Polished restaurant & lounge serving contemporary Indian food, wine & cocktails.
At a glance
#85 of 177 Bars in Washington #13 of 33 Asian restaurants in WashingtonLocalGuideWorld score: 4.30
Rating breakdown
-
5 ★67%
-
4 ★15%
-
3 ★7%
-
2 ★3%
-
1 ★7%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Rasika?
- Rasika is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 3,215 reviews.
- How does Rasika rank in Washington?
- Rasika is #85 of 177 Bars in Washington by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
- Where is Rasika located?
- 633 D St NW, Washington, DC 20004 — 1.4 km from the center of Washington.
- How can I contact Rasika?
- Phone: (202) 637-1222 · Website: rasikarestaurant.com
I do not exaggerate in any definition when I say this is among the best Indian food I have ever had. If you're looking for a top-notch Indian dining experience, look no further than Rasika. The dishes are wonderfully, lovingly, and beautifully prepared with bursts of flavor and quality in every bite. Staff is also very friendly and knowledgeable--though this is far from my first rodeo with Indian food, it sounded like it was for some people sitting close to me, and their servers explained everything very well. I cannot recommend Rasika enough. It is worth scheduling a day around.
Average Indian food with a modern twist that unfortunately falls flat. We tried several vegetarian dishes and only liked the palak chaat, which was the only dish that had a great balance between different flavors and textures. Our least favorite was the tawa baingain, which was overly sweet and acidic. The rest of our dishes were quite bland or had an overpowering garlic flavor. The malai kaju kofta was okay, but the bitterness from the lotus root was quite unpleasant. The truffle naan and laccha paratha were both a little salty. Our drinks and dessert were fine but not anything to sing about.
As far as service, the staff were kind, but our server took quite a while to take our order and forgot one of the items we requested. Fortunately, our food came out quickly.
I really wanted to love Rasika, but the food and service do not live up to the hype. Honestly, this may be a good place for people who are not used to the strong flavors of authentic Indian food. Otherwise, I'd be hesitant to come back unless required for a work dinner or invited for someone's birthday.
As far as service, the staff were kind, but our server took quite a while to take our order and forgot one of the items we requested. Fortunately, our food came out quickly.
I really wanted to love Rasika, but the food and service do not live up to the hype. Honestly, this may be a good place for people who are not used to the strong flavors of authentic Indian food. Otherwise, I'd be hesitant to come back unless required for a work dinner or invited for someone's birthday.
Food was excellent! I highly recommend the cauliflower bezule as an appetizer.
Place was crowded on a Saturday night, so make sure to book ahead of time.
Service was amazing too and just as I like: discreet but attentive at the same time.
Place was crowded on a Saturday night, so make sure to book ahead of time.
Service was amazing too and just as I like: discreet but attentive at the same time.
I came to DC over the summer in order to see the sights and sample the food. So many cuisines to choose from, DC is truly a melting pot of food. I found it similar to London, in that manner. Maybe all national capitals are that way? Either way, Indian is one of my favorites, so I found an allegedly amazing Indian restaurant for lunch, made my reservations, and came in to see.
Right away, you're blasted with luxury. There are shiny things all over the ways and curtains of glimmering glass beads separating the tables from one another. Stark, white tablecloths, I felt like I was in a 1940's hunting club, or something like that. I felt instantly warm and comfortable, and I was greeted by our lovable server. Super nice fellow. And he was quick to make recommendations, which I love when I'm trying to try new things.
Of course, I started off with a mango lassi. Pound-for-pound, one of the best drinks on planet Earth. It was nice and cold and thick and mangoey. Lovely.
We ordered like three apps, and then we split a main entrée.
We started off with the Sweet Potato Samosa (Phyllo pastry/ cranberry chutney). Elevated samosas, tied up like perfect little presents. Never seen anything like it before. Creamy sweet potato within the perfectly crisp phyllo, balanced against the barely tart cranberry chutney underneath. Lots of fun, and lots of flavor!
For the life of me, I can't remember what the other two apps were. It's been too long. I am sorry. But I do remember they were things I hadn't had before, shots in the dark, and that they were delicious, so the moral of the story here is that no matter what you order, it'll probably be five star food!
I also can't find our entrée... Embarrassing. But I actually think this is a good thing. Because if I can't find it, that means their menu rotates and is seasonal and fresh! It was lamb, though, a whole shank in the middle of some curry. That lamb fell right off the bone, it was deep in flavor, but not spicy, and it was a good ol' time eating the meat and the curry with the carbs from the jasmine rice and the naan.
Honestly one of the best meals I had the whole time I was in town. Nothing wrong with this place at all, and if I ever come back to DC, I will probably come back.
Right away, you're blasted with luxury. There are shiny things all over the ways and curtains of glimmering glass beads separating the tables from one another. Stark, white tablecloths, I felt like I was in a 1940's hunting club, or something like that. I felt instantly warm and comfortable, and I was greeted by our lovable server. Super nice fellow. And he was quick to make recommendations, which I love when I'm trying to try new things.
Of course, I started off with a mango lassi. Pound-for-pound, one of the best drinks on planet Earth. It was nice and cold and thick and mangoey. Lovely.
We ordered like three apps, and then we split a main entrée.
We started off with the Sweet Potato Samosa (Phyllo pastry/ cranberry chutney). Elevated samosas, tied up like perfect little presents. Never seen anything like it before. Creamy sweet potato within the perfectly crisp phyllo, balanced against the barely tart cranberry chutney underneath. Lots of fun, and lots of flavor!
For the life of me, I can't remember what the other two apps were. It's been too long. I am sorry. But I do remember they were things I hadn't had before, shots in the dark, and that they were delicious, so the moral of the story here is that no matter what you order, it'll probably be five star food!
I also can't find our entrée... Embarrassing. But I actually think this is a good thing. Because if I can't find it, that means their menu rotates and is seasonal and fresh! It was lamb, though, a whole shank in the middle of some curry. That lamb fell right off the bone, it was deep in flavor, but not spicy, and it was a good ol' time eating the meat and the curry with the carbs from the jasmine rice and the naan.
Honestly one of the best meals I had the whole time I was in town. Nothing wrong with this place at all, and if I ever come back to DC, I will probably come back.
I liked the food at the restaurant. It is not as oily as other Indian restaurants. The service at the restaurant is really good. It also has a good ambiance and vibe. All the food items were good. They also have an outdoor heated area for dining. We went there for my sister birthday celebration and they gave her a free dessert for her birthday. It is a good Indian restaurant and do try them out.
When I worked for a national educational consultant company, we met in DC for our team gatherings. Since I was new to the team, at the time, everyone was familiar with the restaurant Rasika. So they were very excited when they heard we were having dinner there together. It was my first time. However, I was very impressed with how they served us, the location they placed us and the taste of our food items. Well, this may be a pricey Restaurant, it was definitely worth every penny because my team and I left very happy and full.
Nice food, great ambience and very crowded. Had to make a reservation in advance to get in. Food wasn't as spicy as it is in similar places in India but was well prepared and good. It was one of the costlier Indian restaurants I have been to in the US. I have been to quite a few Indian restaurants in the Bay area which are good too but less costly. The Indian style cocktail was OK but the food was quite good and filling. Paratha was great and so was the nan.
The fried spinach is a must try. Every dish came hot and very well seasoned. The bread basket was needed to help scoop up the sauce. The Manhattan cocktail was strong and tasty. Great atmosphere for food after our city tour. Id recommend this as a stop/must try while visiting DC. Price point was spot on.
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