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
Email: rasika@rasikawestend.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

Diner Reviews

"Had an amazing Easter dinner at Rasika!! The server was extremely knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. One of the items he recommended he said he'd take off the bill if we didn't like it and we ended up ordering another a second of it cause it was so good. Will def. be going there again next time I'm in DC."
Dined on 4/20/2014
"It was my first time to Rasika West End and I will defiantly be back. Hard to get a reservation but the food and flavors was worth the additional effort. "
Dined on 4/17/2014
"Recent trip had generally fine food, but some glitches. The spinach chaat, as always, excellent. But Okra--a favorite here before-- had a number of woody pods. Portion sizes are getting smaller-- noticeably so over time.Wine recommendation from the waiter turned out to be totally off-base. When we asked him about the difference between his description, and what the wine actually tasted like, the only response was that this was really an elegant wine. Both dismissive and, in this case, inaccurate. No offer to replace it with something else, which (given that the guest had not had more than a sip) should have been second-nature to a well-trained server."
Dined on 4/20/2014
"Easter Sunday was probably the chef's (well deserved) day off. Our meals were not up to the high standard Rasika West End always sets."
Dined on 4/20/2014
"Wow! I took my husband here for a birthday dinner. This place blew us away. I'm a foodie and I felt that Rasikas exceeded our expectations - from the way the food tasted to the beautiful presentation and our waiter who was informative and not overbearing. Rasikas has a lot of ambience. Beautiful decor and lighting. We love Indian food and we especially enjoyed the unique and innovative approach this restaurant took with many of the dishes. My husband is vegetarian and it's often hard to find restaurants of this calliber aren't meat heavy and consider vegetables as a side dish. We have already recommended this place to our friends and will go back again."
Dined on 4/19/2014
"I've been trying to get a reservation to Rasika West End for some time now, and had difficulty thinking ahead enough to book a table. Finally, I obtained a table this past weekend and the meal was every bit as good as I had imagined. The decor is modern and bright with colorful Indian spices displayed in and around the wines. The food was well-spiced, one could add more or less as desired when placing the order, and the menu offers a nice variety. The service was impeccable without feeling stuffy or formal. Those in our party with food restrictions were treated with care. Can't wait to return!"
Dined on 4/19/2014
"I am glad I went to this restaurant. Great cuisine"
Dined on 4/19/2014
"I'm from Silicon Valley and used to eating all genres of indian food (northern, southern, Bengali, coastal, veggie, etc) sometimes almost daily there. This was without a doubt the best northern-style indian food I've eaten in DC, and the service was exemplary. In California most indian restaurants pay no heed to decoration--it's all about the food. That's not true at all here in northern VA and DC; Rasika in particular had a sleek, modern, elegant interior. "
Dined on 4/19/2014
"Food was great, the service was so bad that we are not sure if we will eat there again. This has been one of our favorite places to eat in the past. Really unfortunate."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"If you're looking for authentic Indian Cuisine, Rasika is it!!! It's always a pleasurable experience!"
Dined on 4/18/2014
"The food here was absolutely AMAZING. We love Indian food and this is amongst the best we've had. The staff are very friendly too, with good service."
Dined on 4/18/2014
"A first-class, totally professional restaurant with a great chef whise balanced, complex flavors and accurate cooking temperatures make every plate a pleasure."
Dined on 4/17/2014
"I have always liked the Rasika Westend especially since the food is so interesting and great. They always have newer dishes with interesting eastern and western spices. Ambience is wonderful too. Recently celebrated a friend's big birthday there and the manager sent us some special desserts on the house! The whole evening was wonderful and dinner was relaxed and enjoyable!"
Dined on 4/16/2014
"Rasika is my favorite restaurant in DC. Never disappoints, except can be hard to get into. I prefer West End over downtown, as the restaurant atmosphere is nicer, less crowded."
Dined on 3/14/2014
"Hadn't been to Rasika West End and was very pleased! Same food and service I've come to rely on. Turned the evening over to the waiter and we weren't disappointed in the least. Great choices, perfectly prepared and served with a flair. I'll be back soon!"
Dined on 4/16/2014
"Went Tuesday for my birthday with my fiance. The service started off a bit slow. The host forgot to seat us when my fiance arrived and the waiter took a while to first appear at our table. Other than that, the food was excellent. Don't plan on having an intimate conversation though while you're there, the noise level was very loud. "
Dined on 4/15/2014
"Loved the black cod and fried spinach and yogurt dish."
Dined on 4/11/2014
"Went there with my wife on 14th april evening. I had reserved table a week before but we had wait for 20 mins to get seated which was initially disappointing but they compensated with our first drinks on the house which was a nice gesture. Coming to food, appetizers were awesome(we have ordered palak chat and some thing sev). Entrees can get better.(we have ordered naans and paneer mutter). Biryanis were nice. At the end, we were waiting for the check and the they surprised with gulab jamun with ice cream and candle on it which made my wife feel so good. It was really romantic dinner we had and I will definitely recommend Rasika west end. cheers"
Dined on 4/14/2014
"A great restaurant experience with a nice blend of spicey and mild to satisfy all. Coffee with lovely clove overtones. The service was a bit slow, but very nice and helpful. Sampler plates introduce this style of dining well to the uninitiated."
Dined on 4/14/2014
"Rasika takes Indian food to a new level. Very tasty, wonderful service and so much fun to experiment with diffent flavors. Server was knowledgable and helped with the menu. It was a really great find and we would highly recommend it. Nosie level is very energetic so don't plan on having a quiet dining experience..but worth it!"
