We got takeout from Rassa with some friends, and I was very impressed by their spread of northern and southern Indian dishes. I am by no means an Indian food connoisseur, but I was glad to see a variety of more typical dishes like butter chicken, to dosas (gluten free!), idly, and specialty dishes from different regions. They were also able to accommodate a number of dietary restrictions in our group (gluten and dairy free, nut free, vegetarian, vegan), so it was a win all around. For my family, I ordered the sambar vada (gluten free lentil fritters), palak paneer (spinach and paneer cheese), Kerala fish pollichatthu. The fritters were a hit with the little one and came with a tangy sauce (sambar). The palak paneer was a very good version of this classic dish. The Kerala fish entree was my "why not" dish, mostly chosen since I know some folks from Kerala. They weren't around to give me the heads up that it would be a whole small fish cooked in banana leaves, though. I was a little surprised, but it was rather tasty, even if there amount of meat was a bit limited. I'll need to include them in my regular takeout roster in the future, and I'd love to dine in sometime too. The interior looks gorgeous from the pictures. read more

Excellent, tasty food! Really friendly and professional service. Comfortable seating was pretty quiet while we were there for lunch. They expanded to have a new separate "sports" bar, more seating and tv options. Great option for lunch or dinner on Moody St. Excellent Naan! read more

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This place is cool and comfortable with very good service. Tejas helped us with menu selection and suggestions and provided excellent service throughout. We tried cocktails like Kulukki, Filter Kapi, and Neelam Chutney. Among mocktails, Kokum Soda was refreshing. In starters, we had Paneer Chili, Vada Pav, Fries, Dahi Poori, and Salmon Tikka -- all of them were delicious. For the main course, we ordered Chili Garlic Naan, Chicken Vendallu, and a Paneer dish. We ended our meal with desserts -- Gulab Jamun, Kulfi, and Red Velvet Cake -- and we absolutely loved them! Overall, a great experience. I will definitely visit again soon! read more

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First off, this place is huge. I kind of forgot what used to be here, but I think they took over like 2-3 stores. The restaurant is massive and wide open. It's actually super nice inside and there's a bar as well. Staff was very friendly. They came by several times to ask if anything was needed. I did really like how friendly they were. I felt very welcomed in the restaurant. The food was really awesome too. When the chicken tikka masala arrived, it had that rich, brick hue to it and I could see the spices! The food comes out fast, so I assume they're cooking these dishes all day. The Naan, although a bit pricey, is delicious... between $5 and $7 for the Naan. The garlic Naan was crazy good!! Most other places I order from top out around $4 and they're pretty good. Rice was not included, so another $5-$6 for that. So it's going to be more expensive than most places you might order from. My usual spot has rice included with the dish (similar pricing for the main dish) and then a few dollars less for Naan. So I consider this a bit of a treat, given I would spend more here than my usual. The menu seems to include northern and southern Indian inspired dishes, as well as some Indo-Chinese influences. They have a cocktail menu with some interesting options. You can get vegetarian dishes and even goat if you want. I wanted to try so many things, so I will be back. I enjoyed everything about this place. I saw lunch specials were about $15, if you come during the designated times. Overall, I did love everything about this place. I will return. I highly recommend you come visit it. 5 stars for sure. read more

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Been waiting to try this for a long time since seeing it was taking the space and finally got the chance. We had Apps: Onion dosa (great) Chicken 65 (good) Chicken mala kebab (great) Meal: Chicken kothu parotta (very spicy and lots of food but very good!!) Chili garlic naan (very good, also spicy!) Will be back 100%! read more

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This is a spacious spot and we were seated right away on a Saturday night without reservations. The menu and food appears authentic. But, all I can say is that the nann was good. But the rest of the food was so incredibly spicy that we could not eat it. It was way too spicy for mere mortals. I think the restaurant should put marks on their menu next to food that is spicy, so that customers have an idea of what they are getting into. I ordered a Masala Chai that was never made or delivered to the table. read more

I've always liked Indian food and have eaten at many Indian restaurants in many cities. Rassa was definitely in the top of Indian restaurants from my limited sampling and personal taste. The whole experience was great. Unrushed but attentive service, really good food, decent drinks, small but nice wine list, nice ambiance. A very good time was had by all. Personally for me, the food tasted very fresh and nicely spiced, if anything a bit mild, but everyone has their own taste. Definitely will be going back although it's an hour away. read more

