. To make matters worse, a 20% gratuity is automatically added to the bill -- ours came to $200. That's a steep price for a birthday dinner that ended in disappointment, especially when the service dropped the ball on something as basic as packing leftovers. If you decide to eat here, double check your takeout bags before leaving. This was my first and last time. Never again. read more

Exception food and service ! Servers were very attentive. One of the best meals I've had. Their reputation as one of the best Indian restaurants in the DMV is well deserved. We started with the Palak Chaat, a signature dish. I also tried the sweet potato samosa, delicious and beautiful presentation. Entrees were chicken kundapur and the tandoori duck. We also had a side of the chickpea, garlic naan and coconut rice. Beverage was the limeade. All the dishes were of ample amounts and definitely shareable. No room for dessert this time but will definitely be back. read more

Best Indian spot in DC, by far. Should have always had a 5 star review. The palak chaat is awesome, but so are many other dishes. Great spot for any occasion. read more

What can I say that has not been already said about the "staple restaurant in DC"? It's known for its consistent, well-prepared, seasoned/spiced food that never grows old and will always leave you with the satisfaction of wanting to return for more. I've been to both of their locations for years. On my recent visit, I saw they had changed their menu a bit. I have to say, in my innocence, I had never tried the Palak Chaat when I was first introduced to this restaurant. But after many lunches, dinners, and celebrations here, I would continue to request whatever I had to have this dish first. It's a joy to discover new dishes at Rasika. Some of the dishes that I order that I know you will be grateful for are the following: Sweet Potato Samosa, Dal Dhungaree, Vegetable Biryani, Lamb Biryani, Tandoori Lamb Chops, Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken Tikka, and the Garlic Naan. How could I leave without having the Kesar Pista Kulfi and the Home Made Sorbets? You will also receive a level of professionalism in the service and a calm vibe throughout the restaurant. Don't take my word for it; try it for yourself. read more

The food was good, but not great. Some flavors were inventive while others fell extremely flat. Service was less than stellar for a DC staple - we had to flag down waiters to get drink refills quite often, and the flow of food didn't make sense. The restaurant ambiance itself is nice though, and nothing was specifically bad about our experience at Rasika. read more

See all

I really liked the food here but and I know it's good as it's always super busy but it wasn't a place I'd immediately want to come back to. We sat at the bar and the guy helping was extremely helpful guiding us through the menu. He had great recommendations. The appetizer we got that was supposed to taste like truffle was really lacking any flavor. The food they say is spicy really isn't spicy at all and the portion of both rice and naan for what you pay for it just don't make sense. . read more

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

See all

I got the chicken biryani which isn't there most popular item l, but that's all I've had to try from it. The biryani was a bit lackluster with chunks of lean breast meat. While the meat was tender, it was kind of bland which the rice tried to redeem. Wouldn't get the biryani again from them but perhaps will return for the chaat which is their most well known dish. read more

It's nice inside but come ready to feast. Super filling for a cold day! Palak chaat - perfect chip textures!!! Holi paneer special - the "empanada" pastry was a surprise Smoked dal - star of the show always Biryani - cute presentation but not really tasty sadly Eggplant - for the spice intolerant Rasika - unexpected heavy hitter read more

I can't believe I've not written a review for this 5* site. I love Rasika China Town and this West End site is even better with the patio outside seating. I've been here at least half a dozen times. I'm boring with my order when I go because I go so infrequently, it remains "a treat." So, I always get the Palak Chaat app. It is a flash fried spinach topped with yogurt and some tomato, onions. I'd say if not famous, it is very, very popular. I love it. No other Palak Chaat compares. The leaves are crunchy, and toppings are a unique, flavorful kick to each bite. I'm always tempted to order a second round it is so good. Then I follow with the BEST Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever had. The flavors, the always perfect cut of chicken cubes, the creamy sauce, love it! Service has always been excellent. Water glass is never empty. Lots of check-ins from the staff but they know when to hang back and let me enjoy the meal. It is elegant but not over the top that I don't feel comfortable dressed down. Both sites are great with food and service, but this one is tops with the outdoor seating. I'd drive, I have driven across town for Rasika. Nobody else compares. read more

