Kismet Modern Indian

Kismet is a modern Indian restaurant with a name that traces its roots to Farsi/Arabic—meaning “part” or “portion”—and in Turkish, it translates to “destiny.” The staff was super friendly and accommodating. That said, keep in mind there’s a 20% gratuity automatically added to the bill. Personally, I think tipping should be left to the patron’s discretion and not be mandatory, but I’ve noticed this is becoming more common in touristy areas like Miami Beach or Old Town Alexandria As for the food—it was good overall. The cauliflower was just okay. My chicken tikka masala was about a 7 out of 10; the chicken itself felt a bit tough, almost like it was added to the sauce after cooking rather than being simmered in it. The naan was fresh and delicious, though, and I really enjoyed the appetizer—a cone filled with puffed rice, herbs, and a generous amount of sauce. Overall, I’d give Kismet a solid 7 out of 10.

Dined here with my partner for the first time during restaurant week. Honestly the food was very tasty and the portions were just right. However the service was incredibly disappointing. After being served appetizers we had to remind the server that we were still waiting on naan. We ate both appetizers and entrees without anyone offering to refill our water which at this point was an hour into the meal. I also have a nut allergy which I informed the waiter of. After waiting nearly 45 minutes for dessert, both of our dishes were brought out garnished with pistachios. The menu has a nut symbol used to indicate which dishes have nuts, neither of which the desserts had. It then took another ten minutes to receive new desserts without the garnish!

Delightful lunch. Chicken Tikka Masala had tender chicken and flavorful sauce. The Goat Cheese Naan is a must-try. The Roasted Eggplant was flavorful. The restaurant’s ambiance is inviting and the service is attentive.

Kismet Modern Indian is one of my favorite Indian cuisine restaurants in Alexandria. In a quaint modern space off King Street in Old Town with an impressive menu of staples and twist on Indian staples. We were promptly seated for a dinner reservation and there is paid street parking nearby. The staff is attentive and when I visit in person I am generally always visited by the manager on duty at the table. They truly care about your experience at the restaurant. The food is always good - I have yet to have a dish that I did not like. The atmosphere of the restaurant has moderate lively noise because of the space. I recommend a visit! Prices are $$-$$$ depending on menu items ordered.

We had a nice experience. We came before our reserved time, but they were nice to accommodate us. Very chilled vibes, relaxed modern Indian dine. They food hit the spot, very delicious and comforting. I fell in love with Naan. One of the best naan I ever had. The drinks were top notch as well. My husband reviews Drinks crafted to perfection. It's was good to meet the bartender. I appreciate the efforts of chef. House made Rose ice cream was very delicious. I loved it. The staff was very welcoming and interacted nicely, checked on us from time to time.

tried the chicken tikka at Kismet Modern Indian, and it was absolutely delicious. The flavors were bold and well-balanced, with the perfect blend of spices and tenderness in every bite. The presentation was lovely, adding to the modern vibe of the restaurant. The service was attentive and friendly, making it a pleasant dining experience overall. I’m looking forward to trying more dishes on my next visit!

We saw a sign for this place just walking around town and decided to try it. To our delight, it was really cute and the bar was so inviting. The staff was all really wonderful and seemed to be enjoying themselves, which is always really great! The cauliflower appetizer was really good, and the little pallet cleanser after was a nice touch. The main meals were also really nicely presented and while not overly spicy, still very good.

The Good: Very nice and modern and sleek interior Large clean space-plenty of room to not “hear” the table beside you. Food is good-The lamb is the bomb! Garlic Naan is another big winner. The bad: The host does not seem to understand seating and reservations. We were told it was a packed restaurant with reservations until 8pm, arrived 10 min later to a half empty restaurant and through the hour and 45 min we were there it never filled up. Spice Level-NONE. Even their fish which is claimed to be the most spicy item on their menu-and is covered in red sauce-hardly any spice. Don’t get me wrong,m it is very good, but no spice at all.

