Absolutely loved my dinner here! It's such a fun departure from typical Indian restaurants with more artful presentations. I didn't get a drink, but the cocktail menu is so cute--each drink has its own corresponding illustration and fun name. The menu is laid out so it's representative of dishes from throughout the entire country and they show you which dishes are from which region which is really cool. We started with the smoked salmon puchkas and the Amul cheese and onion kulcha which were both delicious. The bread was sweet, savory, creamy and had a shishito pepper relish which added some nice heat. We then went with the Ghevar Chaat. The tamarind and chickpeas went really well together. The honeycomb was hard to eat so take smaller bites than you think haha. We also did the Kerala fried chicken, which was very lightly breaded and fried. Although the chicken was nice and juicy, I still wish it came with a sauce of some kind For our main, we split the Makhmali Saag Paneer. I've never seen paneer prepared more like cottage cheese but it turns out I'm a fan! The saag was so flavorful and it went great with the rice and the bread. For dessert, we tried the Malai Khaja which tasted just like angel wing cookies to me, but with a creamy sauce with lots of fruit. My friend got the dilli special kulcha which I wasn't a huge fan of but she really liked. All in all I will definitely be back! read more

Tamashaa is not just a restaurant--it's a performance of flavors, atmosphere, and style. Perfect for those looking to explore Indian cuisine beyond the classics, in a modern, Instagram-worthy setting. read more

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

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Very good. Even among Indian spots, they are a standout. Food wise, we started with black garlic naan. One of the best, very garlicky. Slightly crisp. Good start. We then tried butter chicken, which is amazing. It is a classic, but theirs is so much better than average. Great spice, and high quality chicken. We also had some grilled truffle broccoli, which is real good, it tastes like a healthier mac and cheese. Truffly goodness on top of it all, we had the crispy cauliflower app. Spicy. Yum. Good but overpriced and not crispy enough. Overall, though, this food is top notch. The bar menu stands out, too. It has beautiful artistic renderings of the drinks. They are mostly variations on familiar classics. For example, the manhattan variation has a drawing of ahookah. The drink comes in smoke but it isn't smoky tasting, it smells like fruity hookah. The drinks are great! A special experience. Do it. read more

Despite wanting to try everything on the menu, I settled on the Old Delhi Butter Chicken. I ordered it with Garlic Naans, and it did not disappoint. The naans were perfectly garlicky and crispy which made it the perfect utensil for dipping into the butter chicken sauce. Another standout was the Crispy Cauliflower -- it left me wondering how in the world did they deliver so much delicious flavor with these white florets? Overall, the food hit the spot and the service was attentive & made me feel genuinely care for. Highly recommend! read more

Tamashaa - Old Delhi BUTTER CHICKEN - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came on a whim after a dinner plan was cancelled and man was I delightfully surprised. The service was quick. The food was delicious with a little spice. I had the shrimp biryani and the shrimp size was incredibly generous. It didnt feel weird to eat alone and it was a nice classy vibe. Everything that was gluten free was marked. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

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I can't give Tamashaa high enough accolades! I have to admit I came with a good friend who knew the food offering better than I, and his instincts were spot on! While I can't name the dishes explicitly, I can wax poetic on the cacaphone of culinary delight that I experienced in every bite. If you're looking for "American" Indian food, I know you'll find good eats here, but if you're looking for authentic and creative Indian cuisine that will redefine the spices of Indian, than Tamashaa is for you. Beyond the amazing food, the ambiance and service were top notch. It is obvious that the staff are genuinely happy to have you there, and they show it. They know the food, and have a passion for their objective to ensure you leave happy and content. And as the pictures show, the ambiance and presentation are fashionable and refreshing! I suspect that before long it'll be hard to even get a table in the future. Enjoy it now and you'll understand what I mean. Cheers! read more

