Masala Art

I would like to split this review into 3 parts Atmosphere : This place is very well decorated. Excellent Ambience. Service: Service is excellent, on time and staff is nice. Food : Did not meet indian food standards. We ordered Veg thali(did not meet my expectations) thandoori naan ( very dry), daal amritsari(avg taste) and chicken curry( was tangy)

So we had reservations for another resturant parked and walked by and noticed this restaurant. Hubby said he wanted to try it out went to see if there was a wait and it was meant to be because we were seated right away. We canceled our other reservation and it was worthit. The food was amazing. Tasted very fresh and full of flavor. The service was very inviting. We felt welcomed from the moment we walked in. This place is a must try you won't regret it. I had the lamb chops and I still think about every bite. Me and hubby both agreed to be back soon I want to try everything on the menu 😋

Absolutely fantastic experience. The owner is incredibly kind and really gets to know the guests. They take care of you and make you feel special for your birthday. The food tastes great and they can adapt the spice level. HIGHLY recommend!

This is the second time trying this place and it isn’t good, I’m so sorry. I cannot recommend this place. I love Indian food and it’s the worst I’ve ever had both time. The photo attached it the chicken biryani. This really sucks because the atmosphere is nice. I think they should do something different to the recipes, s tots revamp. The workers here are so nice. I give 4/5 for the service. :( I really wanted to like the food. After paying, I left it there and that’s so rare.

Good ambience, Good service and tasty food. On time serving and well portioned served for 4 pax. Please do visit as good option for Vegetarian and vegan also. I liked the overall wall mounted miniatures and glass windows giving a nice fresh feelings.

Personal, thoughtful service in a gorgeously decorated space—and killer food. Sanjib made us feel at home, table ready when we arrived after calling, and even made sure our parking situation was good. They even threw in an extra dessert when we couldn’t decide which to order—unnecessary and very nice! Loved the 80s feel-good tunes that somehow pumped the good food vibes up to the next level.

The highlight of the evening was the ambiance. The statues and jewelry eccentricly positioned throughout was welcoming and interesting ly beautiful. The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable. We didnt have to wait or signal for him. He anticipated our needs. The food was average Indian fare. The samosas were good fried perfectly but lacked a little kick. The amritsari fish tukra left much to be desired. The accompanied sauce made the dish. There was a consensus that agreed the broccoli and peas shammi was bland even with the chutney. It reminded us of a vegetarian filler food. Thw aloo ki chaat was great. The potatoes were cookee perfectly and the sauce was tart sweet and savory. The lamb and chicken tandoori were both aweaome and theres a dish of chicken in sauteed spinach that was perfect. Overall my experience went well enough that I would return and recommend to a friend. Thanks for a decent meal great atmosphere and wonderful service.

The food here is amazing and also the stuff was friendly specially Sara who served me.. i really appreciate the service..

I'm not an Indian food connoisseur but I know what I like, and I really loved Masala Art. I stopped in spur of the moment because I was in the neighborhood, and I'm glad I did. The place is welcoming and has trendy vibe alongside the traditional Indian decor. I chose to eat at the bar which is ample size even though this feels like a mostly sit-down dining room. I liked that there were some TVs playing the football playoffs but that they were silent so as not to disturb the restaurant patrons. I checked out photos of some of their most popular dishes on Yelp because I'm no Indian expert. The Murg Tikka Lababdar looked right up my alley and it didn't disappoint. I dined on a Sunday night, so the crowd was light. My bartender, who was also the host and waiter, and I suspect, also the owner (or manager) was very helpful with recommendations and advice on spice levels. Masala art is a delicious, trendy, and quaint spot to get some really tasty food. It is definitely on my list of places to frequent in Southwest DC.

Great lunch combo with 3 dishes, fresh naan, and rice for only $14! While the 3.3 star review and the vast majority of empty tables inside all the restaurant with 1 lonely patron didn't look promising, I'm glad I gave Masala Art a shot! It's truly a hidden gem in the Waterfront area. The pipping hot food was fresh, bursting with flavor, good portion size, not greasy, and on the mild side of the spicy spectrum except for the Dhal. The Paneer Makhan Masala was on point with a rich, creamy, tomato-based masala curry, similar to tikki masala (no chicken) with soft tender cubes of paneer. Bursting with flavor and the naan was perfect for mopping up all the curry! The Lasooni Corn Palak was very flavorful and a great pairing of corn with spinach gravy. While I'm an avid Palak Paneer fan, I didn't even miss the Paneer and enjoyed the corn! I wasn't a fan of the Dhal with black lentils, it tasted funky and was very spicy. Even the rice and naan couldn't save it. The plain naan was fresh, but didn't have the fluffy and bubbly texture I was hoping for. The rice was a bit bland and served cold. The $4 Mango Lassi was sweet and refreshing. Great way to cool off from the Indian spices and help to prevent heart burn. Delicious food and excellent lunch combo deal, very pleased and will come back when I'm in the area!