Great service as always Anthony did a great job Drinks were amazing Food was great Clean Handicap accessible

Kismet Modern Indian is a beautiful, relaxing, modern and hip Indian fusion restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. When I say "fusion", that's because the dishes reflect all regions of India, a unique differentiator compared to most Indian restaurants that specialize in a certain region's cuisine. The space has a bar next to the main dining room. Service is friendly, clear and attentive. The servers and manager operate as a team, refilling drinks and clearing away dishes, delivering food and checking in to ensure a great guest experience. The drinks and food were delicious. I started with a spicy Tiger's Tail mocktail ($9), with chili water, blood orange, turmeric and ginger. As a fan of spicy margaritas, this was the perfect mocktail to mimic my former favorite alcohol drink. For an appetizer, I tried the Tangy Sweet Potato ($12),with tamarind sauce. The texture of it was so soft that it melted in my mouth. There was a spicy house sauce to accompany it, along with more tamarind sauce, and I loved every bite. For my main, I had the Pindi Chickpeas ($20) and Lemon Rice ($8), with Whole Wheat Roti ($4), all vegan. The chickpeas were incredibly filling and were spiced with ginger and onion. The rice was very flavorful, and I almost ate every bite even though I got full quickly, because it was so good. The service was excellent. The vibe and dance/pop music was hip. The food was top-notch Indian fare. I'd highly recommend this as one of the best restaurants I've visited in Old Town Alexandria.

Slightly upscale restaurant that puts a modern spin on classic Indian food The space is somewhat sheek and stylish, and there is both table and bar seating. The staff were all very friendly, and the owner went around to all of the tables greeting everyone My GF and I split a garlic naan, and I opted for a shrimp curry while she went with a chicken tikka masala. Both dishes were very tasty, but there were only 5 pieces of shrimp in my dish (which was a little underwhelming for the $36 price tag) Have a solid cocktail menu as well

Decided to give this spot a try for Alexandria Restaurant Week. Another hidden gem with a great atmosphere and attentive customer service. Ambiance - The name speaks for itself. It has a very modern look as soon as you walk in. The noise level is comfortable. The light is slightly dim, but there is enough light to be able to see the menu and the bill. Food - Very good! I love paneer, and the paneer pesto is a must-try. We also got the warm carrot dessert and the mango dessert. Both were delicious! Service - My only complaint was that there was a long wait between the appetizer and the entree courses. However, the staff kept checking on us and updated us when our entree would be prepared next. You can tell everything is made to order. Overall, I'd recommend this spot. I'd love to try it for happy hour or try some dishes that I didn't try this time.

I had dinner at the bar. Staff was friendly and the food was yum. Naan was good but you probably don't need the feta one, I couldn't really taste the cheese

Walking in the ambiance was modern classy. We decided to sit at the bar and trusted the bartender to make us his specialties. We were not disappointed at all. We ordered and, unfortunately, the food took longer than expected to come out. I honestly would have given this review 3 stars but the taste and service made up for it. The lamb was cooked well with a delicious sauce. I highly recommend if you are in the mood for Indian food. If you are at the bar make sure to look for Quinnlan to make your drinks and thank me later.

The food was really good, an upscale take on Indian food. Only reason they lose a star is the food was really slow to come out. It was probably 45 minutes between when our appetizers came out and our main dish. Definitely don't come here if you're in a rush or have somewhere to be.

Enjoyed our experience here. Cocktails and wine were good. I had the drink with green chartreuse bourbon and egg white. It was good. For wine i had the vermentino Service was good--they were knowledgeable and attentive. Food was good and decent sized portions. Friends organized a dinner for my husband and they gave him a complementary rose ice cream and had a little card on table that said happy birthday. I would come again!

