Service staff were great, we were greeted right when we walked in and seated. They came to check on us at all the right times and we did not have to wait long for the food at all. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Restaurant was clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would say though the food could have been better overall: Butter naan: 3/5. on the dry side and was not the kind of buttery, warm, freshly made kind of naan that hit the spot Chicken tika masala: 3/5 on the bland side so much so that it almost tasted more sweet. Chicken was tender though. Lamb kadai: 5/5 was the best dish. Lamb chinks were tender, spices were just right. I'm a fan of lamb and this one is worth a try. Overall, there so many Indian cuisine establishments in the area that I'm not sure I'd be back for one, expect maybe to come try the lunch buffet if we're in Bethesda row again. read more

Tikka Masala - Butter Naan - dry side - Indian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Tikka Masala is a charming looking restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is delicious, and I was excited to introduce it to a special friend. We had a wonderful reunion as we enjoyed appetizers, entrees and wine. By a little after 9:00pm, the restaurant was clearing out. We were in a different section and did not notice until at 9:15 pm, the owner basically asked us to leave! Perhaps it was his bedtime. Located in Bethesda, the restaurant has a lot of competition , and although I think the food is good, I will not return. I have eaten in many restaurants, casual and formal, and never experienced such rudeness. No wonder people are not lined up at the door. read more

I've wanted to try this place for a long time but was intimated because wasn't sure what to try (I don't eat spicy) The staff was really friendly and help me decide what to order. The chicken saag was delicious and so were the cheese naans! Can't wait to go back read more

The food was ready very fast! It was presented well too. I was a bit underwhelmed by the spice level and the flavor, but the food was not bad per say read more

This is my second time visiting this restaurant with my family and I love it! The service is amazing and all of the food is so flavorful. I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to enjoy some Indian food. read more

The lemon rice is particularly delicious today. The saag paneer was perfectly prepared, as was the Dahl. The basket of naan bread came to our table piping hot. The spices In everything are perfect. For dessert, the "honey balls", which is what I call them are soooo delicious! Staff is amazing here, very helpful and knowledgeable. One of my favorite places when visiting the DC area! read more

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I went for the all you can eat lunch buffet which they have daily - great selection, everything tasted fresh and delicious, and staff was friendly. I will definitely go back!! read more

Maybe a cheaper option for Indian takeout compared to other places in the area, but everything was pretty mid.

I have little experiance with Indian ciuisine, but Tikka Masala's buffet was a pleasant way to try many different dishes at a very reasonable price. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service was friendly and helpful, plus I was comfortable in that setting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Now I'm looking forward to our next visit for advanced gastronomic research. Next time I'll leave a little room for deserts. read more

Delicious and Authentic Indian food. Portions did not look big, just about right. We ordered 3 entries for 3 people with couple additional sides, it was more than enough for sharing and still had leftovers. Dishes are reasonably priced for the area is in. Staff were friendly and considerate. Bar was not very big but fully stocked and cocktails on the menu were very tasty. They also offer daily lunch buffet, which we do plan to return and give it a try. It's located in Bethesda downtown, convenient and easy to park. Highly recommended by @WineDinenVacay read more

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Great Indian restaurant in Bethesda, MD. Friendly and welcoming. 7 day all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, always with around 4 vegetarian or vegan choices, in addition to meat options. (Around $18 weekdays and $20 weekends.) Includes fresh butter naan, papadums, raita, chutney, and two sweet desserts. read more

Running errands nearby and since I had time left on the parking meter, I decided to get take out and I'm so glad I did. Hadn't had Indian food in quite a while, and I enjoyed every bite. The samosas were perfect, as was the saag paneer and garlic naan. The portions were generous such that I made 3 meals out of one order. Service was fast and friendly. Restaurant seemed like a pleasant place to be - it was nice and cool on a hot summer day. All in all a great spontaneous experience. read more

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Another Tasty Meal! Dinner (4/15/23) early evening meal. Butter Chicken w/Basmati Rice, Lassi (mango yogurt drink) & dessert: Gulab Jamun (think fried round donuts served warm in a flavorful honey sauce.) Delicious! Courteous Customer Service. See Photos. However no dessert photo this time. read more

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Tikka Masala is a solid takeout restaurant, located in the heart of Bethesda. Portion sizes are good, and the prices are decent for this area. There is both street and garage parking nearby. I may place future online orders due to taste and convenience of this place. The pickup order was very smooth. read more