Great little local place that doesn't appear to have been "discovered" yet, despite being a couple of blocks away from the tourist-centric Wharf Street. Delicious Indian food at very reasonable prices and exceptional service. Excellent seating in the dining room with interesting window views of neighborhood folks strolling by. There's also a nice bar for those of us that like having our drinks with food on the side :-) It's truly the best Indian food available in the area. I realize that's just my opinion, but isn't that the whole point of Yelp? Sorry, no photos because me and my party (6 of us) decided at the last minute to go, since it was within walking distance and we were all interested in trying it. Table for us all on Saturday night with no waiting? Sign me up! We were having too much fun and were enjoying our wine and food too much to bother with digital tethers. Go see it for yourself. Or don't. More room for me!

Masala art is a hidden gem of the Waterfront neighborhood. It's just opposite the Warerfront metro station and is almost halfway between Navy Yard and the Wharf. This is the only quality Indian food in the Wharf, Waterfront, Navy Yard area. They're just as great for delivery as they are take out. The table service is on point; classically decorated with a modern twist. This is perfect for date night, dinner with friends or even a business meeting. Somehow it works for all sorts of different outings and their dining area is large enough for groups. Even if you're going solo, this place has a full bar where many people come eat solo. There's even garage and street parking so it's very accessible if you have kids, a disability or don't want to worry about parking. Food is really unique; they have all the favorites plus interesting additions, like tofu Tikka masala. Only thing I didn't enjoy this time was their naan; this time it didn't taste tandoori made. Also wish they would bring back the bread basket.

We've eaten several times at the original Masala Art in Tenleytown -- always a nice meal, and we can recall when it was the first of the high-end Indian restaurants in town . But this was our first visit to the Waterfront location, where we dined before the Yelp Elite event at Arena Stage. The dining rooms (one large area with a partial wall down the middle) is quite a bit larger than the Tenleytown location. It was nearly empty when we arrived at 5:45 on a Saturday evening, but many tables were taken when we left an hour later. I was pleased that the beer list included bottles and drafts from microbreweries, not just the usual small list of standard beers imported from India. Nancy had a nice red wine. We started with severla appetizers. liking particularly the pani poori and the palak chaat. My main dish was a "mandalorian" curry, Kori ghassi (tasty and nicely spicy); Nancy had an appetizer-sized goat cheese kofta for her main dish. All in all, a very nice meal. Might be nice before a DC United game next season, too

I can't say enough good things about this place. Wait staff was very attentive. Water was constantly refilled. Food was AMAZING! The samosa was good. Nice and crispy on the outside and hot and steamy in the middle. I got the dum ka murg. The chicken was so tender and juicy. Also I only ate half and the other half was still tender and juicy! The sauce was so creamy. Loved it. If you are near the waterfront, it's only blocks away. Please support this great place!

I wanted to add one update - I've picked up from here a few times as well and the experience is always great. The owner always invites me to sit at the bar and provides me with water while i wait for my take out to be completed. His kind notion is always appreciated and the take-out continues to be fresh and awesome.

Came with a group of 8. Excellent service for a group and a nice quiet environment for chatting. I loved my saag paneer. The rock salt and cilantro naan was so good. I tasted my husbands chicken tandoori and it was DELICIOUS! I also had a bourbon tiki cocktail and I loved it. Great flavor. My group seemed happy with the meal.