Amazing take out dinner tonight. I tried the new food items, saffron paneer and goat cheese naan, and my old trusted favorites - the palak paneer and cauliflower kofta. Everything was fresh and delicious. The food was elevated and made a rainy Tuesday at home feel like a special occasion. A++

Yikes! What an exceptionally horrible restaurant. This is fast-food Indian. Even the restrooms look like you're doing a pit stop at a McDonald's after driving all day. But don't get me wrong the quality of the food is fast-food like, but the service is anything but. It took over an hour to get a simple serving of chickpeas, paneer, and chicken tika. What really surprised me, even though I was already beyond disappointed, was the small amount of rice accompanying the main meals. The chickpeas didn't even come with it. When I asked my waitress, Mareike B., she was uncommonly rude, and refused to call the manager when I asked her to. One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. I have not even touched on the disrespect this does to the authentic Indian kitchen .

To put this review into context, I am celebrating a milestone birthday (the kind you don't say out loud since you still "feel young"), and dined at a Michelin star restaurant in the district the evening before (with dress codes and a lot of staff). On my actual birthday, my husband and I dusted off our DC passports and crossed the river into Alexandria for a quick staycation. Kismet was the place we chose for dinner. It is hard to pinpoint the exact moment I knew this would be a great experience. Perhaps it was the friendly welcome by the host, or the lovely Happy Birthday sign at the table (see pics). It could have been how friendly and approachable the place felt, fun music playing in the background (songs known by elder millennials, but not too loud). It must of been that our table had a nice view of the bar and we got to watch the epic takedown of Alabama by Tennessee (what a game!). Which we then celebrated with our table neigbors, everybody seemed to be having fun. Wait...I know when my heart felt extra happy, it was when James brought over the champagne my husband ordered and announced it was in honor of "my 23rd bday".... It's actually my 25th, but I let it go. These days it is hard to find a place that gives you all the "warm and fuzzies," and makes you feel at home. All of this AND I haven't even mentioned the food, which far exceeded my expectations. After having Indian food in London, I always approach Indian food elsewhere with a degree of hesitation. I don't want to be disappointed. Trust me, NO disappointment here. We ordered the house chicken curry and the spinach kofta, both were fantastic. The house curry tasted different than any other curry I've tasted and while not very spicy, it was plenty flavorful. The kofta tomato sauce was creamy, the kofta itself was so delicate and tasty. As a meat lover, I couldn't believe the veggie dish was my favorite (Oh my!) My husband and I always rate our dinners to see who ordered best. Who won tonight? Hard to tell, we loved both our entrees. The other winner of the night? The Naan - wow, olive and garlic naan that disappeared as fast as it came. Dessert included the coconut medallions and the tastiest rose ice cream. Bday candle on the side. This place made me happy, and I think it will make you happy too. Thank you to the wonderful staff for a very memorable 25th bday (Ha!)

Had a great dinner... perfect for Dates... they have successfully modified standard Indian dishes into wonderful and delicious art ... started with tangy sweet potatoes as appetizers... very filling and delicious... goes very well with the spicy salt and pepper gimlet... then they serve you with rose water sorbet as a palate cleanser ( on the house) next up was Paneer Lajabab (lajabab means awesome in Hindus/ Urdu) and indeed it stood up to its reputation... the Braden naan was a fantastic twist to regular naan and I kept eating till I couldn't eat no more... great attention to details and timing of food is also perfect they didn't stack up items on ur table they wait for u to finish and then the next one comes in... very nice ambiance... plus plenty of street parking around ( you do have to pay for the meter)... Overall awesome experience

Food taste was good though wouldn't customize spiciness. They said they would bring out green chillies, onions and hot sauce. Didn't tell us that they would charge us. We also asked for hot sauce for appetizers and there was another charge for a tiny amount of sauce. Just surprised that they do that. I think it doesn't cost much and they should give it complimentary since they won't make ur meal spicy.

