Service was attentive and fantastic. Ambiance and atmosphere was relaxing, cozy with colorful artwork. Environment is not extremely casual, but more upward casual to semi-upscale. Tables had mini candles, white tablecloths and cloth napkins. I wish there were images of the food on the menu to get an idea of what some of the dishes were like. Everything like the curries, all came out in square shaped bowls, rather than on individual plates. I ordered Tandori Chicken which came with white basmati rice, and a side of plain naan bread. The chicken was delish, however it was dry and needed something wet like a curry to bring it all together. Next time, I would order another dish with the tandori chicken to bring it all together. The basmati rice was made perfectly, fluffy with toasted cumin seeds and a hint of oil. The plain naan bread was baked to perfection, toasty on the outside, chewy and moist on the inside with a hint of oil drizzled on top. Yumm! I had a Tamarind Margarita, which was unique and had a good kick to it. Everyone in my group enjoyed their food. Some folks shared a few items so they had more options. I would do that the next time. Highly recommend. read more

Cafe of India - Tandoori Chicken, Naan bread, Basmati rice, Tamarind Margarita - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was good, service was great! I would go back if I was in the area, and definitely have more I'd like to try. read more

Cafe of India - Lamb Curry, Shrimp Coconut Masala, Chicken Biryani, Pistawala Chicken, Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Stopped by on my way over to Washington DC. Tried the buffet on Saturday, it's a pretty small buffet, but everything prepared is fresh, even the chutneys. It's pretty hard to find fresh food, especially in a buffet setting. Because restaurants are usually trying to pass leftover food for their buffet. Wood flooring, nice chandelier and friendly service. read more

Cafe of India - Buffet - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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very attentive service, my water was never past half empty. the food was just what we needed, classic and authentic. i have to say the vindaloo could be spicier but that's just my pallete. i'm sure it's the level most people prefer. also: very very clean and a tranquil atmosphere. read more

Cafe of India - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been to Cafe of India many times over the years. It's one of the best Indian restaurants around. Food is amazing! Friendly service and very clean. I've had their lunch menu recently and everything was delicious. read more

Horrific racist encounter. I walked into a near empty restaurant and was ignored for five minutes. I waited patiently. Eventually two gentlemen walked in and the server sprung into service and sat them. I the. Asked if he knew O was waiting. His response was "Table for one". No apologies. And a condescending expression to boot. Shocking! read more

I just ordered from here for the first time after reading RECENT Yelp reviews, and they were spot on: 1) Vindaloo was the spiciest I've had in the DMV (everyone here makes it so weak; insulting!), as requested 2) As someone who cooks a lot of Indian himself, the flavors were authentic (no pastes, preparation felt fresh) and in-line with some of the curries I've had in Miami and London and elsewhere I look forward to ordering again! Well done, guys! read more

Amazing food, great service and great staff. I was in the area for work with a colleague, I'm eating mostly plant based for earth month so we thought Indian food would be a happy halfway point for my coworker and myself. I was happy to choose vegetarian/vegan options from the starts menu (they're clearly marked) then saw that the whole back portion of the menu was vegan and vegetarian! I got the Baigan Bartha w Lime Chutney and garlic naan. It was delicious. I would love to try more of their food, especially the dessert when I'm eating animal products again. The staff was so friendly and helpful. We got takeout because it was close to closing time on a Sunday, we were given complimentary drinks while we waited, it was such a thoughtful gesture. read more

Cafe of India - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is one of the best Indian food in the Dc and Va area. Liking Indian food had allowed me to try many many restaurants in the area and this one is now my top choice. Service was even better than food and we felt welcome, almost like family Very clean and easy to find parking We will be back for sure read more

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A pretty chill place: the waitstaff was friendly, and the food was tasty. The lunch special is a good $ deal, and you get to customize what you want which is nice. read more

Cafe of India - Lunch Thali w/Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken curry, Shahi Paneer, basmati, Garlic Naan, and Gulab Jamun - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Delicious, perfectly spiced and delivered quickly. I love saag/palak paneer and it was perfect

The art is beautiful and the food is spectacular! I love this place. It does not hurt that service is excellent. read more

Cafe of India - The art is beautiful and the food is spectacular! - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best Indian place nearby, the staff is very polite, and the food is awesome. Ambience is great and restaurant is very clean!

