Jyoti Indian Cuisine

I ordered from this restaurant on Uber eats and was extremely disappointed with the food that we received. I thought I was ordering enough food to feed three people, but what showed up was barely enough to feed one. The pictures and descriptions of the food were extremely unreliable and inaccurate. The whole meal was $70+ without drinks and overall was average. Besides the food being severely overpriced, the little food we received was average in flavor and the only good food item we ordered was the mango lassi drinks.

Jyoti Indian Cuisine is by far one of the best traditional Indian cuisine restaurant in the DC area. As soon you walk in you are greeted with a vibrant atmosphere from the Indian/ modern music playing from the flat screen TV & surrounding speakers, to the painted murals + intricate trinkets hanging on the brick wall, & and warm hospitality from the employees. Our server Madeen was amicable & super helpful in explaining the items on the menu. We started off with the vegetable platter appetizer and included a trio of sauces; tamarind, mango chutney, green chutney. My personal favorite was the mango chutney, with a sweet, pungent spicy kick to it however all of them are rich in flavor. The drinks were great as well, would recommend getting the Alabama Slammer & Mai Tai. As our main course we ordered one of the most popular dishes recommended, the Tandoor Red Snapper along with the Lamb Seekh Kabob and Chicken Biriyani & choose mild as our preferred spice. We also had a side order of a yogurt sauce called Cucumber Raita & Garlic Naan. Not only was the presentation spotless, I kid you not every bite of those dishes did not disappoint. From the creaminess of the sauce served in the lamb, fish was grilled to perfection, & chicken biriyani was also tasty because the rice was blended with these aromatic spices that I am still trying to figure out! Flavors so complex yet it enriches your palette. The Garlic Naan came out fresh and hot, & just paired so well with the refreshing Cucumber Raita. I had the pleasure of meeting with the owner Shiva & I love how hands on he is within the restaurant & his employees. It truly was a lovely experience & definitely would come back to try out their vegetarian options!

Omg the food is amazing! Their Chicken 65 was the best I'd ever had!

Food was tasty. Nice little bar. Service was great; helpful and friendly waiter. Nice spot for solo dinner, a little date night, outing with the family. Would recommend visiting this spot if you are in the area.

Worst food I ever had in my life the nan is not good and the paneer is not cooked it’s too sweet not spicy worth management

Jyoti is fantastic! Delicious food, quick service, and our server Monir gave the absolute best recommendations and was so friendly. Definitely recommend snagging a patio seat if the weather's nice since it’s in the heart of AdMo!

Jyoti Indian Cuisine in Washington DC transported us to India with its unassuming yet homely ambiance. The simplicity was refreshing, creating an atmosphere that felt just like home. The servers added a warm touch with their exceptional hospitality, making us feel truly welcome. And oh, the food! The experience was nothing short of a gastronomic delight. Our group's all-time favorite, the Chicken Masala, exceeded our expectations. Tender chicken thighs immersed in a rich masala sauce was sheer perfection for the palate. The Beef Seekh Kabab was a triumph, offering a tantalizing blend of Indian spices and succulent meat. Every bite was an adventure of flavors. Venturing into new territory, we explored the Shrimp Tikka and the Lamb Vindaloo. And trust me, disappointment was nowhere to be found. The medley of tastes in each dish left us utterly satisfied. Opting for medium-spiced dishes, we paired our feast with Lassi and Mango Lassi, perfectly balancing the flavors. Every element on the table, from taste to presentation, embodied the spirit of India. With Jyoti Indian Cuisine prepare to be taken on a gastronomic journey that captures the essence of India, right in the heart of Washington DC!

Friendly and attentive staff. Food was delicious! We shared the shrimp curry. It was very flavorful and just the right amount of spice.

The food was really good. They offer a variety of options. I was visiting DC and this place came up as a nice option. The area has a lot of food to pick from and if you don't look for Jyoti you might just walk by. I noticed a large amount of carry out orders. So I'm assuming they have a good following. The 2 gentleman that assisted us were great. Refills and attention to orders. Honestly, I enjoyed eating at the restaurant. The inside vibes were great. We went on a Saturday so out doors was a little loud. Obviously not their fault. But inside was clean and great.

Butter chicken was very tasty and the chicken was soft and tender. I quite liked it and the garlic naan was pretty good too. However this was $21 which is way too expensive in my opinion for butter chicken. The service and ambiance is fine, nothing special. Not sure if I would go again unless prices were lowered.