The service all around, our bartender was Rigo who prepared two delicious beverages, which both were delightful, original, and very tasty. We ordered the Flamingo Dance and the Evening Chill. My favorite was the Evening Chill, if you love cardamom & enjoy the chai spices, you will love it. Both were fantastic. We tried the appetizer called Calcutta Jahaal muri which came in a cone, I do not recommend if you want something solid or to tie you up right before dinner. It's not bad, it just wasn't satisfying or worthy of praising. For dinner we ordered Tandoori Cauliflower as an appetizer followed by the Tandoor Grilled Lamb Chops, Lamb ghee Roast, lemon & cashew Rice and lacha Paratha (superb). Everything was delicious. The only complaint was that we ordered medium rare lamb chops and they served them medium well.

What a great dining experience! Right in the heart of Alexandria, this restaurant was a nice modern take on Indian food! The flavors were clean and fresh. The presentation was beautiful. The service was very attentive. The ambiance was nice- busy but not too loud to hold a conversation. The stand outs were the paneer dish and the grilled okra! The two entrees (snapper and roast lamb) we got were a bit dry, but the flavors were still tasty. Overall, the vegetarian dishes were my favorite and I'm definitely willing to come back the next time I'm in Alexandria!

I ordered chicken tiki masala f takeout last night. I have been a fan of IndoChen but wanted to give another local a try. what a disappointment for a staple, the chicken meat was just ok but the sauce tasted nothing like the traditional version and was barely edible back to IndoChen

Kismet Modern Indian is one of my favorite Indian cuisine restaurants in Alexandria. In a quaint modern space off King Street in Old Town with an impressive menu of staples and twist on Indian staples. We were promptly seated for a dinner reservation and there is paid street parking nearby. The staff is attentive and when I visit in person I am generally always visited by the manager on duty at the table. They truly care about your experience at the restaurant. The food is always good - I have yet to have a dish that I did not like. The atmosphere of the restaurant has moderate lively noise because of the space. I recommend a visit! Prices are $$-$$$ depending on menu items ordered.

We had reservations at 6 PM on a Tuesday night. We were running late and arrived about 45 min late and hungry as I skipped lunch. We were 4 people. The food was great and among great dishes I wanted to pick the best appetizer and main dish. The best appetizer was Jodpur chicken. It had the perfect mix of spices and char. The best main course was lachedar paratha. The layers were just great and cooked with ghee hit the spot. The servers gave us a lot of attention and we had non alcoholic drinks, both were unique and refreshing. Parents think it is one of the top 5 indian food he has had. So even though it is a little far away, we will definitely come back

Amazing ! The manager was working toe to toe with the servers, and they were on top of every table :) ! My mom grew up in India so I feel she's exposed me to what an authentic palate should be... Absolutely get the puffed rice app- it was spectacular, just needed a TOUCH less mustard oil BUT HERE'S THE DEAL - its SO HARD to find places that even use mustard oil that I was happy to know it was in there - the cocktails were phenomenal , the sweet potato app steller- we had the lamb ghee stew, the snapper, the okra, and all 3 were fabulous - well balanced spices, and not heavy. The lavender kulfi tasted too soapy / too artificial for me, so will try the coconut medallions next time :). Can't wait to go back !

The first thing I noticed was the urban and open layout, a warm and welcoming design, peppy music, and good vibes. Host welcomed us immediately and took us to a reserved table. Service is awesome, and the food!!! OMG...it's the real kind of spices! So excited to experience and explore all the spices from my motherland with a twist. The drink I ordered had turmeric!! For real. They also gave us a rose sorbet to clean our pallette after the real spicy jodhpur chicken! We loved this urban and modern Indian experience

One of our friends had reserved a large table for 8 including kids. This restaurant was so kid friendly and we were so happy about that. They let our kids be kids and let us know when we had to be cautious. In terms of food, they did not disappoint. My friends ordered a bunch of appetizers- Calcutta Jhaal Miri, .Chingri Shrimp Curry and Mumbai Sliders. These were out of the world :) the chicken biryani was hands down the best dish! What stood out for me was the presentation of the food and how they stimulate your palate! They gave us palate cleanser to get started and that was a good experience :) The ambiance was inviting and we would come again :)

