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    Royal Durbar

    4.8 (51 reviews)
    Closed • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - Royal Durbar

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    Alo Ko Archar
    Simon P.

    I just found my new addition to the rotation -- the only Nepalese restaurant around serving a 100% Nepalese menu without mixing in Indian dishes. It immediately reminded me of the kind of spots you find in Jackson Heights, Queens. Everything we had was flavorful, the prices were great, and the service was genuinely friendly. At one point they overheard that it was my birthday and surprised us with dessert on the house, which was a really nice touch. You know a place is good when you're already planning what you're going to order on your next visit before you even leave. Definitely looking forward to coming back.

    Dee D.

    5 stars across the board! We were greeted promptly and really enjoyed the lovely cultural decor and welcoming atmosphere. The food was delicious -- we ordered the SEL roti with curried potatoes, the Thakali chicken thali, shrimp chow mein, and a mango lassi, and everything was a 5/5. The chicken thali was especially satisfying with rice, spinach, lentils, fresh cucumber and carrot garnish, plus a flavorful Nepali chutney. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and well prepared. Definitely worth a visit!

    Alo Ko Achar (Napali potato salad)
    Mark M.

    A very beautiful restaurant inside. The atmosphere is very nice and the service went above and beyond. My wife wanted to try Nepalese food and this is where we landed the day after Christmas. The ambiance was creative and provided a very nice dining experience. Neither of us have tried Nepalese food before and it was fun trying assorted dishes. I believe it was the owner who came over to us and made recommendations and spoke to us a bit about the different food options to help us decide. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant and trying a few different dishes to experience just a bit of Nepal in Rockville.

    Steamed vegetable momo
    Victoria S.

    Such a beautiful and serene restaurant! From the moment you walk in you are greeted warmly by staff and welcomed to a beautiful dining space with Himalayan art and decor. The menu has mostly traditional Nepalese dishes (curries, thali, buffalo, momos). They have indo-Chinese items as well (fried rice and noodles). Everything was reasonably priced. I got the tender eggplant curry. Instead of mashed eggplant, the vegetable was cut into matchsticks and cooked with tomatoes, coriander, ginger, cilantro and other spices. It came with rice. Lived up to its name, eggplant slices were tender abs flavorful. My companion got the vegetarian thali. It came with several piles of vegetable concoctions (sautéed mustard greens, daal, potatoes, bamboo, rice, lentil cracker, gulag jamun in yogurt). He liked his choice. We also shared an order of vegetable momos. Those steamed dumplings were stuffed generously with cabbage, carrots and other veggies and came with a spicy dipping sauce. Comfort food at it best. We also shared a strawberry lassi, which was thick, refreshing and not too sweet. The highlight was seeing the owner/manager come around each table to greet and chat with the diners. She explained some of the menu items and talked about Nepalese cuisine and culture. Wonderful food and service!

    Veggie Bara
    Neeva S.

    Absolutely loved this authentic Nepali restaurant! The food was outstanding...especially the momo, which were perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. The menu offers a great variety, and everything we tried was fresh, rich, and truly representative of Nepali cuisine. I also appreciated being able to choose the spice level to suit our taste. The family style portions made it easy to order a few different dishes and share, which made the whole experience even better. Forgot to take pictures of the main dishes but we ordered the Nepali goat curry, Aloo Bodi Tama and Chicken Fried rice and they were all great. Highly recommend if you're looking for something unique and flavorful.

    Momo Dumplings
 Dumplings made with choice of meat & vegetable with achar
    Dan R.

    HEADLINE: Run, don't walk, to Royal Durbar. This new occupant of a space in the Woodmont Station shopping strip (recently highlighted by Store Reporter) along Rockville Pike has a bright future based on my first visit there. It's got only a few reviews so far on Google and surprisingly one here on Yelp, but believe me that won't be the case for long. Royal Durbar is in a space that has struggled over the past decade -- previous occupants were Indian and Korean establishments. The interior has now been completely re-done, with Nepali artwork, framed swords at the entrance. It's a good job and the impression one gets upon entering is that a lot of attention was given to turning this location into an attractive and welcoming place. We were met by the owner/manager and through the course of our 90 minutes or so we engaged him in a lot of conversation about Nepal, the food on the menu, and other topics. So, over to the food. A friend and I started with the Momo dumplings and Sel Roti -- both were superb, but the Momo is a standout item. We moved on to Goat Curry and Mustang Dal. Both were similarly excellent, but I thought the Dal was superb with black beans, Himalayan spices, and wild onion and garlic. We learned during our discussion with the owner that he actually shipped garlic in from Nepal (if I recall this correctly). The Goat Curry and Dal were accompanied by a thankfully large bowl of basmati rice, which was also super. Service was excellent, and toward the end among those bringing a dish to the table was a woman who the owner identified as the cook. We didn't get a chance to speak with her unfortunately, but will on our next visit. Royal Durbar, which describes itself as blending elements of Indian and Tibetan cooking, takes its place among the 15 or so Nepal or Nepal-influenced restaurants in the DC/MD/VA area. This is a home run right from the start and I look forward to their grand opening whenever that occurs. All restaurants these days face challenges from rising prices and we can only hope that Royal Durbar can hold the line for a while because the price levels at this great place are now surprisingly low. If they can keep it that way they'll be able to build a loyal clientele and if the quality level of the food here is also maintained, they will soon be far more crowded than they were when we visited.