The butter chicken was AMAZING! The perfect amount of sweetness that wasn't overpowering like some may be. We ordered through uber eats and it was still hot when it was delivered. I can't wait to try more of their dishes!

Jyoti Indian Cuisine is by far one of the best traditional Indian cuisine restaurant in the DC area. As soon you walk in you are greeted with a vibrant atmosphere from the Indian/ modern music playing from the flat screen TV & surrounding speakers, to the painted murals + intricate trinkets hanging on the brick wall, & and warm hospitality from the employees. Our server Madeen was amicable & super helpful in explaining the items on the menu. We started off with the vegetable platter appetizer and included a trio of sauces; tamarind, mango chutney, green chutney. My personal favorite was the mango chutney, with a sweet, pungent spicy kick to it however all of them are rich in flavor. The drinks were great as well, would recommend getting the Alabama Slammer & Mai Tai. As our main course we ordered one of the most popular dishes recommended, the Tandoor Red Snapper along with the Lamb Seekh Kabob and Chicken Biriyani & choose mild as our preferred spice. We also had a side order of a refreshing yogurt sauce called Cucumber Raita & Garlic Naan. Not only was the presentation spotless, I kid you not every bite of those dishes did not disappoint. From the creaminess of the sauce served in the lamb, fish was grilled to perfection, & chicken biriyani was also tasty because the rice was blended with these aromatic spices that I am still trying to figure out! Flavors so complex yet it enriches your palette. I had the pleasure of meeting with the owner Shiva & I love how hands on he is within the restaurant & his employees. It truly was a lovely experience & definitely would come back to try their vegetarian options!

This is a tasty restaurant located on a popular strip with several other restaurants. The staff was friendly the service was a bit slow considering there was only one other couple in the restaurant when we dinned. The food was flavorful and in a large portion. The texture and temperatures were good. I loved the citrus martini. I would like to return to try other options. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

A wonderful lunch special in AdMo! My friend and I enjoyed a quick lunch here during the week and loved the great lunch at an effective price point. The vegetarian and non vegetarian platters were both great! We started with the palak chaat which was a flavor explosion! Overall this was a super tasty meal.

Delicious lunch on Adams Morgan Day. Mango Chutney was the perfect combination of sweet and tart, chunky & chewy. Cucumber raita was refreshing. Shrimp was plentiful. Naan was good.

The food was decent. I wouldn't say the ambience was anything special- it is definitely pretty hole in the wall and comparable to other non high end Indian restaurants. I enjoyed the food I got there and the service was pretty quick. The saag paneer was pretty good and so was this Samosa chaat but everything else was OK.

Loved it so much returned two days later--which is saying something, with all the excellent food in the area, we went for a repeat!

Jyoti has been serving Adams Morgan with delicious Indian food since 1998. I've mostly gotten take out from here but the ambiance is nice and quaint, and they have a small outdoor patio section as well. The food is always on point and the staff are always friendly and welcoming. They usually only have 1-2 servers so when it gets busy the food and drinks can take a bit longer but it is worth wait!

Came here for a family dinner on a Saturday night. Food is delicious and presented very well. However, the wait time can be a bit long, we waited over an hour for our food. The people are very kind here and overall a good experience other than the long wait. Place is also cute and simple.

My husband, a friend, and I were visiting DC around Christmas and needed somewhere to eat on Christmas Day. Luckily this spot was open! We all shared: - Bhel Puri - Palak Chaat - Aloo Mutter - Kadhai Paneer I always love Bhel Puri and this one didn't disappoint. The star of the meal was the Palak Chaat. It was so flavorful. The two curry dishes weren't quite as flavorful as I wanted them to be, but they were still good. I'm so happy that this spot was open for us on Christmas Day.

Ordered DoorDash but they were so late in preparing the order, two drivers left. Food isn't that great - especially if you're Indian. Tikka masala isn't authentic flavor, and isn't even the right coloring. Wouldn't recommend

Jyoti was absolutely perfect. Every detail placed in the environment mattered, and provided a welcoming atmosphere. The service was impeccable! Our waiter was kind, patient and attentive which is what we needed after a long busy day. The food didn't take long to arrive, and you can't even imagine the excitement on our faces when it arrived. I wouldn't call myself a "foodie" but I do enjoy the pleasure of eating tasty food and this spot is it!! Order their Chai and prepare to feel amazing. Also, the perfect date night restaurant.