My husband ordered take out from here tonight and everything was delicious. We had naan, rice, buttered chicken, tikka masala and a delicious dish made with potatoes, but I'm blanking on the name. Everything was perfectly seasoned and so flavorful. I wish I took pictures but the pictures wouldn't of done justice since they were in to-go containers. I told my husband this is going to be the next place we go for date night, because I'd love to eat at the restaurant itself. If you haven't eaten from here before, you have to give it a try. I am so excited for our leftovers tomorrow! read more

Beautiful restaurant, beautiful service, wonderful food! I can't wait to come back! The staff was so kind and hospitable from the beginning. Thank you and cheers! read more

If you ever find yourself in Washington, DC, and you're not sure where to go for something with *real* flavor, let me make it easy for you--head straight to Café of India. No reservation? No problem! We strolled in, hungry enough to eat the menu, and were promptly seated with the kind of warm welcome that instantly made us feel like regulars. We didn't bother with the starters because our stomachs had already made up their minds--shrimp coconut masala, Methiwalla lamb, and spinach with garlic naan? Yes, please. The food arrived in a timely manner--delicious, full of flavor, and at that *just-right* temperature that says, "I've been waiting for you to devour me." The lamb? Perfectly spiced, the shrimp? Melt-in-your-mouth, and the naan? Let's just say it could have been its own main course. But the real stars were the servers, who were as polite as they were attentive. They didn't just serve food, they served smiles and asked if everything was perfect--or if we wanted anything else. (We did, but we were too full from the first round of greatness.) And then came the grand finale: Gulab Jamun and Carrot Halwa. Sure, they're not exactly "low-cal," but hey, when you're living your best life in a place like this, you just go for it. And my friends, it was the perfect sweet ending to a perfect meal. So if you're in the mood for authentic Indian food, impeccable service, and a dessert experience that could have its own fan club, Café of India has you covered. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you. read more

The best garlic naan we have ever had! The chicken tikka masala was amazing, cannot recommend enough! read more

Cafe of India - Amazing lunch special! Best Garlic Naan, everything was so good! - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What could be a wonderful little gem - turned out to be a a dud! The food is good but if you want to wait an hour for entrees to arrive, then have the food order arrive missing one entree and wait another half hour for the missing entree to be served, then this is the place for you. The management on duty on 12-29-23 was indifferent to our comments that the delay in food service was unacceptable. There are other wonderful Indian restaurants in DC that far out surpass this place - forget this place. Try the Bombay Club - impeccable service and food. read more

I love this place. It's great for vegetarians and vegans. The service is good and the food is great. My favorite dishes are the palak paneer, Chana masala, bindi, and the daal makhani. Once I got a mango lassi and it was good. Also the place is always very clean, which I appreciate in a restaurant. read more

I am so happy to have found this delicious Indian restaurant in NW DC. I definitely recommend this spot among all the options in this area. I am willing to make the trek to other parts of MD for good Indian food, but I am so glad my craving for aloo paratha (not pictured) spontaneously brought me in to Cafe of India today.... I enjoyed a light (affordable!) lunch of lentil soup and paratha and it was absolutely delicious! The lentil soup was craveable and the mango lassi was an unexpected treat. It was not too sweet and perfectly creamy. Above all, the service and ambiance is superior. This is the same family/team that runs Spice Street in Silver Spring and the quality and flavors are consistent across both restaurants. I'm eager to return on a day I'm hungrier for my next thali. Thank you Rajj and Akash! :-) read more

Cafe of India - Lentil Spinach Soup& mango Lassi - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great service and ambiance! The food was so good. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