See all

Food and service were phenomenal! Exciting and fresh menu of Indian food with a twist! I don't typically eat lamb but enjoyed it here! The cocktail menu was super creative as well. Came here for a 5 course meal, left very satisfied! They did a great job with the space, well decorated! read more

See all

A good sign for any restaurant is how long you have to wait before your water glass is refilled. This branch of Rasika passed the test. My glass was never empty. Sometimes you forget to take photos of the food especially when your anticipation for the dish is high which in my case was the palak chat. This is unique to Rasika which is where I tasted it the first time. Tasted great but the spinach leaves weren't as crisp as they could be. I'm still rooting for it. The Sev Batata Puri melted in my mouth. The chicken tikka was cooked right and could be easily cut and eaten with the right amount of spices. Dal, lamb and chicken Tikka masala were nice. The cream spinach was my favorite. One of the things I like to do is to mix the raita with rice and then mix the Malai Palak into this mixture. That's how I remember it eating growing up in India. Not too traditional but more comfort food. I loved the innovation if the black rice pudding and this was my first time tasting it. I combined it with the cardinom ice cream and a piece of Gulab Jamun and it tasted heavenly. I ate more than I should do had to top it bc off with a nice masala chai. Rasika raises the bar for giving a great service experience with excellent food. My water glass was full even as I left the restaurant. read more

See all

Rasika is one of our favorite Indian restaurants! It is a very hip place that is patronized by both young and old alike! If you're lucky enough to get a table, you will be treated to delicious Indian food with a twist! We love the palak chaat with its crispy spinach leaves and chopped onions, tomatoes with a tamarind and yogurt dressing! It's better than I can ever describe it. The samosa comes in purses, not in the traditional dough pastry. The chicken masala was a little spicier than we would have wanted but it was still delicious. The champaran gosht is a mild tasting lamb stew with caramelized onions. This was so good that we had to mop up every last drop of sauce with the onion naan! Gulab Jamun is traditional--sweet and good. The mango pudding was also good and not so sweet. We can't wait to go back! read more

See all

I have been going to Rasika for years but today was a disappointment for many reasons sev puri and samosa potsticker - 5/5 Palak chaat -4/5 This main courses were a frozen mess and disaster (not cooking fresh food and charging $95 is unacceptable) the Navratan koorma had frozen yellow corn, peas and carrot but uncooked. 0/5 The okra was frozen and tasteless 0/5 The kofta was also frozen but they didn't thaw it enough also tasteless 0/5 Dal was good 4/5 Naan was decent 3/5 Toffee desert hard and uncooked or overcooked instead of moist 0/5 Ice cream and gulab Jamun 5/5 The bill came out very strange with 20% tip included but still a spot to add tip which is bizarre so please be careful of their shady behavior as we pay your staff proper wages Their management walked around but did not greet customers nor care about service as there are so busy - when I checked in the man answered his phone and kept me waiting for 5 minutes with no explanation until his colleague came to inquire if I'm being helped - I am sure my review won't matter to management as they don't care about quality of food or service but hope it helps other patrons. My server was nice but didn't seem to care about the mishap either - not once did he ask how any course was and when I told him desert was bad he seemed shocked - bad actor - servers always know when they are serving crap read more

See all

Overpriced and overrated I got the palak chat, veggie kebabs and sabudana kofta Here's a breakdown of what I thought: Palak chat: very greasy and oily. Flavor was ok Veggie kebabs: better than the palak chat but still not very seasoned and tasted like mashed veggies Sabudana kofta: asked for spicy and they delivered but that's why it tasted good. The texture or the sabudana didn't work well. The sauce has a very coconut forward flavor The menu doesn't really explain the dishes well. For example there's a paneer dish but you wouldn't know it was in a curry. They have an $80 tasting menu too which I thought was a little ridiculous Save yourself some trouble and consider going elsewhere for Indian food read more

food was just ok. we ordered okra and it was very tough to chew, not palatable at all. there is no option for protein for vegan people eating at this restaurant. read more