Thank you Tikka Masala for being open on Christmas evening 2023! After opening a bunch of presents and hanging out with the family, one thing led to another, all our food was gone and we were starving, so a quick scan of the interwebs found Tikka Masala open on Christmas! We got chicken tikka masala, shrimp tikka masala, butter chicken, loads of garlic naan, and hopped into the car for pickup. Soon we were all enjoying the flavorful, smooth tastes and textures of a genuine Indian meal. The garlic naan was soft and warm, very garlicky and soaked up all the curries. The chicken and shrimp dishes were cooked perfectly, evenly balanced, not too spicy and the dishes came with plenty of rice to act as a tikka masala delivery vehicle. I'm already thinking ahead to next Christmas at Tikka Masala! Hopefully they'll be open again. read more

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Tikka Masala is our go-to Indian carryout in the area. Our order is always on time and correct. Biryani is not quite as good as Biryani City, but we like everything else better ( Lamb saag, Chicken Korma, different paneer dishes). And way less hassle (B City gets overwhelmed.) read more

I went to this restaurant today 12/10/2024 and ordered: Chicken seekh kebab (spicy) Chili Chicken Veg Hakka Noodles The chicken seekh kabab was nice and spicy, just like how my friend and we liked it. The noodles were okay, they were more masala noodles than Indian Chinese flavor but still nice. The chili chicken is where it got a bit weird. The vegetables especially the green and red bell peppers were bad, as in they had gone bad and were tasting rotten sour. The waiter was nice to bring us some dessert to apologize but should have taken it off the check. He didn't. A few weeks ago, I ate at another Indian restaurant in Bethesda and got stale lentils (that had gone bad) and my father and I got sick. He had to be admitted into the hospital. It is ridiculous that these restaurants are serving days old veggies and dishes to their customers. I definitely won't be going here again and people should be careful moving on. read more

Rice was uncooked, they wouldn't refill the bin so it was scraping the bottom. Froze. In Spinach with paneer, lemon rice is nothing like lemon rice , it had a few mustard seeds. Definitely not worth the cost of a buffet. read more

A few months ago, I was walking by and the really flavorful aromas of the cuisine caught my attention. I already had my lunch and made a note to visit this place next time I'm in the area. So, this weekend, I finally had a chance to try their food. I had read their reviews and got intrigued by their lunch box. Truth be told, I don't really get easily impressed with Indian restaurants in DMV area and so me giving a 5 for this means something. The butter chicken was so yummy. The roti was soft and the rice was flavorful. I thought lunch box would mean a small serving size but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of palak paneer they gave. I actually ended up splitting the food in 2 meals. I parked my car in the Elm street garage which is right across and then walked to the colorful tables (my favorite spot) on woodmont ave to enjoy my meal on a pleasant day. On the spicy dish called for a yummy frozen treat at Yogiberry(which just opened) for dessert. Read my other review for full details. read more

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Great little find. Cute little spot. They offer a buffet at lunch however I ordered from the menu. Goan Salmon Curry and garlic naan. Delicious. If you find yourself in the area, check them out. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Lovely, small restaurant with delicious food - curries, masala's, kormas [[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]... - and friendly efficient service!

Ordered butter chicken to go and they forgot to include rice. Called to tell them. The person I spoke with said they would "include more rice next time. What? read more

Went there for the lunch buffet. Wouldn't recommend. Food was just ok. Nothing special. I wish it was otherwise because it's very close to my home. read more