This was one of the closest walking distance restaurants to my parents hotel, so they wanted to try it for lunch. I'm a big fan of butter chicken so I was confident this place would be good. First off the menu is full of items that I've never heard of and don't understand. Also they don't have butter chicken on the menu! So I'm lost and have no idea what to order and the waiter was absolutely no help. To make matters even worse, they have no lunch menu and the average price for a meal for lunch is $28! I don't mind spending that much on an amazing meal, but I'm not gonna take the risk of just guessing what to order and not liking my $28 meal. (Wifey would cut up my credit cards if I ordered something that expensive and just threw it away.) So i finally order an appetizer of lamb kabobs which I thought come on a stick and would be delicious. I was wrong. They are 3 really tiny meat sticks that look very similar to a slim Jim. They weren't terrible but not very filling and cost $11! So I ate them and then walked to another restaurant to go have lunch.

Coming from India, I have a high bar when reviewing Indian restaurants. Especially considering I'm from South India, I'm not visiting an establishment to eat chicken tikka Masala! Give me the heavy South Indian snacks! Masala Art is a wonderful spot with an assortment of both North and South Indian cuisine. My wife and I enjoyed bhel puri, samosa, and Pani puri alongside an Indian beer and cocktail. The flavors brought back many memories, and the presentation was wonderful. I highly recommend this place for the snacks, great service, and a pre-Nats, pre-Caps, pre-DC United meal. (Note: I didn't take any photos because I was enjoying my meal so much.)

Went to Masada Art last night. This a Southwest DC hidden gem. Masala Art is the only restaurant in the area providing Indian cuisine. I had a great time. Their signature cocktails are strong. Just enjoy their recipe because thendo not have a dedicated bartender. I liked their food choices because they try to provide more unique and authentic options. We hade the tandoori shrimp and a lamb dish. Great flavors. The wait staff was nice and attentive. Super nice once we got to know them. The owner is very nice and wants and deserves the business. Check it out.

It's the consistency for me. After having been here 3x and ordering their vegetarian half ($8) always left satisfied; saag paneer, cauliflower dish and lentil dish. I shared these with my friend which was more than filling. The rice and naan are extra. The price point for this now highly gentrified wharf adjacent spot is generous. The space just went through a renovation in Nov 2022 due to a pipe bursting. The art is kinda omnipresent but tbh I nvr have a deeper inspection because I'm all about the grub. We've always been greeted warmly and service was prompt. After the 2nd time the manager (I think) even recalled us from memory. Tip: request your naan buttered or it'll be plain!

This was our first time experiencing an Indian cuisine restaurant and we were not disappointed. We were greeted with friendly welcome, sat at a lovely window seat. Our waitress was very attentive. For some, might be too hovering but she was so kind and enthusiastic which we appreciated. She helped with answering questions and trying to guide us through the menu. Luckily we stuck to 1 main entree for each of us AND we were full and had leftovers. The Biryani dish was plentiful, very tasty with tender chicken morsels. I wanted to try many things, but decided on the chicken in a saffron cashew gravy. Heavenly! Not overly spicy with heat, but definitely started my nose running. Thoroughly enjoyed and finished that dish. I was even offered more rice if needed however that would have made me fuller, so portion was just right. Unfortunately our plan to save room to order dessert wasn't what our tummy was ready for, but much to our surprise another dish appeared after our plates were cleared and the rice crumbs washed from the table. Our stomachs were not as large as our desire. So another visit will be in order to try other delicacies. So the surprise dish at the end was a traditional dessert, Gulab Jamun which basically are fried dough balls served in a light syrup with cardamom ice cream. I'm not familiar with how the Ice cream is created but it was a different texture, almost like a thick fine cottage cheese I guess. I loved it, so different. Experiencing other cultures foods is so nice and the DC area affords such wonderful opportunity to eat your way through the world. During our meal, trying to determine the spices we could identify became a game & received confirmation for our guesses thanks to the manager who also explained about the making of Masala spice used within Indian dishes. Even the iced tea was a delicious house brew with cinnamon undertones which I liked, but if you don't care for cinnamon, I don't recommend. The coke was little lacking syrup to soda ratio & tasted rather flat, but refills were brought without hesitation. Atmosphere was lovely and a large dining room with a bar/cocktail area with TVs off to the one side of the restaurant. 2 neutral gender restrooms that were very clean, just needed a plumber to go in to tighten up the sink faucet in the one. Great dinner!