A beautiful restaurant. Slightly chilly but sunny day on a patio. I guess you could say, we ordered the basics: Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Biryani and Chicken Kolhapuri. The former was flavorful, in a sense that it met expectations. The bites of chicken were a bit pink in some cuts. Lamb Biryani was on the dry side. We started with Palak Chaat and it was nice. Crispy fragile kale savory salad. The Darjeeling tea went well with this app. The Naan bread was the best! So soft and warm and almost milky-I loved it! Service was quick and sufficient. read more

See all

We had a very good dinner at Rasika West End and found the ambiance pleasant and service good. It's become so popular it was hard to get a reservation Saturday, so it was full at 5:30. Highlights for us were lamb biryani and the butter chicken accommodation. I was impressed with the wine list and that they have a Gluten-Free menu. read more

See all

Let me start by saying my wife and I love the Rasika in Penn Quarter! We decided to try the Rasika in West End and left highly disappointed. The food portions were small and our male server was very disconnected and had a nonchalant attitude the entire night. I can deal with the food portions size, however, bad customer service is intolerable. read more

Recommended by local and recently called out by New York Times, Rasika is wonderful! Sat at the bar (didn't have reservation). Bartender very nice and easy on the eyes. Tequila cocktail was refreshing and well-balanced, not too sweet. Mango shrimp were very good. But the star of the show was the peking duck confit. Amazing in every way, the duck, the sauce, just perfect. And two leg quarters? Generous portion. Had a glass of wine and Nan as well for $70. Felt reasonable. read more

Rasika West End - Peking duck confit - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Listen- I'm not sure of the name of half the stuff we ate but I can tell you this-- it was AMAZING Thanks goodness for our server. We love Indian food and tend to stick with the dishes we know (samosas; tikka masalas; etc.). This guy said he could make some suggestions and order for us-- Im so happy we put our trust in him. Not only was he knowledgeable but he was FUNNY AS HECK! I know we had some crispy spinach dish- OMG yum; Halibut and Chicken tikka masala; crispy okra; red lentils and Naan. Wow!! This meal was excellent. The spices; the temperature; the sauces all transported me to a different place. A good place We told them we were celebrating an anniversary and they brought our a dessert special on the house. My experience was stellar and I highly recommend if you like Indian. The ambiance is pleasing and romantic too. read more

See all

Service from server is excellent! Taste of the food, good but not great. Quality of pork chop, not good. It's not marinated enough or maybe not marinated. I can taste the separation on the flavors between the sauce and the meat. Ambience and location are great! Hence 4 stars. read more

Rasika West End - Pork Chop Vindaloo 3.5 * - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Was in the mood for a light lunch at a decent price in West End and turned to the consistently good Rasika to satisfy this need. Started with the Palak Chaat, as I always do when visiting Rasika. The portion size is good to share between two people, the spinach was crisp, and the other yogurt/tomatoes provided the freshness and contrast. As usual, a 5/5 dish. The Spicy Reshmi Kebab was fresh and hot; spice level was good, green chutney was solid, and consistency was not rubbery at all as can sometimes happen with mincemeat kebabs. Eaten alongside the Goat Cheese Kulcha, which was excellent and not too heavily reliant on goat cheese, this was an enjoyable small meal for two and we felt satisfied. Both dishes were a 5/5. A final note - Rasika's locations always seem to have an abundance of staff but most of these staff members don't take orders. Our waiter wasn't always on the scene and when we casually let him know that we were hungry and ready for the kebab after the 15 minutes he said it would take had elapsed, he seemed to get annoyed with us. Not a bad experience at all and he was good at his job but if there is a lot of staff around but our waiter isn't, it doesn't make for the best atmosphere. Still, 4/5 experience overall and will be back. read more

