Rasika West End

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Address:
1190 New Hampshire Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20037

Neighborhood:
West End

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Cuisine:
Contemporary Indian

Price: $31 to $50

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Rasika West End Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.rasikarestaurant.com
Phone: (202) 466-2500
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm; Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Contemporary Indian
Executive Chef: Vikram Sunderam
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Chef's Table, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access
Catering: We can cater events from 10 to 1000 guests.
Private Party Facilities: We offer three private dining room options. The Library Room seats up to 36 guests for a sit down dinner and Stand up reception for 60 guests. Window view Private room seats up to 10 guests. Glass enclosed Private Dining Room in the Kitchen seats up to 8 guests.
Private Party Contact: Atul Narain (202) 466-2500

Getting there

Cross Street: New Hampshire & M Street
Parking: Valet
Parking Details: We offer valet parking at Dinner service at eight dollars per car. Our valet station is situated at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and M Street.

A word from Rasika West End

Rasika, which is derived from Sanskrit meaning "flavors,” is the award-winning modern Indian restaurant owned by Ashok Bajaj. Leading the kitchen is Group Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam, a 2012 nominee for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic from the James Beard Foundation. Rasika has consistently earned four… stars in the coveted Dining Guide of The Washington Post, and is in the top tier of Washingtonian magazine’s annual “100 Best.” Esquire magazine named it among the country’s best new restaurants in 2008 and Food & Wine magazine also stated that Rasika is “One of the hottest restaurants in the world.” Rasika showcases authentic Indian fare prepared on the Tawa (griddle), Sigri (open barbeque), as well as Tandoori and regional dishes. The restaurant is also noted for its international wine list, innovative cocktails and intimate, plush dining room. For private dining, Rasika has an exclusive space that can seat up to 16 guests and a semi-private area for up to 28.Continued