Ordered the veg thali, butter chicken, and samosa chaat and all options were very flavorful. For the price however, the portions were very small, the butter chicken was only enough for 1 person and the thali had only a few options. Seating is limited, however service is very quick.

Great service and wonderful food. Well-spiced, deep and bold flavors, as well as good portions. This has become our go to for Indian when we eat out. The Palak Chaat is not to be missed.

Genuinely the best Indian food in DC. Naan is always fluffy and fresh I come here at least once a month

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, I had Indian Cuisine maybe twice in my life and it was pretty mid, once even in the UK where they made it their "national dish" and I wasn't impressed. But this place had me willingly using the restroom just to make room for more if you're getting what i'm putting down. That's just my sensitive stomach though, i'd do the same for any mexican food, bbq, or whatever if it's good enough. The service was wonderful, the server guy would open the door for us and he would check up on us every now and then, not too often. Made sure our drinks were full and if we needed anything else. The restaurant itself was very pretty, inside and outside, and the music was not loud so my partner and I could have our dates here My partner is also learning photography and the staff let them take photos of their bar area and statues. Lovely place, will 100% be coming back to order the Beef Seekh Kabab w rice and naan Forgot to take a picture before we began eating, couldn't wait lol

So bad it was offensive. The tandoori fish was dry and fishy. The cauliflower tasted like supermarket curry powder. The vindaloo was... not a vindaloo (bad curry powder, but with gravy). Sensing a theme? I've lived in India. I've eaten a lot of Indian food. This was a bottom 5 experience, akin to the inexpert meals my young (white) vegetarian college buddies and I used to make before we learned how to actually cook. Do not hurt yourself by eating here. Go somewhere, anywhere, else.

I'll go ahead and say it, this seems to be the best Indian food in DC...just spice wise. I asked the Indian uncle to spice the food like he would spice it if he was eating it (not rude bc I'm Indian too lol). And he did not disappoint. We ordered Samosa Chaat for a starter and this was good enough for two people! We then ordered Saag Paneer and garlic naan and this came with rice as well. Overall that was enough for both of us! We didn't come for dinner but decided to stop by for a small lunch and it was amazing. From the service to pricing we loved it! We will be back!!

Came by on a Sunday afternoon and the place was moderately packed. They have a range of seats both upstairs and downstairs and a nicely sized bathroom on the first floor. Their design is pretty homey, and super clean which is appreciated. Good service too! Very accommodating staff. We settled on the chicken curry and tandoori chicken. Both well spiced and the meat fell off the bone! You could tell the meat had been marinated for a long time and we left feeling very satisfied! We've tried a few other Indian spots in the area but Jyoti is the most comfy/cozy. Definitely returning here to enjoy some of their other dishes. I say 5 stars all around for a great experience, ambiance and tasty comfort food.

The food is delicious, the prices are very reasonable and the service, although it's a little bit slow, is good too. My only gripe is the techno music. They should play traditional Indian music instead.

Overall: Tasty and varied menu. Since it's a neighborhood restaurant and my first experience with them was positive, I plan to check out most items on their menu. Tastiness: We tried the Garlic Naan, the Palak Chaat, the Papari Chaat, the Lamb Bhuna and the Goat Vindaloo, as well as the Gulab Jamun. I would recommend every single one of these items as they have the perfect balance of flavor and spice. I am also happy that on the menu they specify that the goat is bone-in, as there are lots of bones (typical for goat dishes), but I know that is not to everyone's liking. Presentation: We did take-out on this one, so the presentation is standard for take-out food. Service: Prompt and professional. Ambiance: The restaurant has a pretty utilitarian vibe, with some tables, but it's pretty small. For take-out it's perfect. Cleanliness: The restaurant appears clean. Price: $79.20 + tip for the above mentioned items.

Good Indian food. Good service. Recommend for lunch and eating in. Kind of out of the way unfortunately

Delicious food and great service! Would definitely recommend for a casual dinner. The saag paneer lives in my dreams.