We made reservations but didn't seem like it was needed. As someone pointed out, the restaurant didn't feel very warm. Service was stellar, our server was very personable, friendly. It seemed like the chef had changed since printing the menus, the server had to cross check with the chef what was stated as GF on the menu. And that's okay, better to be safe than sorry. Food was alright. Our chettinad chicken curry was good but vegetables in vegetable jalfrazie needed some more cook time. Overall a decent experience but nothing extraordinary to write about. read more

tl;dr high-quality and well-spiced Indian food at a reasonable price. I look forward to returning! Four of us had a reservation for Rassa on a Sunday evening. The interior was larger than expected - they have a dining area with two bars in addition to a foyer with tables. We were seated in a comfortable booth. For starters, we got the Vada Pav and Paneer Tikka along with the Rassa Sour cocktail and Mango Lassi. All items were excellent, especially the Paneer Tikka, which is probably one of the best you can get in the Boston area. It was well spiced and absolutely packed with flavor. The creaminess of the Mango Lassi was also ideal. For our mains, we shared the Palak Paneer, Paneer Tikka Masala, Vellai Kurma, and Dal Makhni. The Paneer Tikka Masala and Dal Makhni in particular were excellent, with the former having some of the best flavor in a gravy I've had recently, and the latter's texture being well balanced. The Vellai Kurma was good too, but the Palak Paneer felt a bit blander than expected despite having the right texture. I wouldn't seek it out next time, but everything else about dinner more than made up for this. The service was generally prompt and our waiter was able to answer several questions about items on the menu. I look forward to returning and trying more items! read more

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I ordered Chicken Biryani..disappointed as it is not authentic at all. Not at all south indian style..I would not call this Biryani to be honest. read more

All shine, no substance. The only saving grace at Rassa Restaurant in Waltham was its beautiful ambiance and our server Hamid (or Hamaad) -- genuinely polite, kind, and doing his best in what looked like a losing battle. Unfortunately, everything else about the experience was a masterclass in disappointment. Where do I even start? I'm vegetarian and my husband is not. He ordered the chicken -- it came out charred, hard, and completely tasteless. My entrée was somehow worse: imagine a bowl of lentils floating in pure fat. The daal looked more like soup made of butter than anything remotely edible. The naan was so drenched in grease it could have doubled as a sponge. I'm honestly posting a photo because words don't do it justice. To make matters worse, service was painfully slow. It seemed like there were too few servers on the floor -- no one checked in on us, and the second drink we ordered never arrived at all. Such a shame, because the place looks stunning -- warm lighting, chic décor, and the promise of a good evening. Sadly, that promise evaporates as soon as the food hits the table. Verdict: Go for the ambiance, maybe have a drink (if it ever arrives), but eat elsewhere. read more

Rassa - Greasy Daal - Indian Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

The food was great! Rassa opened recently on Moody Street taking over the former Molti space next door to Tempo. They serve up Indian cuisine and offer full service dining and takeout. They have two dining areas and a full service bar. I stopped by for lunch takeout very recently. I ordered a $15 Weekday Lunch Special, choose entree and 2 sides, opting for the Chicken Tikka Masala, steamed basmati rice and samosa. My food was all set to go in under 10 minutes, each item packed in separate round plastic lid containers. The chicken masala had a mix of tender boneless tandoori chicken in a tomato yogurt cream sauce with red peppers and spices. The steamed basmati rice was cooked right and not sticky. The samosa was filled with spiced potatoes & peas in a flaky pastry shell, tamarind and yogurt sauces provided. Overall, the food I ordered for lunch was spot on! read more

Food: 8.5/10 Service: 9:10 Ambiance: 7/10 Cleanliness: 4/10 Overall the food was great! The chicken tikka masala had a pronounced smoky taste while butter chicken was very nice, soft and tender. The nann bread had a nice chewy texture. The paneer kulcha was really unique and worth a try. Rice was mediocre and would not recommend purchasing again. The fish moilee had a good base for the curry sauce but the fish had a slight fishy taste. Our server was wonderful and deserves a rating of 9/10. The restaurant had nice decor and the ambiance is nice. However, the restroom appears to be unclean and the floor was sticky. There appears to be what seems to be poop stains in the toilet. The dessert gulab jamun was unique and interesting. Had a ginger taste. Texture similar to a doughnut. read more

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Went on date here, decent atmosphere but something about doesn't feel cozy and more like a cafeteria. Staff were great and really friendly and caring. All the items where great except for the idle. I would recommend the place and try it again. read more

So amazing!!! The staff were so kind and the food was incredible. I've had Indian food in London, LA, and the Bay Area but this was a one of a kind experience. The ambiance looks so fancy so we were scared about being underdressed but we didn't feel awkward at all and it felt cozy inside. The ambiance is nice for a date night or family dinner. read more

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best Indian food I've ever had! even the ground naans are better than other places I've eaten . The food is so tasty and, reasonable priced. Absolutely delicious. Gorgeous inside , spavious and clean ! read more

Food was mid tier at top tier prices. Entrees don't even come with rice. Didn't follow spice level request. Was not a great experience. The inside is fancy and looks nice. read more

Probably the best Indian food I've ever had. The Mutton (goat) Korma was exquisite. The sauce was flavored perfectly to complement the meat without overpowering it. The nan was crispy and buttery, and even the sweet lassi was particularly creamy. read more

Rassa - Entrance - Indian Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Some of the best Indian dishes I have had ,,,Two thumbs up. Great service professional staff...definitely worth the stop you won't be disappointed ....... read more

Great service and suggestions. The food was quite good, there was a lot of flavor without being overly hot. The store is nice and simple.