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerFit for Foodies

Rasika West End - Best Restaurants in West End DC

Diner Reviews

"Rasika West End serves tantalizing upscale Indian food. Exciting flavors and new age presentation while paying homage to the tradition of flavor, color and spice. While some dishes can be very spicy there is an ample selection of tasty favorites with mild spices still loaded with flavor and all is beautifully presented. They say casual dress, but I feel office casual better expresses the attire you will see around you."
Dined on 7/7/2014
"The food was exquisive. And service was outstanding"
Dined on 7/10/2014
"Nice variety of items on the -- very tasty -- tasting menu; wine pairings perfect. Popular = noisy, but still fun. Excellent take on South Asian cuisine."
Dined on 7/8/2014
"excellent indian food in wahington ,dc -- for that matter in the country."
Dined on 7/7/2014
"Fabulous and very upscale food. I thoroughly enjoy this restaurant, the atmosphere, and the staff. A truly excellent experience."
Dined on 7/8/2014
"After much difficulty, we (a party of 4) managed to get a reservation at 5:45 on a monday evening. We were very disappointed for several reasons: 1. We were ushered to a round table with a place setting of 5, sitting awkwardly spread out. When asked to change the table, as the restaurant was completely empty but one table, we were told that unless we reserve a booth, that cannot be accommodated. We did move. 2. Food was mediocre in that basmati rice was lumpty. Railway lamb curry was too salty. Nan (both onion/sage and mint) were not very fluffy. Dah was too watery. Rasmalai with strawberries was so different than the traditional one that it was not tasty 3. Half of the food came after more than 12 minutes from the first batch."
Dined on 7/7/2014
"This is one of my fav places in DC. It is ALWAYS good food, very consistent, and delightfully palate stimulating. It is a beautiful restaurant, not too loud, but not so quiet that you need to worry about who will hear your conversation of love or politics. And the service... like all of his restaurants, but particularly this one,it is professional, elegant and friendly... Beginning when you walk in the door Atool (sic) makes you feel like a special client. You just can't go wrong here"
Dined on 7/7/2014
"Always consistent, always delicious, always impresses company or business associates when you take them there :)"
Dined on 7/3/2014
"Food was awesome. We really enjoyed the food. The ambeiance looks great. Service was nice."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"Came for a night in town. Awesome food. Some delays with our plates but nothing to hard to manage. I will come back."
Dined on 7/3/2014
"Nothing very exciting about this restaurant. The food isn't bad. But very average indian cuisine."
Dined on 7/4/2014
"We love this place:always delicious, keeps getting better. Many vegetarian options that any omnivore will love; black cod and other seafood offerings also delicious and well prepared. Sauces are marvelous: rich, deep flavors, great on rice and nan when meats or veggies are gone. Service is usually attentive, but can be spotty; setting is lovely. Great place to order a variety of dishes for table to share, but bill can quickly mount."
Dined on 7/3/2014
"Second time we have come for our wedding anniversary celebration. The service was so outstanding, kind, accommodating, and we loved trying the dishes, particularly the crispy spinach appetizer and layered eggplant/potato dish. The service kindly mentioned our anniversary and gave us special attention."
Dined on 7/3/2014
"our family of 6 dined at Rasika a few days ago ........we are still dreaming of the cauliflower , eggplant and fried spinach appetizers , the smoked lentil dish and just about everything else. This is not your usual Indian fare ( think heavy , lots of cream and oil ) .....it is lighter and much more refined ...........just delicious. The cocktails were really good too :-)) Service was professional and we were not rushed along . Rasika did not disappoint !!!"
Dined on 7/2/2014
"The food here was so delicious and the service was so amazing that I came back three more times over the four days that I stayed in DC."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"It 's decor has no theme !!! Food variety great but no responsible healthy food amd so not very representative of indian culture"
Dined on 7/2/2014
"delicious! spinach, sweet breads, and lamb appetizer are musts!"
Dined on 6/30/2014
"I entered having reviewed other Yelp experiences and must say they were spot on: food was excellent (palak chaat, eggplant ginger chutney, garlic naan, and railway lamb curry) while the service was slow but polite. We were lucky to be seated right away when we arrived 30 min early. It is too bad that one order of naan is one slice and that two entrees had to share one bowl of rice. That said, the flavors were outstanding and I would dine here again."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"As always, Rasika was a fantastic dining experience. The Palak Chaat was amazing as was the Black Cod entree. They have a nice cocktail and wine list. This is a must try if you have not been."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"Absolutely one of the best Indian dining experiences I have had in the States. After dining here, I don't think I can go back to my hometown run-of-the-mill Indian restaurant."
Dined on 6/25/2014
"This has been one of my favorite restaurants in DC for years. The food is outstanding, however, the service and the comfort of the restaurant this time was very disappointing. Cold air blows on you the entire time if you sit anywhere near the window. While we asked to have it turned off, it really only cycled off and on. In addition, one of the women's restrooms was out of order and the other was filled with trash, had no hand towels (because they were all on the floor) and there was water all over the counter (bad faucet/sink design). It takes so little to make sure restrooms are clean and orderly. I had to ask twice for hand towels. I am going to wait a while before I go again, hoping they get the message."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"For a $200.00 dinner for a group of 4, service was rushed - appetizers brought to the table before we even had a chance to put our napkins on our lap! Waiter was not helpful in determining best dishes to order for everyone's tastes -"