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Tamashaa is a new Indian restaurant that opened up, offering both a dine-in menu and a bar menu, including various apps, kulchas, small plates (such as sliders and wings), entrees (such as paneer and kofta), and even a chutney 'experience'. We came here as a group, and we started off with: +Crispy Okra Sweet Potato Chaat - prepared with okra, potato crispies, and a tamarind emulsion +Smoked Salmon Puchkas - crispy puries with curd rice mousse and cream cheese +Beetroot Chicken Dumpling - poached chicken parcels with a Szechuan sauce +Eggplant Fritters - served with garlic cream +Chicken Wings - tandoor-grilled winglets with a smoked tamarind glaze +Kerala Fried Chicken - curry leaf-flavored chicken +an Amul Cheese & Onion Kulcha - with a shishito pepper relish For the entree shareables, we tried: +the Classic Chicken Tikka - tandoor-roasted chili-marinated chicken cubes +Lemongrass Shrimp Tikka - clay oven-roasted yogurt-marinated lemongrass prawns +Soft Shell Crab - with mild coconut curry +Old Delhi Butter Chicken - clay oven-roasted chicken cubes in a tomato sauce +Chicken Biryani (there is also an option for a veggie or a lamb version) +and, the Pistachio Crushed Lamb - grilled lamb chops with a saffron sauce We also ordered some butter naan and black garlic naan, as well as an order of their house chutneys )we opted for the Smoked Pineapple, Ghost Chili and Garlic, and the Gooseberry Cilantro, and added the Orange and Bourbon Whiskey). All the dishes were beautifully presented and aesthetically pleasing to the idea, but the flavors were just a miss for us. Service was friendly; the space is modern and bright. Limited and metered street parking is available. +friendly service +limited metered street parking available read more

The restaurant is located in a busy area of Columbia Heights near a shopping center with Target, Marshalls, etc. A close walk to the Metro. I stopped by for dinner early one evening and was the only person dining in the restaurant. I was promptly seated by a window and left to peruse the menu. After a long time no one came to check on me. There were a few employees chatting by the bar, but no one came by. I felt ignored, which is funny since they charge an automatic 18% service charge on the bill. I eventually walked up to the front host to ask where I should place my order. Maybe that's how they operate despite the seemingly higher end look to the restaurant? He then rushed over to take my order and brought each dish out as it was ready starting with the cocktail. It wasn't until I mentioned to one of the employees I like to take photos and write reviews that I was asked how everything was. On to the food. The Ghevar chaat was decent. A mix of sweet & tangy. Almost tasted like a samosa chaat with the tamarind chutney. The crispy lotus stem was good and portion size was large enough to share. The sukoon cocktail is refreshing and strong. As I got ready to leave two more couples showed up to an otherwise empty restaurant. Perhaps a rainy weeknight meant slow night. Being on a busy corner means you will hear every noise outside including the number of ambulances that go by with flashing lights. It may be a good idea to have curtains drawn at night to limit the flashing lights from cars outside. It can distract from an otherwise elegant restaurant. I had them draw the curtains where I sat so I could clearly read the menu. During dinner a floor heater was turned on by the bar, which was incredibly loud drowning out the music and taking away from the ambiance. I was surprised at the music selection of Bollywood then random English party music. Didn't seem to match the flow of Tamashaa's focus on all of India. I'd think they would play music of different regions of India to tie into their menu. You have to go past the kitchen area to get to the restroom. Who knew there was seating back there too! Almost like a private area for parties. Overall, food was decent but service was lacking. If they made a few more tweaks like curtains at night to block out flashing ambulances, change the music, and be more attentive to customers (especially since there is a mandatory 18% service charge), I think they have a chance at doing well in the DC market. read more