Cafe of India - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I come here a lot and the food is always quick and tasty. They also offer takeout. I would recommend the Tadka Daal, onion kulcha, and all their naan, but you honestly you can't go wrong with this menu. I would recommend to choose many dishes if you are with others as they are small and shareable. Their takeout is always good quality and the food is warm and packaged well. They have followed COVID-19 protocols very well and they distance tables and limit capacity. All in all this is a great neighborhood spot. read more

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We got delivery a few weeks ago, just adequate vs. other available restaurant options. Pros: * Excellent Naan * Cheese cubes in Spinach (Palak Paneer), easily the best I've had Cons * Rice was just okay * Slow delivery - showed up over an hour late and cold ... when we called about the delay they just kept saying "a few more minutes" read more

Cafe of India - Our Naan, a little burned but still great - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of the most flavorful baigan bharta I have ever had. Excellent, super fresh raita and delicious garlic naan. And perfect and generous serving of gulab jamun. Very, very easy to order vegetarian or vegan (or not). Friendly, efficient service. Totally worth coning! read more

Cafe of India - Gulab jamun - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On a recent Tuesday night, I stopped for takeout. Ordered chicken tikka, spicy lamb, cauliflower appetizers, and some Naan and paratha bread. Food is very tasty and reasonably priced. They had my order well prepared and I popped in and out to grab it. This is not the first time I have eaten at Café of India. I have died in as well pre-Covid. Overall, this is a delicious choice for a nice Indian meal. read more

We've eaten at and ordered takeout from Cafe of India literally dozens of times over the last couple of years. This is absolutely our go-to place for Indian cuisine. We have literally never had a bad experience. The food is prepared perfectly and presented beautifully. Always hot and fresh and delicious. They're reliable on the spicy front. If you ask for spicy, you get spicy. If you ask for mild, you get mild. Service is incredibly friendly and paced appropriately. Samosas- excellent Muligatawny - amazing Lamb chops - killer Curries - Delicious It's seriously all good. Go there. Keep these guys in business! read more

A Little cozy Indian restaurant in Tentleytown The staff was very welcoming. Ordered a couple of appetizers ( Mixer). It was really good and plentiful. Main course was plentiful and very tasteful and delicious. Would highly recommend read more

Cafe of India - This plate was called the Mixer and it was great. - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great little spot that I happen to be driving past and was feeling some Indian food. They are Peloch paneer was really good with extra tofu. I also ordered the butter chicken which was really good but I asked for a spicier version but it was not given to me. In addition, I ordered the samosas and three came in one order and they were relatively small. I went in to pick up my order and I wasn't greeted, in fact I found them to not be very friendly. Nevertheless I look for the bag with my name on it retrieved it and went on my merry way. They're not bad but I've definitely had better. I will add pictures later but there wasn't really anything read more

Cafe of India - Palak paneer with the naan - Indian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It took me awhile to find a go-to Indian restaurant, but Cafe India is it! All the dishes have distinct flavor profiles, and the vegetables are not cooked so much that they turn mushy. Another problem I sometimes have with other Indian restaurants is that the food is delicious but a little heavy and it ends up upsetting my stomach. The food from Cafe India is flavorful and satisfying but not too heavy. I also appreciate that the restaurant offers its own online ordering and you are not forced to go through a third party food delivery service. Our orders have always been on time, packaged well, and still hot when delivered so I know it hasn't been sitting around. We've only ordered takeout during the pandemic, but I look forward to an in-person visit at some point. #ThankYouThursday to Cafe India for being standout in so many ways! read more

Excellent dinner. The dishes were all tasty and reasonably priced. Loved the eggplant appetizer and the Aloo Chat. One of the best Indian restaurants in the area. read more