LOVE the Dahl makhani and sag paneer! The rock salt and cilantro naan is my favorite-I've been going here for years with my husband, and the lamb vindaloo is something that satisfies his spice cravings. Their vegetarian dishes are well done, and very enjoyable. Love this Tenlytown institution! Their servers are excellent, and we always enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

It's been a few years since I've been to Masala Art on 4th Street SW in WDC. When we lived in the National Capital Region this restaurant used to be our all time favorite Indian restaurant in our nation's capital. Previously I have given the food five-star rating. I must say the food was disappointing. We ordered the appetizer flash fried spinach chat with mango salsa and yoghurt. It was ok. For the main course we ordered a fish dish (Meen Moilee), an eggplant dish (Baingan Bartha), and Tandoori Roti flatbread. Both dishes were insipid and lacked flavor and taste. The food disappointingly lacked taste. Not at all Like the food I've eaten here previously. It's a bummer. I don't think I'll be going back any time soon.

We just finished a lunch at Masala Art. Rather than try the Rogan Josh, which was great, I wanted to test the kitchen so I ordered Tandoori Paneer. This is an Indian cheese finished in a Tandoori oven. Great. Even better the meal came with accompaniments of lentils, an Aloo, tandoori made breads and rice. For $13 you couldn't go wrong. This place is good, Rasika good.

We've been here twice, and each time it's been delicious. I'm always surprised that the restaurant always just has 2-5 tables full, because they're consistently good and have a good variety. We got the samosas, murg tikka lababdar, goat cheese kofka, sag paneer, baingan bharta, dal amritsari, garlic and chili naan, rock salt and cilantro naan, and a small order of the pickles. Everything you can order a small or large, which is nice because you can mix and match. I liked the murg tikka lababdar the best, similar to chicken tikka masala, a little spicy, tomato, and creamy. Everything was delicious, I don't usually like eggplant so was surprised that the baingan bharta was a favorite too. Staff was attentive. It was a nice ambiance and well decorated with good people watching outside. Goat cheese was just okay, could have used more flavor. Dal was okay but kind of generic

Rotten, disgusting food. such a disappointment and embarrassment for me with my guests. We all have a bad reaction to the food.. the chicken was completely stale and had rotted.. the shrimp was off.. what a bad experience, never again. (Maybe the lack of effective air-conditioning on a 90 degree day contributed to the rotting of the ingredients.. ) Complete disaster and not sure how long it will take us to recover from our stomach upsets. . Can't believe it had a 5 star rating that i got conned into believing.

My wife and I were visiting Washington DC just before Christmas and were looking for a good local restaurant near the Washington Mall. We read the positive reviews for Masala Art and being lovers of Indian food we knew we had to go. The restaurant interior is very nicely decorated with Indian art. I ordered the Vegetarian thali while my wife had the chicken tikka masala. Excellent food but what really made the food exceptional were the sauces. These were very rich in flavor and obviously made with fresh spices. The service was very friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant.

We had a lovely server and enjoyed the Pani puri, but after that it was all downhill. The Bombay margarita was practically undrinkable. The chicken 65, came lathered in spices and a red color to hide the grey chicken underneath. The Kadhai chicken was devoid of any taste and lacked salth. The Goat Cheese and Akhrot Kofta was two sad looking balls of barely any goat cheese and walnut swimming in a watered down canned cream of tomato soup. The dum ka murg was a mushy mess in a yellow goopy curry . The manager brought us over another dish after we returned the Dum ka murg, but again the chicken was grey and the curry it was swimming in was underwhelming and flavorless. The naan and onio kulcha were ok, the mini papads were good though.

good was good. service was horrendous and embarrassing as a customer. Our sever seemed like it was her first ever table OR she was so high on some hard drugs that ever encounter was cringeworthy and uncomfortable. we couldn't wait to het out of the restaurant. called UBER and got out soon as we had full bellies. HAHA. place has the upside but the owner is either clueless or absentee.

I have had Indian food before but never like this! Flavors were amazing, sauce was next level and service was top shelf. Thank you for making our visit to Washington that much better. Forget the busy/ tourist wharf restaurants, this place is a hidden treasure.

Masala art is abasing. The food is very tasty - some of the dishes have a really unique spin like the goat cheese kofta. The ambiance is really nice with good music and friendly staff. A must visit if you like Indian food.

I have never ever been disappointed ordering from this place the food is the best Indian I've had in DC and I've been to quite a few Indian places. I think you would be safe trying any dish as they are all delicious. I love the samosas and the garlic naan as side dishes and Murg Tikka Lababdor is sooo delicious I could eat it everyday and not get tired of it. All the food is so fresh and so delicious!