We rarely write reviews as there are so many wonderful restaurants in the Washington D.C. area and many good managers to address a situation if something comes up. Our experience at Kismet Modern Indian was horrific. We have been eating at the restaurant on a regular basis and have ordered take-out at least a dozen times. Kismet professes to be "healthy Indian" and we have enjoyed our meals there. Our last take out order has left us traumatized. The appetizer order of lamb kebab had a two inch piece of plastic in it - cooked inside the meat. We did notify the restaurant and the manager offered to "comp" a future order of kebab. We fortunately found the plastic early in our meal and ended up tossing our entire takeout order of $120. I am not sure I can convince anyone to eat there again. We are afraid of what else we might find in our food. lamb kebab + plastic

It's a beautiful modern Indian cuisine restaurant you should try if you visit or live in Alexandria, VA. It's a beautiful atmosphere and delicious food. Wonderful service and clean modern environment. I would love to visit again. Thank you so much

For Restaurant week a few of my friends and I decided to try out this restaurant. Service was really good and staff was very kind. The manager came and checked on all the tables and that added a nice touch. I tried the lamb kebab to start off with, it was very good. spicy the flavors was impeccable. Then moved on to the butter chicken and it was creamy, flavourful & fabulous. Finally tried the lavender kulfi (Gelato) and unbelievable tasty. Other highlights for the shrimp curry that had some amazing flavor. Olive & garlic Naan both were fresh & highly recommended. We all left very satisfied and talked about coming back another time to try other dishes from their menu. And the nice thing about this restaurant is that the restaurant week items are from the regular menu, so I think that makes a big difference in your experience. They also have a happy hour menu from 5-6pm.

Ordered Jhaal Muri , only one predominant flavor excess salt. Next order zucchini kofta , only one flavor excess salt.

Came here with friends on a Friday night and they were pretty busy! We were a party of 7 and sat at a table for 6 and they added a chair. Would've been nice if they just added a table because it was crammed when all the plates came. We had to consolidate plates because there was no room. Other than that, the place had a really nice vibe! We started with the chicken malai and tandoori shrimp. Really good! Love the mango salsa. I had the chicken tikka masala which was solid, but can do without the peppers. My husband got the lamb ghee and really liked it! The garlic naan was good, definitely get one or two. My husband said what really impressed him and was his favorite was the chickpeas! Very flavorful and underrated. Otherwise, really enjoyed our meal at Kismet! If you're in the area and craving Indian, do it!

What a great experience! This was our first time to this place and it came highly recommended. From the moment we were greeted at the door to the time we left, the staff were outstanding. James, the manager, checked on us and truly made us feel welcome. The servers all worked together to ensure top notch service. The food was amazing! All plates were shareable, and that's what we did. The tandoor lamb chops were so tender! The chicken tikka masala had just enough hint of spice. And I loved the touch of a palette cleaner after appetizers. Nice! I highly recommend this restaurant and do say hello to James!

I wish I liked it. It looks cool from the outside. For starters, the booth was really uncomfortable. If you sit across from another adult, your feet will be on theirs. And you have to either straddle the post or sit sidesaddle, neither of which are great options for 90 minutes. A water filler showed up quickly and poured glasses of tepid water. No ice. Don't worry, they'll be back 11,729 times in the next hour to refill each glass. We ordered mocktails. The hibiscus drinks were good. The Tiger's tail was just not. It was way too syrupy and heavy and the hint of spice was way too much. It also was not very cold. It was like drinking weird heavy soup. Side note: I added some water and it was much better. I guess that's why people add tequila. The server and apprentice introduced themselves and the menu and explained everything. Ordering was a bit confused but we all survived. The manager stopped over twice. We were a-ok. The food was good. But half of it was inedibly spicy. Big bummer when your kid's entree is $34. There's nothing on the menu indicating heat level. I'm not a heat novice but only ate a little bit. The rosewater and pomegranate sorbet was frozen solid and, as my kid said, tasted like "perfume, or a fancy candle." Which, again, is fine, but not necessarily everyone's thing. All-in-all, this was roughly twice as expensive as our go-to Indian place. The unadvertised heat (and cashews in rice), the meh drinks, the uncomfortable seating, and the obtrusive service = 2 stars. Sorry.