See all

What a lovely dining experience at Rasika! Very modern ambiance with also a very modern menu! The food was absolutely delicious with very scrumptious cocktails and impressive but concise wine list. The lamb was absolutely delicious! The palak chaat was literally the best thing I've had in a long time! I would highly recommend this spot! The true star of tonight was Adrian, our server. He was very patient and very attentive and made very good food and drinks recommendations. read more

See all

Great food with good, helpful service. I had the tandoori lamb with garlic naan, it was amazing. I will say for anyone not used to DC menus, the price and dish is only the meat, sometimes you get rice, but you'll definitely leave hungry if you only order an entree. It's a cute environment. We ended up eating in the private room in the basement because the patio was too cold and it was great! In a group of 8, everyone enjoyed their meal and I'll definitely be back! read more

Incredible experience at Rasika - some of the best Indian food in the area! The interior has a very cool vibe to it and the service was excellent. Our waiter provided us with some great recommendations for food and drinks. For drinks, we ordered the Asha (tequila based) and Sania (bourbon based), and both were excellent and well balanced. For appetizers, we ordered the Palak Chaat (an absolute must for anyone that goes), the Tawa Lobster (the spiciest dish we ordered but excellent), and the lamb kebab. I repeat... the Palak Chaat is a must for anyone going. For dinner, we split the Chicken Tikka Masala which was outstanding and highly recommend. Our server also recommended two vegetable dishes, one with pineapple that was off menu and their lentils. Highly recommend both, especially the lentils. Make sure to order some Naan with your meal! They're all outstanding! Finished off the meal with their house made sorbets to cleanse the pallet. The dish comes with three different ones and they're all unique and very tasty. Enjoyed our experience from start to finish and will certainly be back! read more

See all

Thank you for ruining my birthday. I got a message on my birthday asking me to confirm my reservation saying kids below 8yrs were not allowed at this restaurant, this was not made clear to me when making the reservation on open table. On calling to explain this, I got an obnoxious woman who stated this was my fault, as I didn't read their 50 page reservation policy. I don't understand why they cant have separate rooms for families and couples like other restaurants. Families with young kids be warned, discrimination. read more

Naji took great care of us and made the best suggestions for appetizers and entrees! We enjoyed the fish, chicken, and a chickpea dish as well as rice, samosas, salad, and naan. The cocktails were quite good, although pricy at $15 each, so pace yourself. Beautiful atmosphere. Attentive staff. We loved our meal here and can't wait to return! read more

See all

Best Indian food in DC. Definitely get the chicken tika masala and palak chaat. Cocktails are also pretty good. Ambiance is very nice and classy, especially if you go for dinner. Service was great and accommodating. read more

See all

My last visit to Rasika was in their other location many years ago, so I was excited to try them again after so long. I apologize for not knowing the correct names of all the dishes, but the main ingredient should suffice. I must say that the service is top notch. The spinach appetizer is excellent and has been a mainstay for a long time. I normally am no fan of vegetables, but this was phenomenal. The "Anil" cocktail was perfection (if you love Pina Coladas, this is for you)! We also had a lamb kabob, which was delicious. The sauces were a great complement and the raita was fresh and tangy. The duck and paneer dishes were also favorites of the group. The garlic naan was very good (I wish we had ordered more), and the goat cheese bread was interesting. It tasted almost like a baked cheddar, which I enjoyed. For dessert, the sorbets were a huge hit. I really enjoyed the Gulab Jamun (a personal favorite of mine) and cardamom ice cream. It is truly a great combination, even though I normally prefer to pair gulab with the rice pudding (kheer). The chicken tikka masala was a bit of a letdown. It lacked the depth of flavor and complexity that I was hoping for. I asked for mine extra spicy, but instead, I was provided "hot sauce". It had a slight heat but wasn't up to my standards. Since they don't serve (at least this time) a vindaloo, I will assume that the clientele is not amenable to anything hot. My least favorite was the lamb biryani. The lamb was dry and rather bland. I felt I had to chew it for quite a long time and it was a big miss for me. The rest of my group liked it, so I suggest trying for yourself. read more