Went back to Masala Art for the first time in a long time for dinner. Much better experience. Bartender gave me the right menu this time immediately. I ordered the palak paneer with chicken, naan, and rice. Was fantastic, a very good amount of food for the price. I'd definitely go back for dinner at their bar.

Used to order in from here for pickup all the time. Out of nowhere, they changed all their recipes. The chili chicken sauce now tastes like marinara and is barely spicy. The butter chicken sauce is a now just a watery gravy. The garlic chili naan barely has either garlic or chili on it. And they raised the prices, on top of it all. They'll definitely be losing my business. If you have loyal customers, don't change the recipes!!!

When I think of Masala Art, I'll admit that the first word that comes to mind is "average". They will not blow you away with their food; the curries are generally tasty, if unmemorable, a bit watery, and light on ingredients, and the accompanying scoop of rice is skimpy with an extra (small) bowl setting you back $3. I'm accustomed to having leftovers from Indian restaurants; at Masala Art, I always finish what I ordered because of the smaller-than-average portion sizes. However, Masala Art will package your takeout correctly and provide friendly service that is not at all mad or judgmental if you roll out of a neighboring apartment in slubby clothes late in the evening and only order a plate of samosas to share. They're also really nice about splitting checks, which is super appreciated. The happy hour also has a very long duration (4-8pm), decent deals, and live music that is actually pretty good! The decor is quite tasteful (the candle-holders in particular are very cute) and on weeknights, the restaurant has a laid-back atmosphere. I've enjoyed the samosas (the light spice adds a nice bit of heat), the naan, the tofu garam masala, and the saag paneer, and my favorite item so far is the goat cheese akhrot kofta, which is similar to a malai kofta. Since my friend lives right down the street, I know for sure I'll be back again, and I'm not mad about it. Even if I've definitely had better Indian food (for less money) elsewhere, ultimately, Masala Art delivers on what I look for in a solid neighborhood spot: a reliably enjoyable meal.

To go orders this time, no confusion about dirty glasses if it's your own. Our order was ready and waiting when I arrived, two Chicken Biryani, two Tandoori Lamb chops and one Laal Maans. They threw in a free dessert sample cottage cheese dumplings in sweetened milk reduction. I ate the dessert first because i thought it was going to melt and life is uncertain. It was not bad, sweet and probably spoiled my appetite a little. The Laal Maans was also very good, I enjoyed the spicy flavors. The family was not as open to the flavorful curry as I am but they liked it for the most part.

Great place that we've gone to a few times. Great service, delicious food, reasonable prices.

I loved this place, and look forward to returning. Our food was beautifully prepared with rich, deep flavors, and the service was attentive and meticulous. The decor is simple, elegant and comfortable, and the ambiance calm, w0arm and welcoming. They also have wonderful specialty cocktails at their bar, and the night we were there, the bar business was brisk. Special kudos to the manager, Sandip.

My coworker and I wanted to grab dinner before a show at Arena Stage tonight. As soon as she and I entered, a member of the staff greeted us and asked whether we had a reservation. We did not. We were led to a table at a comfortable pace. The employee did not make small talk or ask how we were doing. He handed us menus as we settled into a half-booth, half-table near the service area. The bar is on the left side and the dining room is on the right. The decor is really nice! Unique, modern, appealing, I love backlit objects and surfaces and built-in wall cubbies. Very tastefully done, and there is a large Lord Ganesha statue at the end of the bar. Happy hour was 4-7, but we did not imbibe or inquire about the specials. We ordered two vegetarian dishes: chana masala and paneer makhani. Allow me to speak on both of those dishes. The chana masala was enough food to make me feel satisfied but not stuffed. The sauce was tasty, not mild, not spicy, but just the right amount of heat. The chickpeas were fresh, likely cooked with a pressure cooker to retain maximize flavor, and were tasty but rather salty. I didn't mind the saltiness, but toning it down a bit could have improved the experience. The paneer makhani I could eat all day long! Scrumptious. It had just the right about of masala sauce and really had an excellent balance of Indian spices in soft cheese cubes, but not too soft that they break apart when forked. We also ordered butter naan, but we were given butter roti instead. It still tasted very good and one order was adequate for two people. Overall: We very much enjoyed our meals. The service was good. It got busier as the night passed on and our waiter was mediocre. Not particularly excited to be employed there, but still professional. Our water glasses were timely refilled, our table cleared within a reasonable amount of time, and extra cutlery and plates taken away once it was clear an appetizer was not in the cards for our table. As we left, no one acknowledged us or asked us to return.