    Chris J.

    Really good introduction to Nepalese food. Interior and decor were incredible, and the staff were super helpful in explaining the cuisine and recommending dishes. Definitely look forward to coming back.

    Thukpa! Noodle soup -- this one is veggie. De-li-cious!
    Ashira M.

    Excellent! Yes, this place is wonderful -- full of wonder because it's been filled with wonder -- but that could be happenstance, whereas the more purposeful approach of excelling is a far better situation, and this place does that! The décor is absolutely beautiful, encompassing a large open space while also containing cozy corners of booths and plumply-cushioned chairs that hug you while you dine. Imported-from-Nepal decorations adorn the walls and ceiling so you can be surrounded with that authentic Nepali feeling. Everything I've tried (been three times so far and tried a lot of things!) has been delicious, the food is comforting and nutritious and served in a very visually appealing way. This place overall has a very high aesthetic value in every aspect -- the food, silverware, plates, bowls, cups, tables, chairs, walls, statuary, art, uniforms and service. The staff is very friendly and polite, highly professional and very caring and attentive. The music -- thank goodness! -- is also all Nepali. I love it when a restaurant includes that touch! I want to stay in the experience of the place I'm 'visiting' rather than be taken out of it the way so many places make happen with their musical selections. It's an overall edifying, delightful experience! Highly recommended! Oh, and they are very accommodating as well, having choices for so many of the dishes that can be made vegetarian or not. Here, it's up to you! What a relief and a joy to have this place nearby! I'm so glad they opened! Blood sugar tip: In the three and a half weeks I've been wearing a glucose monitor, the Vegetable Thali I got here is the only meal I've had that didn't lower or raise my blood glucose -- it was steady for five hours after eating it (and I had a milky chai with sugar!), the longest my blood glucose has been steady in nearly a month, so clearly, they really know what they are doing! Amazing! A very healthy meal!

    Keith F.

    This place is a real gift. It serves authentic first rate Nepali food. There are items on the menu that I haven't seen since my last visit to Kathmandu. Plus the service and decor are wonderful. You couldn't ask for a better evening out.

    Sel Roti

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    4 months ago

    Lovely setting and attentive service of delicious Nepalese dishes. A nice change from familiar Indian food.

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    11 months ago

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    7 months ago

    An excellent Nepal Restaurant with great service. Took my wife for her birthday and we weren't disappointed.

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    5 months ago

    Excellent family run business. Great voices, excellent food and service. Offers some small plates perfect for lunch.

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    6 months ago

    Great food and service. Delicious. Some plates were hot spicy but manageable. Just ask carefully. Highly recommend mango salad

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    Ask the Community - Royal Durbar

    Himalayan wild yak

    Himalayan wild yak

    4.4(205 reviews)
    22.6 mi
    •$$

    A beautiful experience, from the smiling & friendly service to the elegant plating to the superb &…read moreflavorful dishes. Everything we tried was excellent. 10/10 recommend. My favorite dish was the the sukuti sadheko appetizer -- the goat was almost jerky like, chewy (in the best way) but still tender; and spicy. It was served with these rice crispies that looked plain, but had so much flavor on their own. It was a fun & delicious play on texture, flavor and spice. The braised yak was tender and warm with the spices and rice, yum. Loved all the options for goat, lamb, yak, etc. There were also plenty of options for vegetarians as well.

    t's been a long time since I last visited Himalayan Wild Yak, and I realized I never left a review…read more We went for dinner this past Friday and headed straight to the bar. The bar area is big and spacious, and usually sitting at the bar means better, more attentive service. The place was mildly busy, so I expected things to run smoothly -- but that wasn't the case. Right from the start, the bartender wasn't very attentive. We had to ask multiple times just to place our order. For appetizers, we tried the Goat Buttan and the Wild Boar -- we wanted to explore some of the unique delicacies on the menu. Both dishes were interesting, and the Goat Buttan and Wild Boar were actually pretty solid. Unfortunately, the service continued to be an issue. We had to flag the bartender again just to order our entrées and even for simple water refills. We ordered the Mutton Taas and the Yak Chili. The Yak Chili was very good, but the Mutton Taas was extremely dry -- like eating cardboard -- and lacked flavor. Throughout the night, our bartender was constantly absent. More than once, we had to ask another bartender to get his attention so we could get basic service. After finishing our meal, we ordered a dessert, the Gulab Jamun. The presentation looked nothing like the picture -- more like a sloppy drop of pudding -- and the taste was just as disappointing. And again, we had to flag down another bartender because ours was nowhere to be found. Service overall was lackluster, and the tip options started at 20% with no 18% choice. For the level of service we received, 15% would have been more appropriate. I won't be returning anytime soon unless I'm specifically craving their unique delicacies -- which is once in a blue moon.