Great South Indian curry and dosa! Service and ambiance is great! Definitely worth coming

Made an email-confirmed reservation for Saturday evening. Turned up 5 minutes early, left after 35 minutes having been ghosted by the host who initially greeted us, asked us to wait a couple of minutes, and then vanished. In those 35 minutes we saw another confirmed reservation arrive just after us and get straight out turned away, and a table of 4, who had been sat unserved for 45 minutes, get up and leave. Many other tables looked unserved. The space is quite large and looked to be full including several large tables, though we only saw 4 or 5 staff, including the kitchen. Clearly a poorly-planned service. I get new restaurant teething issues, but to just outright ignore your guests until they get up and leave does not bode well for hospitality. A simple apology and a drink at the bar, or an offer to rebook for another night with a discount would have gone a long way. FWIW, the dribbles of food we did see come out of the kitchen looked really good. Shame we never got to try them. We went to Gustazo instead on spec, got seated right away (though they also were busy) and had an amazing meal. read more

We came here because of the high ratings. This was a big mistake. The lamb chops were super salty and tasted only of raw red dry chilies. The worst was the dosas. The first order had a plastic particle in it. The waiters seemly forgot about the fact that we had a plastic particle in our food. It took them 30 minutes to bring out another one, that was basically raw looking. See picture below. Both dosas masala filling was liquidy and lacked flavor. The only redeemable thing were the drinks. read more

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The cholesterol, mutton roganjosh garlic Naan were authentic and delicious. The staff were very friendly and the service was vety efficient and attentive. Highly recommend Raasa waltham. Much better than the orher Indian restaurants nearby ​ read more

The drinks and food was great. The staff is also very friendly. Would definitely recommend to someone wanting to have Indian food! read more

Rassa - Coconut Kulukki - Indian Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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I have to say, I was REALLY looking forward to this meal, based on ratings and the menu. The restaurant was beautifully decorated, although there was a smell of baby powder over a bad musty moldy scent in the first room and near the bar. My real concern came with ordering. I have a tree nut allergy, and I had questions for the server about some inaccuracies in the labeling of some meals (containing cashews) as nut free. The waiter asked if I had an allergy, and when I said I do, he told me that the kitchen was full of cross contamination and that I shouldn't eat there. I explained that I eat out frequently and so long as the meal does contain the item, I was fine. He insisted that the kitchen was thoroughlycross contaminated and I couldn't eat there. On one hand, if there really is a problem with cross contamination I appreciate the warning. On the other hand, this is deeply disturbing. In order to operate in Massachusetts, restaurants need their food handling staff to be trained and certified in safe food handling techniques, which includes common allergens and safe food prep. Are they not trained? Are they sloppy? Was the waiter misinformed? We decided to err on the safe side and eat elsewhere. We got the check for our beverages and Naan and left. We found AMAZING food down 434 Moody St at Peppino's Dosa - HIGHLY recommed them!! read more

Outstanding food. Recommend the rose lassi. Nice presentation. Garlic naan is more flavorful than many places. Moody Street has a number of restaurants. This one is a keeper. read more

They have good looking dishes I just wish they would have tested the same as it looks.

The food was delicious! The waitstaff were very attentive and helped me choose something that fit my limited diet! I ate outside which was also nice. They are also open Mondays, which most restaurants were not. read more

We had a wonderful experience at Rassa the food, service, decor and ambiance was awesome. Abdul had great recommendations for us from the menu. The indo Chinese option are really good along with the South Indian dishes. I loved the fact that there is finally an Indian restaurant where you can go with your family and can order multiple options be it a dosa/ indo Chinese or north Indian food ... so you are not restricted for choice. Also to mention the drinks are good as well. read more

Fantastic food, great service and beautiful ambiance. We all loved Rassa. It's a great addition to the restaurants on Moody Street. Lots of great vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. read more

I had a bad experience with the delivery person but the food was excellent, probably the best Indian food in Waltham

Great food and portions. The atmosphere was also great with the perfect lighting and temperature.

Great addition to the area. The staff were very attentive and the food was absolutely delicious. The Pani puri was superbly executed. The drink pours were generous. Will definitely go back. read more

This area may have lots of Indian restaurants but this one is the newest addition of Indian fine dining. They definitely spent time adding touches that makes this place feel more elegant that the other Indian places on this street, including a nice bar and three separate dining areas. They have a lunch special that includes a main and two sides for less than $20. Dishes include both veg and non veg options. unfortunately, they did not have salad available during lunch hour even though it was a side choice. Service was friendly and not overbearing. Would definitely return at some time. read more