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After our recent venture out to Tamashaa I have to say the Columbia Height's dining scene continues to blossom. The ambiance, attentiveness, and allure of the offerings all recommend this place. The ambiance - Tamashaa, which I was told means 'joke' or 'play,' has colorful designs and a half-indoor-half-outdoor environment which, along with some dishes, reminded me of the Caribbean. Our server watchfully ensured our party had full water glasses (we weren't drinking cocktails) and advised on the spice levels and amounts of various dishes. Dishes we tried were: smoked salmon puchkas (accurately described as 'bites,' with creaminess and a slightly salty tang), bramley, rhubarb, and ginger chutney (which pleasantly was accompanied by (rice?) puffs and was refreshing and sweet), kale chaat (beautiful presentation, a lite dish but sizable enough for my not-so-hungry friend), tawa branzino (especially flavorful spinach hidden by the slightly spiced fish, helpfully served with lime wedge and decent size), pondicherry duck (accompanied by cubes of sausage), and goat vindaloo (an enjoyed, sweat-provoking dish that was deemed authentic). The server, noticing our friend's perspiration, even offered him some kind of complementary mango drink, which was much appreciated. The prices are elevated (along with the added 18% charge), so this may be more of a special-occasion place, but I hope to be back to try their desserts and drinks. read more

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I think this is a relatively new restaurant and the employees were all generally nice, so I feel bad for giving them a less than stellar review, but my experience there was less than stellar, particularly given the price point. First, drinks. They have a pretty cocktail menu that looked interesting, but I read another review on Yelp that said the drinks were just meh, and I was very tired of overly sweet cocktails (I still wasn't over the overpriced sugared drinks from Jose Andres's Bazaar the week before). So I asked if they have a wine and beer list. The server then rattles off the types of wine they have (i.e. pinot noir, etc.) and the beers they have (which were like three). No further description and I didn't want to be annoying and ask for further detail (i.e. what kind of pinot noir or you know, the price). It's one thing to have very generic descriptions at the neighborhood bar where you know the wine is going to be cheap (in both senses of the word), but how do I know they aren't selling Yellowtail for $13 a glass? I'm not saying they are, but like, how would I know? So I didn't get anything. For food, there were four of us (including one vegetarian) and we got two apps and four entrees. The apps were good (crispy okra sweet potato chat and the kale chat), with the kale chat being very similar to the famous Rasika palak chat. For entrees, we got the butter chicken, vegetable biryani, daal, and paneer tikka. The butter chicken was pretty good, the biryani and daal were good, and the paneer was very forgettable. We were stuffed with this amount of food. But honestly, the entrees seemed overpriced for what they were. We ordered mostly vegetarian, and maybe the meat and fish dishes were more special, but I didn't taste anything that justified charging $5 more per dish than some of the other upscale Indian restaurants in DC. And the service was worse, with common utensils not being offered, difficulty getting the waiters attention, etc. read more

It has been some time since I've had such a lovely dining experience! Not only was everything absolutely delicious, but the food was also gorgeous--beautifully presented. The staff were incredibly kind, attentive, and made us all feel like VIPs. Of course the space is stunning as well. Clearly there is much love and pride that is put into this experience. I highly recommend and look forward to returning! While the atmosphere leans more elegant, the staff couldn't have been more gracious and accommodating when I dined with a young child. Every interaction was kind and thoughtful, and the food hit the mark across the board. Perhaps because the food was so beautiful, little diners may be more interested in trying new flavors! read more

We took a group of work friends to Tamashaa and the food was amazing. We ordered each of the appetizers and were impressed with everything. The entrees were all good and more importantly they were different: it is not one flavor done in mildly different ways- instead it was a wide variety of delicious flavors. The service was very attentive and friendly. I can't wait for my next dinner at Tamashaa! read more

Fantastic Indian food, drinks, service, and ambiance. Definitely worth checking out. The menu has dishes from different parts of India and their drink booklet is fantastic. The butter chicken and garlic naan is a must try! read more

Restaurant was super expensive but food and drinks were good. Service was great as well. read more

Tamashaa - KERELA FRIED CHICKEN - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My girlfriend and I waited 20 minutes for a server who never showed up on Valentine's Day. We left.