Tikka Masala piqued our interest while waiting in line across the street at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. We finally decided to dine at Tikka Masala for lunch, and I'm a fan! I opted for the lunch buffet ($20), which is offered daily from 12-3pm. The buffet was solid! It had a good balance of veggie and meat dishes, along with two appetizers and two desserts. The lunch buffet was self-serve and they had papadams, pakora, basmati, biriyani, goat curry, eggplant, daal makhani, saag paneer, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, rice pudding, gulab jamun, plus an assortment of sauces. The buffet also includes fresh butter naan that was delivered to the table. I always enjoy a goat curry - the goat was tender and the flavor did not disappoint. The chicken in the chicken tikka masala was also moist, which I'm always hoping for instead of dry, white meat (or in some cases, leftover tandoor chicken smothered in sauce). (Speaking of which, the tandoori chicken, on the other hand, was on the dry side, but to be fair, there were only two pieces left in the pan when I went up the first time. The second time, a whole new, fresh chicken was sitting in the pan.) The saag paneer was creamy but could've used a tad more salt. The pakora was the opposite and over-salted. I especially enjoyed the crispy papadams and dipping them in all of the curries. Some quality is sacrificed from the food just sitting out, but the quantity is there. I was stuffed and satisfied! Kudos to the staff for being mindful of when guests went up to the buffet for seconds - they were quick to clear the table of plates to ensure there was enough space for the next round. We also ordered samosas ($6) and palak chat ($7) for the table. The samosas appetizer came with three pieces and were on the small side, so just keep that in mind if you plan on sharing. I was impressed by the palak chat. Whenever palak chat is offered on the menu, I'll order it in hopes of finding a close dupe to Rasika's signature palak chat. Most of the palak chats that I've tried have fallen flat compared to Rasika's - too oily, flavor is off, etc. Tikka Masala's palak chat is the best dupe I've had, and for $7 (which is half the price of Rasika's), I have no complaints. Other members of our table were able to order dishes a la carte and the restaurant was able to adjust the spice levels of the dishes. My sister loved the extra heat of her butter chicken, and my dad appreciated the reduced heat in his salmon. Tikka Masala also has some special family meal deals for carryout/takeout - two veggie entrees for $26 or one veg entree + one chicken entree for $30, both of which include naan, samosas, and rice - such a great deal! I'll return to Tikka Masala. read more

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I ordered a lunch special for $9, which included a large piece of naan, rice, a vegetarian entree, and a nonvegetarian entree. These are lunch portions, so set expectations! The chicken was piping hot. Everything tasted fresh and delicious and flavorful, but I would need two lunch specials to feel full. Definitely want to try their full-size entrees soon for takeout. Support small businesses! read more

Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I carried out dinner. Indian cuisine holds up when taking food home. We started with the crispy palak chat. Some of it was not crispy which may have been a function of eating it later. Everything else was spot on. Chicken korma, lamb saag , and shrimp tikka masala. Each had the correct spice blend, and balanced heat. In particular, the lamb was nicely separated from any gristle, and both chicken and lamb were tender and not dry. Big pieces of shrimp sealed the deal. Tikka masala is a keeper. read more

We went for the brunch buffet. It was amazing! This is an Indian theme, so no US food like pancakes, but that is why we went here. The buffet has several great choices, and salad and desserts too. All you can eat in a nice, clean atmosphere. Will absolutely be back! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]A very solid casual Indian restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They have the classic menu, but the quality of the food is above average. I would definitely come back here. (B). read more

Being Pakistani I tend not to eat a lot of restaurant Indian/Pakistani food but I was in the mood for something different so I placed an order via Doordash for Tikka Masala. I got the classic chicken tikka masala with rice + garlic rosemary naan and the chili chicken. For those not in the know, Indochinese food is a big thing back in Pakistan. The food arrived piping hot and I could smell the garlic through the bag (always a good sign). The naan was PERFECT. I would substitute these into my every day Pakistani meals if I could afford to but at $3.50 they are more of a special treat. I asked for the chicken tikka to be spicy and they delivered. The perfect amount of spice to make your eyes water without masking the delicious flavors. Even their basmati rice was elevated with a blend of seasoning that makes you wonder why white rice is even a thing. The first bite into the chili chicken sent me back home in my mind. It's definitely not a westerners take on Indian food, it's the real deal. 10/10 would eat here again. read more

Good food. Very slow service maybe employees called in sick or maybe need to hire more people haha Nice people though. Trying their best. read more

We were in Bethesda on a Saturday evening and we did not make dinner reservations at one of our go to restaurants. There were empty tables at Tikka Masala, so we decided to try it.unfortunately, it was a poor decision. It seems that almost every dish is previously cooked. When the kitchen receives an order, the staff takes the pre cooked ingredients (chicken, shrimp, cauliflower, etc.), adds a sauce. Zaps the dish and sends it out. The fried spinach and mangoes was oily, cold with tiny cubes of mango. The spinach must have been fried a few hours before it was served. Fried spinach should be prepared just before serving it . Chicken tikka masala consisted of dry chicken pieces swimming in a sweet brown sauce. The sauce for this dish should be tomato based, and the chicken should be cooked in the tandoori oven just prior to serving. The cauliflower dish was mainly potatoes with a few cauliflower florets swimming in a spicy sauce. Overall, the food was a major disappointment. The waitress was surprised that most of the food was not eaten and we declined a doggy bag. read more