Dined on 4/3/2014
"What can I say - it's the best Indian food I've ever had and one of the most elegant restaurants in town."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"Some of the best food and service in town. Try the palak chaat, pork chops and the date and toffee pudding."
Dined on 4/10/2014
"This by far, and I'm Indian mind you, is the best north-Indian cuisine you'll find. Anywhere in DC. Worth it to book a reservation weeks in advance. The flavors and aromas are unparalleled. Absolutely magnificent restaurant."
Dined on 4/8/2014
"Have been here a few times and the food is just amazing. Well-seasoned, delicious, and beautiful. The palaak chaat is truly incredible, one of the best things I've ever eaten, and our waiter had very good suggestions to make (there's a cauliflower appetizer that's also very good). Amazing naan, curry, and very cool samosas. Wine list is very extensive and they have a great sommelier. Very impressed and will return again, of course."
Dined on 4/7/2014
"As most people know, Rasika is known for 2 main dishes: the palak chaat, and the black cod. They are just great. If you haven't tried either, it's definitely worth making the trip out for a taste. That said, such popularity of these dishes can be a draw back if everyone wants the same thing. I went for an 8.30 dinner for my wife's birthday, but when we were set to order, the server informed us the black cod was sold out. We were pretty disappointed, but made the most of the evening and tried a few of their small plates which were also pretty good. (Eggplant, shrimp, lamb kabob, and tika masala). So, if you want to go for the black cod, I'd suggest an earlier reservation to make sure they still have them available to order."
Dined on 3/31/2014
"Parbhash was our remarkable server who was warm and welcoming. His suggestions were spot on and the food was fabulous. Rich flavor and just the right amount of spice. Cannot wait to come back."
Dined on 4/4/2014
"We had dinner with friends from overseas. We all loved the food and the cooking reminded them of home."
Dined on 4/3/2014
"I've heard many great things about this place, so I was very excited to finally go. Had a great time! Food was delicious, restaurant ambience was great, and service was excellent. I do think some of the food items are overpriced though; and I will say their Naan wasn't the best I've ever had. Still...definitely a place worth visiting. Reserve a table early, it gets booked fast!"
Dined on 4/2/2014
"Food was wonderful. Nothing whatsoever negative to say there. Unfortunately, our party of 4 arrived at 5:30 for an early dinner prior to a 7:30 program at the Kennedy Center and barely made curtain time in spite of alerting the host and wait staff of a 7 pm planned departure. All ordered off the pre-theater menu. No one ordered anything that should have taken long."
Dined on 4/1/2014
"The food here is excellent. My party was all vegetarian, and there were some really nice options. It's not cheap, but nice for a special occasion, which was our excuse (a birthday!)."
Dined on 3/5/2014
"The food is unbelivable And the service wonderfull"
Dined on 3/31/2014
"Complex flavors of each dish made this a memorable meal"
Dined on 3/31/2014
"For first time diners the tasting menu offered a great cross section of the menu. Our favorite dish was the black cod, cooked to perfection. Even the leftovers we took home were delicious a day later!"
Dined on 3/31/2014
"I had a business lunch at this resturant and food and service was great!"
Dined on 3/31/2014
"Two Portland foodies, straight off of a visit to one of the top restaurants in NYC, land in DC and are highly recommended to check out Rasika West End. Neither of us are particularly keen (or knowledgeable) on Indian food, but it may have been to our benefit because our server Bo completely took care of us. He designed an amazingly delicious meal experience for us, a fantastic combination of perfectly balanced flavors, complete with wine pairings and dessert. This meal beat out the Michelin star, James Beard Award NYC restaurant from a few days before in taste and in price - this was honestly one of the best meals I've ever had. Thanks for the great experience! We will certainly be back next time we're in DC."
Dined on 3/26/2014
"Drinks and food at Rasika are really great. The amibiance is great as well. Sitting in the bar is an experience as the bartenders, specially Dante, make sure you feel comfortable and have a really good time! Ask for Nanditas - they are great!"
Dined on 3/28/2014
"It is hard to find fault with unbelievably delicious high-end Indian fare -- innovative selections, edgy and astoundingly beautiful surroundings, attentive service. Yet there is something quite annoying when a restaurant charges for every little thing. It is difficult to imagine, for example, eating any of the terrific entrees fundamentally requires rice, yet Rasika charges $3.00 for a relatively small bowl of -- well-prepared -- jasmine rice. When quickly consumed by our party of three, it was another $3.00, and then another $3.00. Same for Naan bread -- one serving is one piece of bread (at $3.00 or $4.00) for one person. I must admit, while the entrees and appetizers at Rasika are world class, the pricing model certainly is not."
Dined on 3/28/2014
"Rasika never fails..no matter if we order the tried and true or we venture to new tastes. Everything is skillfully prepared and well presented. Yes for the signature spinach, add the cauliflower app and then let your tastes find a home. If you eat fish, the black cod w quinoa will delight."
Dined on 3/28/2014
"Wonderful restaurant, service impeccable, lots of delicious food choices, have to return. Loved the lamb appetizer and the rockfish. Sorbet dessert magnificent. As first timers the main problem was finding it--and locating the valet. There is construction on that block of New Hampshire and initially the directions were in error. It's one way, and on the left side of the street. After circling and calling in they eventually put a different person on the phone who gave accurate directions. Rush hour makes it imperative that accurate directions be given or else you find yourself circling in an endless loop. On arrival, everything was perfect. Fortunately we had leeway in our schedule because this is a popular and busy restaurant."
Dined on 3/28/2014
"The food is exquisite. The service is impeccable. The decor is chic. The patrons are first class."
Dined on 3/28/2014

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