Namak Mandi

My experience at this restaurant: 1. Food Ordered • Samosa Chat: Very tasty, with a nice mix of flavors and crunch. Probably the best item we tried. • Lamb Biryani: Not the authentic biryani taste I expected, but still good. The rice was cooked well and the lamb was tender, almost melting in the mouth. 2. Food Quality • Overall decent, with some dishes better than others. • Portion sizes were fair for the price. 3. Cleanliness • Needs improvement. The floor was sticky, which was uncomfortable. • Bathroom was not clean and had a bad odor, which stood out. 4. Service • Service was a little slow. Waiting wasn’t too long but noticeable. • On the positive side, the host was very kind and welcoming, which made the visit better. 5. Overall • Food: Good, especially samosa chat. • Cleanliness: Needs more attention. • Service: Could be faster, but staff attitude is nice. Would I return? Maybe for the food, but I hope they improve cleanliness and speed.

This is a great place for eating indian/pakistani origin food. Their name suggests their food is from Peshawar, however the taste is more like indian food. Full of spices. Not a true representation of Peshawar. Atmosphere is great. Presentation is not bad. But they should tune their food to the true taste of "Namaknandi" a food street of Peahawar. The spices they use, gives their food a taste of just another indian restaurant. They should better bring a chef from Peshawar to do justice with their brand name and give original taste to their customers. However they are doing a great job to run such a big restaurant in Washington DC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Namak Mandi is an amazing spot for late-night South Asian food in D.C.! I tried their Lamb Karahi, and it was absolutely delicious — rich, flavorful, and cooked to perfection with tender meat and bold spices. The taste felt authentic and reminded me of real street-style cooking from back home. The place has a traditional and cozy vibe, perfect for both solo diners and groups. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the service was smooth. One big plus: they’re open until midnight, which is super convenient if you're looking for a good meal after a long day. Highly recommend for anyone craving real Pakistani/Indian flavors. Definitely coming back!

Fantastic buffet and one of only a few mom and pop shops left in this part DC (White House, center city, McPherson). It is Pakinstani and offers a wide range of veg and meat options heavy with ghee and very well spiced. Fresh tandoori naan bread brough to your table freshy baked. You can order a la carte but the deal is in the buffet. I loved the dal, swag, channa masala, chicken machining, tandoori all of which delighted my taste buds. Friendly and attentive service. My big critique is that they weren't ready for lunch at 12:30pm. It will be hard to capture the tourist community during the slow summer months if they don't have an earlier lunch start, but the rest is top notch.

Namak Mandi is a must-try! The food was delicious, especially the Lamb Kharai and Mix Grill Kabab, and the service was great thanks to Laxmi friendly and caring plus the restaurant was spotless and clean. Highly recommend!

This place truly sets the standard for service and food in the city. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly and treated with genuine hospitality. The staff went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect, and their attention to detail made the experience feel special. Now, let’s talk about the food—absolutely outstanding!Lamb karahi was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. You can tell they use quality ingredients and put real care into the preparation. It’s rare to find a spot that nails both taste and service, but this one definitely does. If you’re looking for the best food in the city with top-notch service, this is the place to be. Highly recommended!

My gf and I came here for the $18.95 all-you-can-eat brunch meal deal 😋 The best part was trying new Pakistani foods---I especially liked the curries 🍛 When I saw the bill, however, it became less of a steal 😓 Plus tax and an around 15% tip (for explaining the foods available, but you really don't have to top) it was $23 💲 That isn't absurd, but it's not necessarily a deal I'll be chattering about with my friends 🤷 Regardless, it was a nice experience through and through and I enjoyed trying Pakistani food ☺️ --- If you're in the mood to try Pakistani food, I'd definitely check this place out!

The chicken Karahi and the bhindi masala were delicious. We also ordered lamb dampukt and chicken Mandi. They were also very well cooked but I found them a little bland to be labeled as Pakistani. The naan and roti are delicious and served on these tall wooden pieces with a clear invitation to pick and share. Overall I found the food and service to be fabulous. Only disappointment was that very few people seemed to be around in downtown DC these days. Hopefully that changes soon.

Good experience of Pakistani food. The Shinwari was too good the fresh Naan were awesome chapli kababs were also good. Rates are on little higher side. I must say the food was delicious. I loved their daal and the kebabs. The nan was incredible as well. It was a pretty busy place with a good crowd of people on max of the tables.

So I've eaten a version of this dish done by many different cultures. A rice pilaf and a lamb shank. This one is Pakistani. I've had it Greek, Turkish, Indian, Balkan, American, and even done it myself at home. This one is among the best if not the best. It certainly is the most ample. There were two meals on this plate. I ate half and took the other half to go. This establishment calls in "Mandi Lamb" @ $28 per. Some of the rest naan bread I ever had too. Fresh baked, super buttery 'n soft. Served on some sort of coat hanger device which looked super weird but it was effective for presentation. The price was fabulous too. Went to lunch with my colleague and he and I had the same dish plus a dish of chickpeas and a couple of Cokes. Pakistani food reminds you of Indian perhaps because of the geographical and cultural connection between the two countries - they're reminiscent of one another. Did I say this food is really, really good? $72 for this entire meal. We had almost an identical dish at a fancy Turkish restaurant that was triple that price - Not nearly as filling or well flavored. Downside is they don't sell liquor. :/ The interiors are Spartan, but the place is larger than it looks from the outside. Definitely an undercover gem. They have a nice buffet or you can dine a la carte. Our server let me taste some really flavorful noodles that they had... And a couple of pieces of curry chicken. Breast meat and still juicy like dark meat. The noodles were a fettuccine noodle covered in a super well flavored sauce. I think it was called "Pakistani noodles". Scrumptious. Parking is DC downtown atrocious although I found a park a block away. Service was efficient and personable. Get here if you can.

Namak Mandi, a Pakistani restaurant, just launched a second location in downtown DC, taking over the space formerly occupied by G Street Food. Confusingly enough, the nearest intersection is 15th and K, not G. Their first location, in Falls Church, has collected solid reviews, so hopefully that trend continues here. They are offering a lunch buffet from 11 AM to 3 PM. Looking forward to seeing how they do in their first few months!

Great food- lunch buffet with amazing variety! Looks like the restaurant just opened 2 weeks back. Very clean/ great service. Very neat way of getting the naan to the table! 5 stars for presentation

I love the Namak Mandi in Falls Church and I was so happy to hear they created a location in DC. The best place to get Karahi in DC. The food is so flavorful and delicious. I got takeout and the servings were big and the food was hot and fresh!!! This is my new takeout spot in DC. 100% recommend!

sorry to lose G Street Food's french fries, but this is a worthy replacement. Nice indo-pak lunch buffet for about twenty bucks.

A solid Pakistani Buffet (11 am - 3 pm) downtown and for under $20? Sold. Good variety of foods. Some of the hits include chicken biriyani, chicken Karachi, lamb curry, and fried fish. They also bring out a giant naan fresh from the tandoor.

Guys, I'm very finicky about Pakistani/Indian food- so this place is by far the best desi food in town. Fresh oven clay Roti and amazing food. Gonna be my fav desi food place!