Kismet is a wonderful addition to the collection of excellent dining options in Old Town Alexandria. With special attention to the unique flavors and aromas of both North and South India, Kismet's cuisine veers away from traditional fast food Indian choices in favor of eclectic and traditional home cooked dishes familiar to those who grew up eating Indian fare. We enjoyed an assortment of dishes and cocktails but the real standouts were: the Calcutta bhel puri, the dal makhani, and the light-as-a-feather garlic naan. For anyone willing to step outside their comfort zone of flavors, Kismet doesn't disappoint. (Note: service was impeccable. The few negative reviews I've seen suggested otherwise. Our experience was quite nice; our bartender was wonderfully friendly and polite; the owner made several small conversations with us.)

Finally--an incredible Indian restaurant in Old Town. We came to this restaurant on their opening week and we were NOT disappointed. The service was really good, the manager (James) and the servers (Bethany and Laura) were knowledgeable about their menu, their chef, and were incredibly personable. We wanted to try a bunch of things as a table so we tried the tangy sweet potato, tandoori shrimp, and the malai chicken to start. The sweet potatoes were REALLY good but we wished there was more of the sauces. The malai chicken was cooked PERFECTLY. The shrimp were very good but what made this dish was the mango salsa! We were directed towards the garden naan--which was maybe the best naan I've eaten in Virginia--and we also ordered the garlic naan. The garlic naan could have used more garlic, but overall it was baked to perfection. For dinner we split the tikka masala and the snapper peri-peri. The tikka masala tasted HOMEMADE and was the definition of comfort food--we just wished it was a little spicier. The snapper, however, I would eat over and over again! Last, we were pointed towards the warm carrot halwa. While the presentation makes this dish look like tartare this warm dessert was a perfect cardamom ending to our meal. Could not possibly have ended with a better dessert. MUST order this! We will definitely be back, and hopefully next time their bar will be fully up and running because we didn't get to try their "manifestation" cocktails. Welcome to Old Town!

Only been once so far. Place has a generally classy atmosphere and good service. Feels very open, with lots of space between tables. Wait staff was on point. The dishes I had were a bit unusual, not a typical Indian style. This might put off people looking for certain classic flavors. Instead it seemed like sort of modern 'fusiony' Indian. I had the mumbai sliders, which were delicious. Maybe intended as a DIY "sloppy joe" with the filling and bread, it was easier to just dip the bread in the filling, which was sort of like spicy chana masala. The bread was like soft but slightly crisped garlic bread. Great combination. Na'an was ok. I don't know for sure but seemed like it might have been packaged. At other places, after having good in-house nan made in the tandoor, this na'an was just 'fine'. The homestyle curry was ok. Not what I was hoping. I have Indian a lot, but have no idea what's "authentic" or what "homestyle" tastes like. Maybe this is what someone would make at home. I just know that I want a curry that is savory and a bit spicy. This was lighter, not so 'rich', a little tart... maybe could have used more salt. Not bad, and I'll try the place again and see if I can find the kind of savory dish I was looking for. They randomly brought a little spoonful of rose ice cream to everyone in the restaurant at one point, which was a nice touch.

I came about 5 weeks after opening, and it did not disappoint. I believe the owner also owns karma in DC, but this is much closer to home for me so I'm super glad to have it nearby. Things I ordered that were amazing: Jaal muri Garlic naan Garden naan (naan with lots of herbs) Slow roast lamb Pindi chickpeas Spinach and cauliflower kofta Things I ordered that were not amazing: Nothing. Seriously. Also the service was friendly and our food was brought out so fast I was shocked. Will come back, 10/10.