Food, service, and drinks are always top-tier at Tamashaa. I've never had a bad dish here. There are various meat and veggie options--all with so much flavor. The presentation of the food and drinks are impeccable. The soft lighting makes this a great place for a date night, or a chill putting with friends. read more

I cannot recommend this place higher- absolutely amazing ambiance, incredible service, and excellent food. I mean, the food was just outstanding. The color scheme of the place was beautiful and lively, everything seemed of great quality food wise and setting wise, overall just fantastic. I live close and will be coming again and again and again. Loved coming here with my partner. Pharas, our server, was great too. Please come here, everyone!! read more

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

They had a holiday menu which was different than the menu on their website and different than Yelp. I really wanted butter chicken. It wasn't on the holiday menu. That was super disappointing. We ordered things we really didn't want because that's what was available. Most of the food was pretty tasty. I wasn't a fan of the pork vindaloo. I got the pina colada which was fairly strong. It was ok. I'd encourage you to try something different. We shared dessert. We spent $200 for 3 people. I wish they had the items we wanted. read more

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We had a fantastic time here. Love the jewel tone interiors, cute menus, just overall very "Desi" aesthetic. Service is a bit disorganized at times BUT such sweet, happy, lovely servers. Absolute gems. This isn't a place for cocktails if you like them light and sweet, like I do. If you like bourbon, get the Amritaphalam: hubs liked it so much he got two. Just wish they had something for those of us who don't like super strong drinks. Sev puri is classic, not a thing wrong with it. The chicken dumplings come with a spicy but addictive sauce -- def try those. Skip the malai broccoli, it was a cool idea but the execution was lacking in truffle flavor and well, flavor, really. Paneer pinwheels had, for once, a good gravy to paneer ratio which is rare. Usually you get so much gravy and a few paneer pieces but not here! It's Sweet at first but it the flavors deepen as you eat it with the spices. That being said, it Still could use a bit of heat to balance the sweetness. Definitely get the Black daal: Smokey, spicy, smooth perfection. Absolutely loved. If you like lamb try the lamb nihari it's tender and full of flavor -- no notes. Glad we gave this place a try and we look forward to exploring more of the menu! read more

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The best Indian food you can have. Excellent service.. Michelin start level... highly recommended.. great location

An incredible and creative take on Indian food. Every dish was sensational and unique. The service was very attentive and helpful. The place had a nice ambiance for dinner. We will return! read more

Food is amazing. The restaurant is empty and the servers are not providing the few customers attentive service. Nice vibe, but they need to hire different services during the "happy hour" window. Don't be in a rush when you visit read more

We opted for the a la carte menu.. well curated dishes , service and a colorful ambiance made everyone at our table happy including some hard to win overs!! Crispy okra, sweet potato chaat with a sweer sour blend of flavors Chicken kulcha tad spicy with apple jam, seekh kebab, soft shell crab and branzino were tasty. Service was great! read more

We went for my husband's birthday lunch. Ambience is cozy and nice. We ordered couple of drinks and crispy lotus stem for starters. Presentation and taste both were on point. For main course we had butter chicken, bread basket and paneer croquettes in tomato sauce. Main course dishes tasted as good as starters. Overall great experience. Highly recommended. read more

I had a really nice brunch experience here. The food was delicious, creative, and presented beautifully. The restaurant is clean and has a nice aesthetic. It's also metro accessible (right by Columbia heights). The managers were great. It was a cold day and they gave us really delicious chai. I would come back for any meal, not just brunch. read more

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I was very impressed by the food here. I am from Punjab and Punjabis we love good chicken tikka and butter chicken, I can confidently say that after Rasika, this is the restaurant with real chicken tikka and the butter chicken is incredible. I felt like I was back home. The naan is amazing. It's thin and crispy as naan should be. I tried the Tawa Branzino and it was also amazing! This place is my new favorite Indian restaurant for when I miss home! Not only the food but the presentation of the food and the whole vibe was incredible. 5/5! read more