Another good place in Adams Morgan for Indian food. It has stiff competition but it's my favorite here. Jyoti is a longtime success. Chosen among favorites in the local news. The food is authentic but it's friendly to American tastes. Friendly and casual. It kind of appears upscale but this is a relaxing hangout. The food is presented very nicely. Seems fancy. The prices compared to similar places are more affordable though. I came recently with my boo. We like the vegan choices here. I had the Yellow Dal. It's $12 for a good sized portion. The dal was cooked without being soggy. It was seasoned nicely. There wasn't just salt. She had the Vegetable Curry. This was made with carrots, peas, and tomatoes. It's $13 for a good sized portion. The rice was even good and nicely seasoned. I like this place enough to come back to again. It's been good for a very long time and is a local favorite. The food is all good so order whatever.

The location of this restaurant is great. Service was also not bad. However my friends and I were a little underwhelmed with our food. We arrived during dinner time and I had ordered a non-vegetarian thali to get a sampling of what they have to offer. Most of the items on my plate were alright. The butter chicken however was not appetizing at all. The pieces of chicken were too big and the dish was too sweet. My friends who had ordered the same as an entree said the same. The spinach lentil item on my thali also tasted and smelled like it had gone bad. When I asked the waiter if he could switch out that particular item for something else, he adamently told me that this dish was made fresh in the morning. They may have made it fresh in the morning, however it tasted like it had been left out all day. When he did come back, he brought out some yellow lentils instead which I did appreciate. For $24.00, I would expect every item on my thali to be great. This place has a lot of potential, but my first experience here was nothing to write home about.

A cute little gem of a restaurant in Adam's Morgan. The food is absolutely delicious. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures.

Still my favorite Indian food in DC. Glad they remained in business throughout the pandemic.

This was the best Indian I have had! The service was kind and quick, food delicious, and ambiance was exquisite. As someone coming from out of town, this was the perfect spot to stumble upon.

BLUF: just be wary of spice level you can handle for this authentic tasting Indian food (my daughter said "made with all good intentions") So we had a takeout from Jyoti on a rainy night with a request for all dishes be with medium spicy. It was delivered well packed, and ample quantities in each entrée with a free Naan and even a dessert which tasted identical to Haldiram tin version. First thing I noticed is that the gravy of the two entrées were different, a good sign of being authentic. The gravy was thick and that is another good sign. The taste of the entrée's were, I would say, very Indian with rich flavour, aroma and balanced (except for fiery chilly spice which was unexpected). The Naans were without any butter or oil on top unlike most of the restaurants would do, and were soft and sufficiently moist. The basmati rice was perfectly cooked. If I eliminate the excess chilly spicing, the food was awesome. Recommended.

Longest wait for food and blandest Indian food I've ever tasted--in the DC area or in India. Both the vegetarian thalis and the meat dishes that some of my family had were flavorless. (Husband said that even the vindaloo was hot, but not flavorful.) And it wasn't cheap! Don't bother--there are so many other good Indian restaurants out there.

Wow!! This is my new favorite Indian place in DC. Placed an order for carry out and it was ready in 25 mins. The butter chicken, saag paneer, and naan are all delicious. Best mango lassi ever, and I'm picky! The man working there was also so kind, we asked for tap water to go and he didn't have any cups so he just gave us 2 bottles of water. Will definitely be back!

Great restaurant, the food was immaculate, service was quick. Overall we had a great time eating here. 5/5

45 minute wait for 1 serving of buttered chicken was wayyyyyy too long. I was served a glass of water and coke and thus began my 45 minute wait. I prefer my chicken in chunks rather than long flat pieces. Flavor was decent but I was not particularly impressed. Will try a different restaurant the next time I'm in Adams morgan.

I order delivery from Jyoti fairly often, but I have never dined in so this review is only for the food. Jyoti is conveniently located on 18 and the delivery through yelp/grubhub has always been timely, friendly, and correct. Everything I've ordered has been flavorful and the right level is spice as requested. I really recommend the lamb vibdaloo - very flavorful and spicy. The garlic naan is large and very garlic-forward as well. I would definitely try dining in when that works for me, but delivery travels fairly well (expect that fried foods will be soggy) and will be filling and delicious!

Fantastic food a socially distant outdoor tables. Made us feel close to normal again. Did I mention the food is fantastic? Loved the tandoori options.

Moonir was incredible! I just moved to the city and I have been searching for a new indian food go-to place. This place is it! Great service, delicious food, very authentic, and very affordable compared to other places. Will be back!