Dined on 6/27/2014
"We have been to Rasika West End and Rasika on D street many times. Food is sometimes excellent, sometimes not excellent at all."
Dined on 6/26/2014
"Wonderful way to entertain out-of-town guests who have limited access to great Indian food in their hometown. Wonderful menu for sharing and tasting. Great service, unobtrusive but very attentive. Hostess greeted us warmly, gave us a choice of seating. Though it got loud as the dining room filled, we were glad to be sitting in the middle of the action. Beautiful space. Now I'm conflicted as to which Rasika I prefer! Both are worthy of their excellent reputations."
Dined on 6/25/2014
"We read about Rasika in 'The Week' magazine and impulsively made a reservation for our big tourist night out in Washington DC. As we could only get a reservation for early evening, the restaurant seemed a bit deserted when we arrived, but our waiter/college student was quite pleasant and totally knowledgeable about the menu, so we ended up enjoying every course of our meal. The place was hopping as we left :-)"
Dined on 6/13/2014
"When to try the food at Rasika West End after many friends raved about it. Thought the food was good, but not worth the hype. I am happy to have tried it once, but would not be going back to this restaurant again. I think the food at the Bombay Club is significantly better. The food at the original Rasika is better as well. The ambiance and décor are very good, so it was enjoyable from that perspective."
Dined on 5/18/2014
"My husband and I booked this restaurant on the recommendation from friends. It did not disappoint. For a Monday night, it was very crowded. Food was excellent but the service seemed rushed - from the hostess, bartender, to table server. It took 15 minutes to bring onions and green chilies to the table. Server apologized and they gave us complimentary dessert. I would definitely try again and also the other location for Rasika. Prices are very reasonable."
Dined on 6/23/2014
"We went for a family celebration. Food and service were amazing. Love the palak chaat appetizer and black cod entree. Both were spectacular! The restaurant is not very kid friendly. They don't have high chairs, kid cups, etc. Staff was very gracious with our kids, but I would recommend bringing your own supplies if you come with little kids."
Dined on 6/23/2014
"Food was spiced very nicely, very flavorful. Vegetables and fruit used in dishes could have been better quality. Eggplant was mushy and bitter, fruit was mealy. Spinach appetizer was wonderful."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"That stuff is addictive! I could eat that stuff all day every day!"
Dined on 8/1/2013
"Rasika is always busy. But when they showed us to our table last Saturday, I got particularly nervous because we were next to two group tables celebrating birthdays; one of them holding about 15-20 people. It was very loud. Luckily, it was just two of us so we just sat closer together. The bigger table was clearly keeping the servers on edge. Nonetheless, we received GREAT service and ate GREAT food (we shared a tasting menu). We were shown to our table on time and given a glass of prosecco and a dessert on the house. The servers were very pleasant, solicitous, and knowledgeable of the menu, as well as apologetic about the noise level. The manager even stopped by to make sure we were enjoying our meal. We highly recommend Rasika."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"Appetizers are the star of the show here. The spinach chat is as good as they say. Interesting twist on samosas. Overall, unique Indian flavors, very tasty (a couple unremarkable dishes) small portions, high prices. Very cold air blowing onto the booths in December; warmer in the center of the room, but also louder. Waiters were attentive, hostess was helpful."
Dined on 12/5/2013
"Among the best in the country. Menu not the same as Rasika - but some popular items are on both menus. Excellent."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"That's all I can say.... everything about this place was perfect. Wonderful food, wonderful staff, great evening...."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"I had a lovely experience at Rasika for my birthday dinner. The restaurant was very accommodating. I had a great experience and loved it."
Dined on 6/19/2014
"Wonderful service, fantastic food and comfortable atmosphere!"
Dined on 6/20/2014
"We had a wonderful romantic evening. It was everything I was looking for: Great Indian food, not your typical chicken tikka masala stuff. Experimental, different, modern. I love the wine that the somm helped me decide on. And our server was friendly and warm. Didn't feel rushed to eat since we were the last reservation. It was an absolutly lovely night."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"This was one of the best restaurants that I have been too! The food was delicious snd the service was spectacular. Thank you for the wonderful evening!"
Dined on 6/18/2014
"Wonderful Indian food - fairly traditional with a slight inventive twist. Great location, wonderful decor."
Dined on 6/18/2014
"We celebrated a family member's birthday with a post work day dinner. We were shown to a terrible table right in the middle of the restaurant's main traffic pattern. We requested something different and ended up at an awkward corner table. It was certainly better but still not ideal. In hind sight, we should have requested an outside table. The food was terrific; well prepared, nicely presented, good portions. Our server gets high marks for realizing we were celebrating a birthday and brought everyone a sparkling drink."
Dined on 6/16/2014

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