There should be a zero star but I am forced to give obe star to post this review. I took to-go food and realized some of the items were simply rotten. Called the owner "sandeep" and he started making all kinds of excuses like nature of food business and hot weather in DC. Please check the food before you leave the place and make sure to taste it before giving it to kids.

Ridiculously overpriced and the food isn't worth it. Even the naan was not fresh, you should take your money elsewhere.

Happy hour: it's the main reason I go there. They have a great HH special. It's 7 days a week. And decent drink special as and they also have appetizer specials also. The food is good also. Everyone really liked what they got. The service is a little slow. But once you put your order in it comes out pretty fast. They don't make a fuss about splitting the check. The bathrooms are clean. They never seem to have a wait for a table. Lots of vegetarian options.

I placed an order through DoorDash based on the high reviews. I order the samosas, lamb chops, garlic naan and lamb biryani. The lamb chops were pretty tasty, samosas were okay, garlic naan-edible but the lamb biryani -HORRIBLE. The lamb was burnt and extremely dry to the point it wasn't edible. The rice was flavorless. I'm a biryani lover and I'm super annoyed that i ended up throwing away an entire dish. I don't know if I will ever order from here again but if I do, it will be for the lamb chops....ONLY

We came to DC on a vacation and we're craving some Indian food that was also close to our hotel. We really lucked out with finding Masala Art! Amazing flavors--everything we got was delicious! We loved it so much we came back a couple of nights later. The staff remembered us and took such great care of us. I definitely would recommend this for anyone who loves Indian food!

I moved to DC 6 months ago and I believe I stepped into Masala Art SW more than I have stepped into my job. Definitely the best restaurant in South West DC!! Their customer service is an experience, they provide an intimate approach to their patrons that is not over bearing but appreciative. I highly recommend eating here! You won't be disappointed!

This part was delicious. We went for their happy hour and they offer food and drinks during their happy hour for great prices. We had the chicken and the samosas and I loved both of them. The Mojito was also very good and I highly recommend it.

Masala Art.. Great food ..Great service !! One wonderful experience...where do I begin.. We walked in the restaurant on a Saturday night, and the ambience of the restaurant was very modern and welcoming.We've had Indian food in many other states but the food at Masala Art in D.C was just mouth-watering, eye catching, and one of its kind. The cherry on top was when Chef Ramola carved some of his time out to interact with us, and as we were chatting we saw other guests coming up to the chef and appreciating him for the food. The manager Sandeep was very professional and humble in his profession, he checked on us very frequently so that everything was taken excellent care of. Would love to return her ASAP. Flavorsome food. Amazing hospitality. This place is a gem for all foodies. Must try! Awesome experience!

This place has horrible customer service!! I was yelled at and made to believe they were giving me what I ordered when they were not. DO NOT EAT HERE!! I live in the building next door and I would not even waste my time or recommend this place. I was terribly disappointed in the food and service. I ordered garlic naan and was given plain naan. I asked for garlic naan again and I was given the same plain naan bread I returned with added red chili flakes and oil. I complained that this is not the correct naan again and was completely humiliated in front of the whole restaurant. I see why they barely have business in the location.

I've only been here for lunch, but I've always enjoyed it. The food is flavorful, fresh, and good quality. As some of the reviewers state, this is not an all you can eat buffet, so if that's what you want, this is not your place. However, if you want a civilized meal in a beautiful environment, then I strongly suggest this place. Plus, they make a really good Manhattan here.

Order the Baingan Bharta and thank me later. And the Pani poori YUUUUUMMM. Great pre-theater (Arena Stage) dinner. They have a good tasting menu deal too.

Outstanding food ! It is one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to in the US. I highly recommend the Tandoori Paneer Shashlik - the paneer (home made cheese) was very succulent and flavorful. Many other excellent vegetarian and vegan options. The ambiance and decor is great too ! We had gone there to celebrate a special occasion and the staff was very kind enough to treat us with a glass of champagne.