First time I've ever ordered delivery somewhere that I've instantly wanted to call and talk with someone. I might be a white boy, but I know whatever was given to us sure as heck wasn't traditional Chicken Tikka. We got somewhat marinated and seasoned dry overcooked chicken on a bed of lettuce with a massive lemon wedge. This is like an alien came down, opened a restaurant after hearing second hand what Chicken Tikka was, and tried to recreate it from memory. Same goes for the samosas that were soggy messes. Unbelievable. I have no idea why it is so hard to find good Indian in DC. Not worth the time or frustration. Gobsmacked by how bad this is.

Last night in DC and we wanted to make sure that we ate something different from our "normal" food. One of the persons in my party is vegan so we wanted to chose something to meet the needs of everyone. The menu provided many vegan options, all of which were fantastic. We began the meal with Dahl soup. The Chana masala and Aloo Gobhi were both delicious vegan options

This food was actually really good. The bhel Puri wasn't as crunchy as I usually like mine but the flavors were very delicious and the sauces that came with it made it so that there was always a new bite to be had. The chicken was tough, but again, delicious. We only did appetizers here but will be back soon to try main dishes.

I don't even come to Yelp anymore but felt I had to leave a review for Jyoti. We ordered via UberEats last night and it's some of the freshest, lightest and tastiest Indian food I've had in the DC city limits (outside of Rasika of course). We got the chicken tikka (obvi), lamb vindaloo (my fave), papadam and bhel puria. Will be ordering from here relentlessly.

I swear this place is such a gem. From the service to the authentic Indian cuisine, everything was perfect. Started off with the vegetable appetizer platter which includes a vegetable samosa, a spinach samosa, and a vegetable bhajia. This platter alone could've been a meal because it was very filling. But my friend and I shared it so it worked out. As my main I ordered the chicken saag. This was a dish made of spinach, ginger, fenugreek and herbs served along side white rice. When I tell you this was amazing!!! I love spicy food and this had just the right amount of kick to it. My friend ordered the lamb chops which was served also with white rice and a side salad. As a cocktail, I ordered a mango margarita. Yummmm!. If you are ever in Adams Morgan area, run to this place! You will not be disappointed. I cannot wait to return.

Second time going back to Jyoti and I promise you it does not disappoint. This is hands down the best Indian in the city. We got the chicken tiki masala, lamb vindaloo and the lamb rogan josh tonight. The lamb is my favorite I love how tender it is and especially the vindaloo has such heat. It comes with delicious basmati rice with each entree. We got the vegetable samosas and they are huge. You also must get the naan. I have had all 3 types before the plain naan is my favorite, followed by the cilantro and then the garlic. I've eaten in both the restaurant and gotten take out from them and the take out is just as fresh and warm. They were so sweet and threw in a free dessert as well. Highly highly recommend!

Jyoti is consistently delicious. During the pandemic, I've been ordering 5-7 dishes for delivery every couple of weeks and eat leftovers for days. I'm a vegetarian and they have plenty of great options. Deliveries usually arrive in half the amount of estimated time. Also, I don't think the doordash photos do the food justice. If I hadn't been to Jyoti in person, I might have passed over it on the website. I finally decided to write a review because today my delivery arrived with a nice card thanking customers for their loyalty and a complimentary dessert. This place is great.

Had a great delivery experience last night - food was fresh, hot, and relatively affordable. We (two people) ordered three vegetarian dishes and naan, and we have leftovers! Just a word/warning - Jyoti does not play with the spice. If you're faint of heart, and looking for an easy meal that doesn't involve a good amount of water and/or cucumber raita, this is not your place! Our meal was SPICY, which I appreciate! And they were open late on a Saturday, so we were happy to have a good late(ish) delivery option.

Another great dinner from Joyti. Lamb Korma and Sag Paneer, their rice is always perfectly separated grains of delicious! Always good but especially great on this cold evening. I called in my order and they brought it out to me. Easily enough for 2 meals.

Really good food. Lots of great vegetarian options and super friendly service. Best Indian I've had in Adam's Morgan.

I had been here prior and had a decent experience, however I came here again and the experience was extremely poor. We waited 5 minutes at the entrance before even being greeted, then once we sat down, waited another 15 minutes for a waiter to come take our order. Once we ordered our food, no one checked on us until our food actually arrived 45 minutes later. This may be some of the worst service I ever received eating out and do not plan to visit again.