What an amazing spot! Service was very slow but they were packed on the weekend and apologized. The food is DELICIOUS! Serving sizes were huge - even the appetizer. Every dish had large pieces of meat or veggies which was very generous. Loved the lamb kebab app - the green sauce with it was a little spicy. Also tried the chicken tikka masala which was incredible! Not too spicy and giant tender pieces of tandoori chicken and peppers were included. Also loved the Palak paneer and the veggie korma was one of the best I've had! The sauce with the korma was a bit spicy. I would definitely come back.

We love this place! The food is fresh, delicious and well spiced. Everything we have had is tasty. Service is great - very attentive! And the Salt and Pepper Gimlet is amazing.

Good service and food for a date night in Old Town. Since it's not on main King Street, parking and reservations are much easier. What will get me to come back is the kulfi dessert. It was so good that we had to order another one!

We visited for my husbands birthday and reserved a table for 7. They did require credit card information to hold your reservation, and will charge you $25 per person for no shows. The gentleman who took my reservation over the phone was rude and pedantic normally after speaking with someone like this I would not have continued with reserving this spot, but my husband had his heart set on it, so I did so only for him. We ordered a lot of food our bill was over $300, but mostly all the food was good. The chicken dum biryani was not served with the dough seal, so not sure if this was really authentic, and did not taste great, would not recommend this dish. But the lamb kebab, lamb chops, chicken tikka, and garlic naan and rose ice cream were great. Service was slow, it took 15min to get someone to take our drinks order, after arriving, seemed like they had plenty of staff, but whenever you needed something no one could be found. They got my husbands drink order wrong too, but my husband was too gracious to say anything, so service needs to be worked on. They do not have parking, but there is a parking garage nearby which wasn't too pricey.

Food is fantastic and take out service quick and easy. Excellent experience always. Yum yum

Excellent food, friendly intelligent staff and a willingness to seat us at the bar as the restaurant was full. Recommend booking ahead.

Absolutely fabulous dinner at Kismet Modern Indian tonight here in Old Town! If you have not yet been, run, don't walk, at your first opportunity. We had the Calcutta Jhaal Miri appetizer, Spinach & Cauliflower Kofta, Kashmiri Chicken Gushtaba, Garden Naan, and Mint Cucumber Raita with a great sauvignon blanc. Absolutely everything was amazing, and so was the service. And yes, that is edible silver leafing on our entrees. Because it's so delish it deserves a little bling! We will be back. Often. -- at Kismet Modern Indian.

I rarely right reviews! Their food was good but the service is terrible, we came restaurant week, first course was 20 minutes after we ordered the food, second course so much longer that my mother has to call a waiter and has to ask about our utensils, the desserts is another scenario it takes so long that my father has to raise he's hand for atleast 5 minutes and ask again and the waiter didn't even apologize he simple said they were busy I finally got annoyed from his response that I told him that will be to go which take us another 15 minutes, I can understand they were busy but when I look around it wasn't even half of thier dining Tables, no one asked about our food the waiter is very unprofessional,I work In service, this restaurant has to do something about this kind of stuff. Never gonna comeback in this restaurant the worse dinner we ever experienced

Very delicious Indian food. Some of my favorites I would recommend are the lamb chops chickpeas, and paneer. All packed with flavor and the right amount of spice. We also ordered the chicken briyani, which is also good but had to eat with the accompanied yogurt sauce, or else it would be a tad bland due to it being under seasoned. The cocktails were good and they have a nice bar there. Service was good as well and the manager was nice enough to check in on us. Overall a good experience.

Everything was fantastic!! You will not be disappointed Discovered this place during restaurant week.

Welcome to Old Town! Been counting the days. Wasn't even exposed to Indian food till I was in my 30s...and making up for it now. Been loving it for 3 decades! Steady stream of people coming in for orders, which was great to see. First, the space is beautiful and the bar will be beckoning me when they open soon for dine-in eating. James, General Manager, was so helpful & friendly. What to choose?! His olive naan recommendation was a home run. -Shrimp Tandoori appetizer. Wonderful spices & enough to fill me up. Served with this incredible mango salsa! -olive naan. Who doesn't love Naan?! -mint / cucumber Raita. If they sell this by the quart I am buying it, sooo delicious. Look forward to returning many times.