    Photos
    Himalayan wild yak
    Himalayan wild yak - Yak briyani

    Yak briyani

    Himalayan wild yak - Chicken momos and Yak momos

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    Chicken momos and Yak momos

    Himalayan Doko - It's that good! I emptied everything and still eating!!

    Himalayan Doko

    4.5(88 reviews)
    12.7 mi•Downtown

    A true hidden gem! Himalayan Doko is my absolute favorite indian/nepalese place in the entire US (I…read moretravel a lot and indian food is usually a go-to of mine). The food here is extremely authentic and well seasoned I've eaten most of the lamb/goat dishes here and they're all phenomenal! The first time I came I believe my table had the goat curry, lamb curry, pani puri, samosa chaat, and butter chicken. And this time we got the goat sekuwa, lamb karahi, lamb thakali thali, and pani puri (again). I think it speaks volume about a place when the butter chicken (which is still great) is not the standout dish in a desi restaurant. And even then it's one of the most seasoned versions I've ever tasted. The dishes here are all amazing, flaborful, and not spicy (though I'm sure you can always ask about adding or taking away spice to the waiters). The service here is fast, there's never been a long line. And the place is very clean, spacious, and good for all ages. I cannot recommend this place enough, if you're debating whether or not you should come consider that debate over -- you're coming.

    This is a small spot near the Word Planet museum, and we just happened to walk in as we were…read morecurious. Food - Good, the lamb rogan josh is quite good and the doko special thakali thali was great as well. Everything is a very big portion Service - can be a bit slow, but is fine nonetheless Parking - Can be a bit tricky as they do not have a parking lot. There is street parking on the nearby streets but on a busy day it's unlikely you can find a spot very close. Overall, this place is good.

    Photos
    Himalayan Doko - Interior picture

    Interior picture

    Himalayan Doko - Vegetable Samosa

    Vegetable Samosa

    Himalayan Doko - Tandoori Paneer

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    Tandoori Paneer

    Spicelife Indian Fare - Where did they learn to make biryani?

    Spicelife Indian Fare

    4.3(362 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    •$$

    When I heard about SpiceLife, I looked up their menu online and saw the standard Indian dishes, but…read morewhat they don't tell you is that you can get a Buffet Bowl with all the rice and different toppings you'd like (lemon rice, Basmati rice, butter chicken, grilled chicken, channa masala, saag paneer, onion pakoda, all kinds of veggies and sauces). This is your opportunity to load up on Indian grub that tastes fantastic! And if the Buffet Bowl isn't enough for you, I recommend the Dosa, a HUGE roll of thin, lentil-based dough with a loaf of spiced potatoes inside. SpiceLife is a neat little find in Gaithersburg and one of the best Indian restaurants I've been to in a long time. I'm definitely going back to try some of the other items on the menu.

    I absolutely love Spice Life. My company took me out to lunch for my 1 year anniversary and of…read morecourse I chose Spice Life. The service and good is always great. We ordered plenty of appetizers. All delicious. For apps we ordered the Salmon Tikka, and the Fish Fry. The Fish fry was my favorite. They used tilapia fish which was very well seasoned. The salmon Tikka was delicious as well as it had great flavor and cooked to perfection. For our entrees I ordered lamb curry spicy and garlic naan. I absolutely love their naan. The lamb curry was good and flavorful but was not at the level of spice that I desired unfortunately. I asked for really spicy and I received mild spice. For dessert we ordered the rice pudding, gulab jamnun, and the carrot pudding. The rice pudding was my favorite. It was very light and refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. The carrot pudding and the gulab were good but not really my thing. The ambiance was great. Spice Life is a dine in and take out restaurant. Many people dine in during the evening hours so their weren't a lot of people during lunch time when we visited. However, it was still a good time. They had good music playing and some games playing on the tv. Of course I will visit again soon! Cheers!