The nice thing about this little stretch of restaurants between Tenleytown and Friendship Heights is that you can actually park here easily and without paying. Unusual, to say the least. Yelp says this is my 13th Indian restaurant review in the District alone, so that's what I lead with at this point. The menu is pretty standard on the entree side, but their appetizers are a little more diverse (and expensive) than many, including, to my delight, the classic masala dosa. That being said, the dosa was decent but no better than that, being crispy and more than a tad greasy, and the accompanying sambar was radically salty. The mini samosas were fine, but simply seemed to be an excuse to do less samosa for more money. Entrees, including paneer in tomato cream sauce and a basic chickpea curry were likewise fine, but by no means great. The setting is quite pleasant; it really does feel like a cafe in being small and open. The view is only of a relatively quiet stretch of Wisconsin Avenue, but I happen to like watching this city. It bears mentioning that the Yelp checkin deal is a pretty good one (free appetizer, and these are some big apps). At the end of the day, it's quite typical for an Indian restaurant in the city, and I'd return but not go way out of my way for it. Probably a 2.5, rounded up to 3 because it's a nice place to eat. read more

My wife and I are lovers of Indian food. We consider Cafe of India to be the best Indian food in the DC area. The ambiance and service is also five star. Just a great place. read more

We eat out on Xmas. Usually Asian. Then I has an eureka moment. India is in Asia. So we started out with the spinach chat. The leaves are nice and crisp, but a little too much oil, and too little contrast in flavors leaves room for improvement. We followed up with a classic, palak paneer. Nice spice, spinach and cheese entwined make for a healthy tasty dish. Then we went with a couple specials. The first was shrimp with pistachio sauce. Good mix of spices, and properly cooked shrimp made it a winner. The other dish was lamb with apricots. Tender lamb and loved the sauce. However, it turned out the apricots were blended into the sauce, and consequently lost. A few apricot pieces would have taken it to the next level. Still a very good meal worthy of Christmas dinner, or any other dinner for that matter. read more

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This was our go to place for delivery. Solid food but have had problems with timely delivery in past. Last night ordered in - was supposed to be delivered in 30-45 minutes. After being en route for a while. It was abruptly cancelled at 70 minutes past delivery. When I called the restaurant- their reply was once DoorDash took it it was out of their hands. No offers to expedite another order, contact the driver, or provide other compensation. Will not use again! Editing review to respond to manager: I appreciate your taking the time to respond but if I have to do carry out in order to get good service, you should not offer delivery. Or you should partner with someone else. Italian Pizza Kitchen excels at providing its own efficient and fast delivery services. The response of the person I talked to was totally lacking in any desire to deal with me or attempt to fix the problem. read more

Fabulous food and service. Try the chicken pistawala and the spinach. Just a lovely quiet and nice restaurant.

Really tasty dishes . I've never been disappointed after many meals with many friends. Sensational flavors, from a Curry snob. Thanks read more

Excellent, well-spiced food and thoughtful service. A neighborhood gem that deserves more attention.

Been here a few times. It has always been very satisfying. Went last week on my birthday along with spouse. Food was terrific. Service was wonderful. Bought three entrees for two people just to make sure we had leftovers to take home. Highly recommend. read more

Ordered takeout from here this week and everything was delicious! We got Punjabi curry chicken (spicy), Baigan Bharta (medium spicy), garlic naan, crackling spinach, and cardamom rice pudding. The rice pudding was full of flavor and I plan to get it again soon! I also recommend getting the crackling spinach appetizer -- the portion size was very generous. I did wish there was a bit more rice for two people, but we made it work. I easily placed my order online through their website and the food was ready quickly. When I picked up the food I saw the inside of the restaurant and it looked like such a nice place to sit. Would love to come back here and dine in one day, but for now takeout is great! This spot is only an 8 minute walk from the Tenleytown-AU metro station (red line). It's easy to get to and you should try it if you haven't already! read more

We order from here about 1-2 times a month. The food is always consistently good. The chicken vindaloo is great as are the many other varied things we've tried. We always do carry out and have never eaten in the restraurant but management and staff is always friendly and accommodating. A great addition to the neighborhood. read more