The service is impeccable. James is a pro. The Rye Old Fashioned is the best in DMV. Food is great and feels really crafted.

Fantastic overall experience. Food was exquisite, and very happy to find high end Indian in Old Town. Recommend the Tangy Sweet Potato, Tandoori Shrimp, Chicken Curry & Garden Naan.

Really good. I think it's definitely worth going too and it's a nice restaurant. I've never had Indian food but this restaurant left a good impression.

(4.15) ~ Very good overall food & service. Note: Do Not park in the Alexandria Hotal Parking Garage. DRINKS: ** Water (tap) = (4.25) Very good, must be filtered;) ***My one drink wish would be Mango Lassi, which they currently do not have... FOOD: ** Raita = (4.25) Very fresh ** Garlic Naan = (4.25) Very good Puffy texture ** Coconut Medallions = (4.25) Very tasty, like a dry Rasmalai;) ** Tangy Sweet Potato = (4) very good ** Lamb Ghee Roast = (4) very good and similar to Lamb Vindaloo w/o the potatoes. ** Milk Cake = (4) nice treat * Garden Naan = (3.75) While the texture was perfect, it had a weird chemical aftertaste, so our fav is still the Garlic Naan;) ***My one food wish would be Onion Kulcha, which they currently do not have...

When walking in to Kismet, the feeling is modern. Many Indian restaurants have a more traditional feel, this one is more 'Nouvelle Cusine". We were seated next to a window and had a very nice perch to watch the world walk by as we enjoyed our meal. The choice of beer and wine is adequate, it's not overwhelming, which frankly I appreciate. The beer I selected was wonderful. The appetizers were really good. We chose the Tandoori shrimp and cauliflower. The spicing and flavors were distinct, clean, and satisfying. The choices of our entrees were the Snapper, Chicken TIkka Masala , lamb chops and the vegetarian Kofta. There were 3 lamb chops, very flavorful and more than enough food for my wife. The chicken and fish were also delicious according to our friends. I am vegetarian and frankly the choices were not ample. The Kofta was really, really good. For dessert we selected one lavendar kulfi for the table. It was a perfect end to the meal.

The food and service are delightful. It may be pricey for some but it is worth it. Try the fried okra: even if you don't think you like okra. Thank me later.

I really wanted to love Kismet upon my first visit to the buzzy new Old Town restaurant. Everything I tasted off the menu was the mark of at least a 4 star establishment, but unfortunately the opening kinks here prevent me from giving a ringing endorsement. Simply said, the stilted service has a ways to go to match the quality of the cuisine. Starting with the positive, I was very impressed with the vegetarian options on the menu and found both the Calcutta Jhaal Muri & Tangy Sweet Potato uniquely delicious. The Spinach & Cauliflower Kofta was also memorable in its delectable crispiness & flavor. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for their meat options, as my dining companion found the grilled lamb chops unappetizing & dry. Thankfully the drink list was solid, though the cocktails could use some more variety with their spirits. Now, regarding the opening kinks. The service issue has nothing to do with inattentiveness - in fact, it's quite the opposite. The best kind of restaurant service is that perfect middle ground where there's an unnoticed intuition by the staff on what a particular party needs/wants. It's not easy to find this middle ground, which can lead to a sense of overbearing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case at Kismet in the early days of its existence. My party of four was interrupted multiple times during our two-hour meal, whether by someone rushing our menu selections, eagerly filling our water glasses, or taking unfinished plates off the table. I appreciate the staff's dedication, but at a certain point it takes away from the dine-in experience when your table's conversation keeps getting disrupted at inopportune times. I hope Kismet improves the stilted service because the tasty menu offerings are reason enough to return, but as of now I'd only steer folks to experience their vegetarian cuisine via take-out. But there's definitely potential to be had here as a solid dine-in experience if they effectively put down their roots in the coming days.