    Photos
    Spicelife Indian Fare
    Spicelife Indian Fare - Alu gobi

    Alu gobi

    Spicelife Indian Fare - CknTM

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    CknTM

    Methi Indian and Nepalese Cuisine - Chicken Biryani

    Methi Indian and Nepalese Cuisine

    3.4(164 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    •$$

    This review is based mostly on delivery orders and one I fi-na-ly got there in-person to-go…read more(takeout) visit! Best open late place around! It's probably really good during the day, too -- but I love ordering from here late at night! This is my go-to for great late night (but also daytime) wonderful, tasty, spiced-just-right nourishment -- mmm! I greatly enjoy their Channa Masala regularly. Truth be told, that is one of my most favourite dishes so I don't stray away from it too much .... I actually like to get a side of that and a side of Dal Makhani along with some Papadum, Mango Chutney, Mixed Pickles and Raita -- a perfect little (but not too little!) meal with some flavour left over for later .... (Ooh, should I be giving away my secrets so freely like this? Hmm ....) The Garlic Naan is also very good. I can't comment too much on most of the menu since I liked what I got and have stuck with it! (Also, I've been eating from here for years and years and don't remember everything I've tried ....) One thing I can say about this place is: I have never been disappointed! I would say that dining in late at night during the winter, it might be a little bit cold for those who are used to more heated spaces .... In terms of accessibility, if you need an entrance without stairs, then using the front entrance would be the way to go -- and since the parking is in the back and the front entrance is on a major road without parking right there, you would need to go around to the front from the back, which also involves going down an incline using the sidewalk. (I have provided a photo of the back staircase for you to see.) Highly recommended! Yay! Also, super-yummy-yum! :-D

    Portions sizes and prices are about average but food texture and flavor are good quality and…read moreconsistent. We've ordered from here about 20x now and built up some reliable go-to dishes including the Aloo Gobhi and Channa Masalla. Roti and Garlic Naan are also great. I do recommend doing delivery or pickup as the place is very much a hole-in-the-wall joint and less of an actual restaurant than a kitchen. Still amazing food, very consistent. There's zero chance I won't be ordering again in the coming month.

    Photos
    Methi Indian and Nepalese Cuisine
    Methi Indian and Nepalese Cuisine - Shrimp curry

    Shrimp curry

    Methi Indian and Nepalese Cuisine - Great Indian food and open late!

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    Great Indian food and open late!

    Ghar- E- Kabab - Shiro.

    Ghar- E- Kabab

    3.5(370 reviews)
    7.6 mi
    •$$

    So, it's been a while since my family and I last went out to eat at a restaurant, and we landed on…read morethis one since it was both nearby and the prices reasonable for the fare that they offer. My wife and I had been here for lunch before and had a good experience, so this time we figured why not check it out for dinner? Turns out, it was a great idea. The wait for the food was a bit on the longer end, but to be perfectly fair, we ordered a LOT, so we certainly didn't mind. By the time the food hit the table, we forgot about it almost entirely because the smells of freshly made kitfo, lamb tibs, and this stewed chicken dish whose name I can't remember (but it came with a hardboiled egg!) hit our nose, nothing else mattered. The food was presented in a way that somehow matched the overall vibe of the restaurant, which at this time of night was set to be kinda toned down with dingy lighting and smooth music. Huge call out to my waiter that I curse myself for not getting his name, because he is, simply put, the best server I've ever had at a restaurant. Not only was he timely and discreet about topping off our waters, but also checked in about soft drinks as well, and when he heard my son saying the food was too spicy for him, he took it upon himself to get him something else to eat that wasn't spicy at all, and without myself or my wife asking. If you're looking for a great place to eat with a killer atmosphere and even better service, you've found it.

    I had another destination in mind, but when I saw the sign that said they had indian, nepalese, and…read moreEthiopian food, I stopped in my tracks. It wasn't a platter type of night, but both Indian and Ethiopian cuisines have some great appetizers, so we stopped in after a movie. It was cool to see the breakdown of a vibey bar scene on one side and a sit down area on the other period both sides had the World Cup showing, so there was really no going wrong. The woman who greeted us led us to decide where we wanted to go. According to their hours, they are open until 1AM. We decided to get the stuffed naan basket, sambusas, and chicken momos -- A nice but fairly light spread for the evening. We or later told that they were finished with the naan basket... For an Indian restaurant more than 3 hours before they closed, that was surprising to me... I should have specified whether it was naan in general or just that basket, but still. The other two items came after 25 minutes or so. The sambusas were fried HARD, but had a great flavor. The momos were solid! We had a good time catching up, and they did great keeping water refilled (mostly). It took a while to close out -- they probably thought we were invested in the game and not in a hurry, but it's a weeknight and we were on Metro's time. I am curious about their proper Indian and Ethiopian entrees ... By the way, I saw a mouse right before we left... It was in the back on the dining room side past the tables.

    Photos
    Ghar- E- Kabab - Outside

    Outside

    Ghar- E- Kabab - Veggie.

    Veggie.

    Ghar- E- Kabab - Starter

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    Starter

    Royal Durbar - himalayan - Updated October 2026

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