Visiting for the first time! Overall it exceeded expectations and was a great first experience. Would totally go back! Crispy Palak Chat (3/5) - the palak was actually really good and crispy. It wasn't too oily either. The only issue I had was it did not have enough yogurt/dahi and the chutneys. It was a bit dry then it should be. Next time would make sure to inform them to add extra. Panner Tikka (5/5) - honestly one of the best panner tikka I've had. We requested for it to be extra achari. The panner was really tender and perfect charcoaled. Chutney was pretty good as well! Kashmiri Kofta (4/5) - It's basically the usual kofta curry. Paneer Makhini (4/5) - again the basic paneer makhini. The only tip for this one is if it should be a bit more creamy. But pretty good overall. Cheese naan (2/5) - it wasn't the best cheese naan I've had. Not enough cheese and it could go well if it had some cilantro. We asked for our food to be Indian spicy which was more spicy then medium spicy. Service/place (5/5) it's small and not a lot of seating might be difficult to accommodate 6+ people. read more

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Tried for the first time yesterday and were pleasantly surprised! We ordered goat curry, paneer makhani, and a garlic naan. Both the entrees were really good - would ask for the paneer to be spicier next time though. Can't wait to try more dishes next time! read more

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My daughter has to eat Gluten free and this is a very GF friendly restaurant. The Butter Chicken was on the point. It was really nice seeing a big smile on my daughter's face when she liked her gluten free dish. Thumbs up! read more

Just found this fantastic Indian restaurant in the heart of Bethesda! Tasteful interior and all the great items on the lunch buffet! Loved the goat curry and the butter chicken. Sag paneer was delicious as was the eggplant and potato curry. The freshly baked naan delivered to the table a real game changer. Will definitely be back many many more times! read more

Butter chicken. Tiki masala. Rice spicy. Nice waitress. Used cool pos system. Tavke next to us found a small roach. Good location in Bethesda Row. Decent... read more

Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Not an expert on Indian food, but I do know that I've had the real deal a few times, and I found the food here to be delicious. Our table sampled a few appetizers -- everything was served hot and on time. For my main dish, I kept it pretty standard with an order of Chicken Tikka Masala, but I ordered it spicy. Raj, the owner, joked that I'd need a few more napkins, on account of the spice level. My friends heckled me, but I took that as a good sign! Often, when requesting things spicy, many restaurants will hold back. Raj et al. did not hold back. I made it through the dish and enjoyed every bite, and they earned my respect, because they made it spicy! I was impressed by the fact that the flavor profile was not overrun by the spiciness. The rice and garlic naan were perfect complements to an excellent entree. We sampled a dessert with which I'm not familiar, yet enjoyed thoroughly. I was well satisfied with the food and the staff, and was glad that Raj came to introduce himself to our table. He is from Nepal, and clearly knows food. We will be back! read more

Ordered via phone my first time. The employee that answered would keep saying "yes" or "ughuh" as I talked and placed my order which was cumbersome bc during the ordering the employee themselves didn't understand what I was saying/and or caused confusion when I asked questions. The order was made wrong. Instead of chicken tikka masala in my non-veg family platter order they gave me butter chicken. I called back once realized the mistake at home and they were kind enough to give me half off my same order the next day. But upon ordering the same thing the chicken tikka masala was to saucey and not made properly to proper Indian/Pakistani cuisine standards (as I am south Asian). For my non-veg family platter I ordered cauliflower and potatoes this time instead of lentils (which were good) but the cauliflower was not cooked properly to tenderness and still had its hard rawness which was gross. I wouldn't order from here again as I think they cater more to American palate's, which for a south Asian isn't ideal read more

Got the lamb dum biryani. I have had a ton of lamb biryanis from different places and I would quantify this one as solid. The texture and consistency was fantastic and I think there were some pistachios for some added pizzaz. Sauce was pretty good as well. I would have liked it to be a little bit more flavorful and more spice added- it seems a bit toned down for people who cannot handle regular Indian flavor levels. Still a solid choice but not sure if the quantity was worth the price. read more

Tikka Masala - Lamb Dum Biryani - Indian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

It's unfortunate but I'm not a fan. I found the buffet to be reasonably priced for lunch but in the three times I've been there, the food has been cold or room temperature. One of the biggest turn offs for me is cold food, especially considering food borne illnesses, also the fact that they allow you to use the same plate when returning to the buffet is alarming when we are in cold/flu and COVID season. The food is bland in my opinion, I love Indian food and generally it's well seasoned and bold flavors but I found this restaurant to be very mild. the service is great and I would return if they could just increase the heat, tighten up on the sanitary conditions and increase the flavor. read more