This is probably one of the best meals we have had in the COVID era. Our first time. The food was as good as Indian restaurants in DC that cost twice as much. Sandeep was super friendly on the phone and charming when I came to pick up the meal. It was ready exactly when he said it would be, and everything we ordered was actually in the bag. It should have 4.5 stars easily. Maybe the people who rate it poorly were sent by the Bombay Club! We are putting Masala Art on our regular rotation of places to dine.

Normally, going out to eat on DC on a Saturday is a daunting thought, but she wanted something with sauce and thought of this spot not too far from the Nats stadium. We parked in the garage across the street and hopped into Masala Art for some Indian cuisine. I love Indian food, and typically judge these type of restaurants bu how many actual Indians are there. The pla e was very spacious. The food was delicious. The service was excellent. Everyone was so personable. The only down side was the calamari. Just not my preference the way it was prepared but the simosas and lamb chops more than made up for it. Looking forward to coming back and seeing if....2nd time is the charm!

Just very average "Indian" food. Only had vegetarian offerings but these were heavy on the tomato purée and otherwise very two-dimensional. For sure edible but not memorable and won't be coming back.

I really wanted to give a higher rating. There are so few Indian restaurants within walking distance of my office. However, I can't ignore the negative experience I had today. Cons: 1. Even though the restaurant was half empty during peak lunch time, I stood at the front, waiting to be seated for 5+ minutes. Not a big deal you say? Well, maybe but it was indicative of the rest of my visit. And there were three employees chatting a few feet away and ignoring me. When I said excuse me, one of them held a finger up but didn't look at or otherwise acknowledge me. 2. I waited about 8-10 minutes to have someone take my order once I was seated. Again, the restaurant was half empty and staff were standing around. I had to flag someone down. 3. I waited 1/2 an hour for the food after I ordered. Not an exaggeration, I timed it since I was on a work lunch break. Others seated near me had the same issue.a 4. There were three pieces of meat. Just. Three. Pieces. For $10.95, I expect more, even in DC. 5. No employee ever came by to fill my water, I had to stand up and flag someone down. 6. I had to flag someone to get the check. Again, standing up. Mind you, through the whole meal, there were employees chatting with each other over at the bar. Pros 1. The food was good. 2. Lots of space.

Not an real authentic indian place. Skip the over priced buffee or just skip the entire place. Came to this place for a meetup on a sunday afternoon and there weren't many varieties of food especially for the food. I can go with less varieties but, nothing was neither fresh not hot. Most of them were either just warm or cold. 1 star for cleanliness 1 star for great staff who are polite and attentive -1 star for overpriced food -1 for variety of food in buffet -1 for quality of food

Having made it back for dinner, I was impressed with some things, but still stuck on a three star rating. This is a very nice restaurant. Definitely aced the interior decorating. And it's right next to a metro stop. This is a weird location; so close to the heart of downtown, and other things, and yet so little is going on here. No one seems to know it exists. Having now had the chance to order off the menu, I really liked the food. I didn't quite know what to make out of an "aloo tuk chaat", which apparently is just a crushed potato with toppings, but it was one of the better tasting potato dishes I've had in recent memory. And this place, unlike most Indian restaurants, has decided to offer the fantastic chickpea and fried bread combination. These chickpeas were really good. For me, this is right there on top of the list of foods the world needs to know about. Why are you not eating fried bread dipped in spicy chickpea curry right now? Their menu is also a tad expensive though, even by DC standards (more expensive than their Tenleytown location, also by a Metro stop but in a far more happening spot). And portions weren't impressive. Usually, a bhatura is roughly the size of a basketball (or they give you two little ones), but here I ran out bread well before I ran out of chickpeas. You're paying for decor, I guess. I feel like this place wants to be Rasika and isn't. Its menu is innovative and everything I've sampled or shared there is delicious. For whatever reason, you'll have a much easier time getting a reservation here (or just showing up, really), but you'll pay the same. Also, their lunch menu is still too limiting. I like this place, but not enough to come down and spend often.

Came here for the first time a couple days ago during happy hour with all the appetizers essentially 50% off during that time. My friends and I ordered the food shown in the picture below, while then ordering another round of our favorite dishes. Food came out relatively quickly and the food was awesome. Juicy. Spicy. Great portions. Owner came and talked to us and was very polite and nice to talk to. Only knock I had was that the bartender likes to take his time making drinks. When first walking in, took the bartender almost 15-20 min to get us two mojitos (bar had 5-6 people who he was conversing with a lot)