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Overpriced and an average food, cocktail, ambiance and service experiences. Cocktail and entree portions were smaller but pricier than other similar restaurants. Worst part was that they automatically add 18% service charge (It was just Me and my Wife) and did not even bother to point it out. On asking I was told to read the fine prints in the back of the menu, which basically said that "18% service charge will be automatically added to all bills to pay for wages and service, this is not a tip, so if you want to tip the server you can add additional tip" Overall a bad experience. read more

Tamashaa offers a unique modern twist on Indian classics. The restaurant is well-lit with cute decor, making it a great spot for a solo date or dinner with friends. With so many delicious-sounding options, you'll have a tough time choosing if you come too hungry. Although the options were enticing, be prepared for some unclear menu descriptions, which left me with questions about what I was ordering. We started off with the fried lotus flower, which was light and tangy, reminiscent of Gobi Manchurian. The smoked salmon puchka tasted like a lox and cream cheese puri--loved it. The paneer pinwheel was essentially buttered paneer: creamy, filling, and something I would definitely order again. I also tried the black truffle naan, which only came with one piece and felt a bit overrated. The pina colada was average but strong. Service was friendly. read more

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Been there twice in two months now...the tastiness of the food and impeccable service never fail. I can't believe how they get the flavors so rich while also elevating the dishes with remarkable presentation and design. This might need to become a monthly visit! read more

Delectable food (I had the crispy okra & sweet potato chaat and the lotus root kofta)! Perfect service (I went for Friday lunch) and lovely interiors as well. Highly recommend! read more

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

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Great service, many innovative dishes/unique concepts with good flavor. Great decorations inside the restaurant. Would recommend for a special occasion. If you do not drink, note that the cocktails cannot be made into mocktails as drinks are pre-made at the beginning of the night. Presentation of cocktails/mocktails is extremely nice. read more

I know Indian food, this is hands down the most authentic fusion style Indian I've ever had...blows Tamil Prince in London out of the water. The staff was exceptional but the food spoke for itself. read more

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Food and drinks were good, staff was friendly. Honestly, my favorite thing so far was the black garlic naan. We want to go back, especially to try some of the other dishes read more

The best Indian restaurant in DC! The food was absolutely amazing, the ambience was great and the owner was really humble! He made sure we were happy with our food and made sure we had a great experience. Everyone greeted us so nicely and it was super clean and the food was very fresh! I would recommend this place to everyone! We loved our experience and highly recommended to everyone!! read more

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

Amazing Indian food! I could have licked the plate of the pistachio crusted lamb chops. We will def be back.

If they can keep up the high level of service, quality of food and presentation. I can potentially see a Michelin star in their future. read more

Tamashaa - Large seating area - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Amazing Service, and Delicious twists on Indian Classics. When you enter Tamashaa, the ambiance is very open and inviting, with colorful and artful touches throughout the restaurant. The cocktail menu (which is illustrated by hand) is a great introduction to the creative gastroexperience you are about to have. We enjoyed Nostalgia (a take on the Piña Colada), paper plane, and Jaggery (a take on the Old Fashioned); all fantastic. For dinner we got a bunch of plates and entrees to share, which worked but also the serving sizes were perfect for one. Highly recommend the Amul Cheese & Onion Kulcha from the BreadBar, the Bramley, Rhubarb, and Ginger chutney, and the Butter chicken was amongst the best in DC! Major thanks to our amazing waiter, Sashawn, who was attentive and helpful throughout read more

Excellent food with outstanding service. All the dishes we ordered were very tasty and the presentation was superb. I have already been twice and will be visiting here often Thanks for the beautiful ambiance too. read more

Food was good and ambience was very nice. Not busy at all since we were the only group in the restaurant. Food is pricey and portion size is small. Great options to try from across Indian regions. Friendly staff and quick service. read more

Great food and good display. Service was quite fast considering the place was packed. Drinks were good too. The patio seating gets hot on a hot day. read more

Tamashaa - Jaggery (a different take on old fashioned) - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia