We had a great experience here today with Linda! She was an awesome waitress and super sweet. We came in today when they opened at 11:30 and they were just setting up their lunch buffet (m-thur). It was $14 a person and then kids are $10. The aroma and space were clean and peaceful. Everything was beautiful and felt like we were back in India. The food was outstanding. A variety of salad, curry, paneer and chicken as well as some vegetable fritters and naan. All of the food was hot and fresh. The butter naan was Amazing! My girls went up for thirds. The rice was perfect and each dish was so flavorful. We had water at the table and opted for an extra dish of rice pudding at the end. It was so reasonably priced and we all left stuffed! The service was fast and friendly and they made sure everyone had what they needed for a great meal. Like I mentioned previously Linda was fantastic and she even took my girls to the bathroom (I didn't realize it was connected to the building and had to walk out and to another space) and as a mother I appreciate that gesture so much! We would gladly return. I took several pictures of the menus and inside. They even have a special valentines menu. Def check this one out! read more

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Still a 5 star review years later. The service staff are very kind, and I appreciate that we did not feel rushed out and could sit and talk for an hour after we finished (tables were not full). Excellent variety of veg options. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The food is usually good. Sometimes they are busy and will run out of items or when it's slower the naan is dry. The server and gentleman that goes back to bring the refills from the kitchen is usually pretty prompt. We really enjoy the tandoori chicken most, but sometimes there is a drier less flavorful chicken. I always appreciate they have paneer and vegan option. They usually have a salad, chai, rice. The choices for chutney is good. The server takes away the dirty plates rather quickly. The missing star is an issue I've seen a few times. I am not sure if they don't see it. I have seen on multiple occasions and multiple visits customers reusing dirty plates they have eaten off of. I am not sure if they should post a sign saying please use a clean plate for every visit. I mentioned it kindly once to a youngerish girl thinking she didn't know better. Then another person from her table reused a plate. Sigh. Then proceeded to laugh and say oh naughty. On another visit a while later I saw a man reuse his plate. It was pretty empty and thought the server saw. I felt like I don't want to say anything after the last time and that I shouldn't have to. It gives me pause if I would want to go back. read more

Great food overall with quality quantity! Ordered on uber eats for BOGO naan as well. Had the chicken tikka, will recommend going back

I had long wanted to visit this establishment because of its classic interior design. The food was acceptable; however, the portions were relatively small and somewhat overpriced. Although the curry chicken was enjoyable, it was ultimately disappointing from my perspective, as it lacked any level of spiciness and was not accompanied by naan bread. The service, however, was good. I guess something might had change because it wasn't as good as those review mentioned in the past. read more

The lunch buffet is delicious and extremely affordable at $14 for AYCE! The food was well seasoned but not overly spiced and the location inside is beautiful. read more

Amazing all around! The bartender and servers are very kind and attentive, the atmosphere is gorgeous. It's peaceful yet open to laughter. It's where I'll bring all my friends and family. Food is very flavorful as well! read more

Namaste Jalsa - Gorgeous - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I love this place! The food is great and all the staff are patient and attentive. I love the chicken tandoori, and the lamb chops are my absolute favorite of all the food I have ever had a restaurant! read more

Late dinner with friends, so had place to ourselves. We were hungry and in the mood for some good drinks. Old fashion, margarita, Long Island iced tea and a couple of mocktails. The bartender was very accommodating and everyone was happy! For appetizers we thoroughly enjoyed Raj Kachori (a rare find in Indian restaurants outside India), pani puri, shrimp, kebabs, and palak chaat. Dinner was a medley of Thalis (fish, and meat), a la carte lamb, daal, and palak paneer. Everything was great. Staff was attentive and friendly. Went home happy after a memorable Indian meal in the heart of Alexandria. read more

I wish I could give Namaste Jalsa a 4-star because of how friendly the staff were and how great the food tasted, but unfortunately we found a ladybug in one of our dishes and after that we couldn't enjoy the rest of our meal... But for the bug issue, I would recommend Namaste Jalsa to anyone looking for a solid Indian restaurant that serves all the traditional dishes you've come to expect. Maybe one day in the future when this one-off experience (hopefully) is a distant memory, I can give Namaste Jalsa another try and update this review with more positive feedback considering how well the meal was going before the incident. read more

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I've walked by this place a hundred+ times over the years... I love Old Town and have spent many a day and night there. I've always wondered about this place, but was hesitant to stop in for two reasons: 1. It's an Indian restaurant and me being Pakistani, I'm not too fond of the style of curry the Indians prepare. 2. The biggest reason though is that typical of these Indian places along popular/busy thoroughfares, they "Americanize" the food too much. Thus much of the authentic flavor, spice, and heat isn't prevalent. Since I was in the area for work, I stopped in for a late lunch. The lady working the dining room was very friendly and helpful. Their menu is huge! But it's all Indian food... as an example, Chicken Karahi wasn't on it, but Kadai was. I started with their veggie pakora. Pakora is a fritter where they dip veggies (or meats, but mostly veggie only) into a spiced, orange-colored batter then fry it. They make them fresh, so the end result of the fried goodie has strings of the batter in its formation - YUMMM!!! But their pakora was a patty. It appears they used a similar batter and minced the veggies and then patted them all into a patty and sautéed them. The form factor was way off and the way they prepared this actually did affect the flavor... not for the positive. Next up was the entrée, Chicken Kadai in a medium heat. The heat was respectable, definitely far from spicy. The chicken in it was boneless, flavored quite nicely, and very tender. The sauce was decent, but overdone and thick from the pre-preparing they must do... It appeared they pre-made the sauce and then add the protein when it's ordered. The bell peppers were added fresh and that was a nice touch! The rice that came with the entrée was decent. Finally, I asked for a side dish of palak or saag - I'm not sure which they actually serve. Palak is simply spinach, saag is a mix of mustard greens typically with spinach... I prefer saag for the depth of flavor, but I do love both. I have to say, they ground down/stewed down their greens perfectly! It had the perfect texture, which should NOT resemble steamed spinach! It should simply be a thick, green pasty texture. The flavor was decent, though I felt it was missing some spices and the flavor wasn't as rich as I prefer. Heat was on the boring side, at least for me it was. And lastly, I like sauces, so I asked for a bowl of their raita. It had a slimy texture rather than the typical thick, rich yogurt texture. It also was lacking the cucumber slivers that make it bright like a tzatziki. I really didn't like it at all. Frankly, it didn't seem fresh to me. I'm not a fan of using utensils to eat my curries, rather I prefer roti, it's thinner and not as filling as naan, but should have a nice mix of wheat and regular flour. It should almost resemble a tortilla, slightly thicker and usually these are made in a tawa, which is a much flatter style wok. I absolutely love a properly made roti (I grew up calling them chapati) - Theirs was decent. It wasn't too thick. The flavor was on the bland side, but the texture was spot-on. It definitely worked fine to use as a way to eat my curry. Overall - I can see why this place is rated so high. But what I've learned is that "Authentic" Pakistani (and other ethnic joints, like Szechuan) places are absolutely BEST when there overall rating is middle of the road (like 2 - 3 stars), as most "typical Americans" don't know what to expect, so they rate these authentic places based on how they rate the local Outback, Texas Roadhouse, etc... This place deserves the 4 stars I'll give them for their style and presentation. But would I return? Probably not.... But have at it and enjoy! read more

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Visiting from out of town and found this quaint restaurant. They were very friendly and the food was exceptional.

I really enjoyed the food and service. My family and I dined here while on vacation. We enjoyed chicken tikka masala, dal mahakani, dal tadka, bhindi masala, sekawa chicken, raita and garlic naan. Delicious! The service was great and very friendly. The ambiance was nice also. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Delicious Indian and Nepalese food! - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

It's ok - not really bad but not really good as well. I was with parents so ended up going to this as it was closest. Service was decent, not very fast but not very slow. Ambiance is decent, nothing special. read more

We recently had my nephew's wedding reception lunch which was reserved in advance. We notified the restaurant that we were running late and they assured us that it was not a problem. But upon our arrival we were told that they had sold off the veg thalis that we had pre ordered and our only option was the buffet which basically had no veg options other than rice and dal and some cold pakoras. They did not want to provide us with any other menu options. While the restaurant manager was trying to accommodate us, one of the owners extremely rude and mean. He was constantly yelling and wanted us out of there. He did not even want to provide us with a knife to cut the wedding cake. It seemed like he had no clue how to be in the hospitality business; he should not be allowed to oversee this restaurant. It was a special day, so the least the restaurant could do was to be more polite and helpful in their behavior. I will never step in this restaurant again. read more

My background: I've only had Indian food a few times, so please read this with the caveat that I cannot judge this food for its authenticity. Food: I ordered the green chicken soup, chicken tikka masala, and garlic naan. The soup came out first and I was immediately hooked on the taste. Honestly I could see myself coming here for just the soup in the future. The naan came with four pieces, which seems fairly standard, and the chicken for the tikka masala was generous. Service: The food came out in less than 10 minutes of ordering. The waiters came by frequently to refill my water and moved a fan in my direction to keep me cool! My main waiter was very personable. Atmosphere: I went on a Sunday evening and there was only one large group and a few other duos. Most of their business seem to come from online orders. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Chicken Tikka Masala Garlic Naan Large Rice - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Great food, great service, great happy hour! Lagunitas IPA $3 Seriously good food choices on happy hour menu. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Happy Hour menu - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This is an excellent Indian restaurant. There are a few options in Alexandria (and even in Old Town), but I'd highly recommend this place. The tandoori chicken was among the best I've had. They do the other standards very well too - samosas, the curries, etc. Their spice level is mild, medium or spicy, and we opted for mild. I'd recommend getting at least medium next time - for a little more heat. Service was good too - attentive without being too much so. Ambience was about what you expect at an Indian restaurant - lots of tables. read more

We stopped by at Namaste Jalsa to celebrate some friends and were pleasantly surprised! Located at old town Alexandria, this Indian location is so warm and ideal for a date, food with friends, and/or family. It was not super busy on a Friday night which was surprising, but it certainly picked up a little as the night went on. However we made a reservation and we're seated immediately upon arrival. There are so many drink options for cocktails, beers (non-American/south-Asian), wines, and some non-alcoholics. The drink service was super fast and so were our appetizers, but the entrées took a little bit which was also due to our larger group of 8+ The chicken 65 is a must! And honestly, so I'd like half of the menu. The Dahl was amazing and we had the softest naans, and of course the biryani was fresh and tasty. None of these dishes were spicy/hot by the way so no need to worry about that. Also, there are vegan + vegetarian options. Great and friendly service as well. Super warm staff and ambiance. Stop by if you're in the area. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Dahl, Saagwala Paneer, rice - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Tried the chicken curry, lamb biryani, malai kafta, momos and several different naan. All tasted great and portion sizes were good. Will definitely try again when we're back in town. read more

Really flavorful with good service. Linda was very nice. Great meal. I had the thali with meat. Excellent

I recently ate in this restaurant that I had previously left a review stating that they needed to clean up their shop front. I am so pleased to see that they took my advice. It looks absolutely beautiful now. They are even having a day for hannah applications for customers which I think is a wonderful idea. I knew that this place had so much potential.And they have proven me right Namaste! read more

Very good Indian option near Old Town Alexandria. The standard North Indian dishes are reliably good. The chicken 65 and the momos are underrated treats. read more

Food was absolutely amazing. I am a repeat customer, and I always bring my friends from out of town to Namaste Jalsa. This is the spot for impressing! Food is so fragrant, and always leaves me stuffed but wanting more... the servers are warm, attentive, and personable. You can't ask for more! There is an upscale ambiance to the decor with a casual, homey feeling to the restaurant as a whole. Love this place. read more

Another mediocre Indian establishment bites the dust lol. I only wanted to come here to get their Indian buffet which apparently they don't do anymore. Womp womp. Anyway I ended up getting the lamb biryani which was fine. We also got garlic naan bread and cauliflower pakoras. Despite me telling them multiple times that I didn't want any cilantro they still put it pretty much in everything. What in the actual fudge is that. Especially after it was mentioned several times before and they made kind of a big stink about removing it. It's not that hard to do and what's the point in giving instructions if you're not going to follow them? Anyway I thought the meal was a bit expensive given the quality of the food. They have parking in the lot but it's back in the back and it's very tight in an office parking lot shared with dentists and other businesses. If you have a big car at likely won't fit. They have plenty of street parking and you'll have to be careful because they do ticket heavily here. The ambience of the restaurant was just okay bathroom was clean and I had no major complaints about it. If I was in the area I don't think I would come back here because there are other places for Indian food that I would prefer. read more

Fair step-down on JULY 20th 2023 evening?? I don't recommend after third take out visit" read more

Namaste Jalsa - Reheated ruber quality lamb korma for military Veteran's palate" - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

We came for lunch on Father's Day in the afternoon and everything from atmosphere to service to our meals was top notch! Our server was so kind and considerate, and recommended great foods to try for the members of our family who were new to Indian cuisine. We will definitely be coming back some other time, and would recommend Namaste to all!! read more

A+ food and service! Rinki was a delightful server. I was a little overwhelmed with the extensive menu, everything sounded so good and interesting. Chicken Korma is usually my favorite but I was in a vegetarian mood. Rinki chatted with me about my likes, and gave a confident recommendation for Malai Kofta. It was fantastic. The portion was very generous, so I made myself be prudent and get a box for the leftovers. Two hours later, I had finished off the leftovers as well. read more

Solid Indian spot with no frills. They have vegan options but not clearly marked on the menu which would have been ideal. Had an eggplant dish and samosas which were tasty and a good margarita. read more

Lovely restaurant, a friend and I shared dinner here last night. I ordered the chicken tikka and the saagwal paneer with some regular naan, she had the spring rolls and the fried rice. Great combo, absolutely delicious. Very attentive service, and the restaurant seems fancy enough for a nice date or a big group dinner. Also, they do delivery I think, and the leftovers tasted great this morning too! read more

Namaste Jalsa - Chicken tikka, Saagwala Paneer, Rice, Chickpeas in tikka curry - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Please, someone tell them to get a new carpet. The place is totally dirty! The service is good and unlike the one in rosehill, food here is totally inconsistent. And what's the deal with the TVs? Is it a sports bar? You've got a good location, spent a few $ and clean it up. read more

-the veg sampler was ok. Nothing special. - garlic naan was ok. Very garlicy. I like my naan a little crispy and here it was just soft. My friend like its really garlicy and she enjoyed it. Overall 7/10 naan -malai kofta was AMAZING. One of the best malai kofta I have ever had. The sauce was very good. -the paneer was really good. Solid paneer. Ambiance and service was nice. Service was quick. read more

Namaste Jalsa - Malai Kofta in bottom left Paneer in middle - Indian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I really wanted to like this place. The staff was super friendly but the food just didn't do it for me. We got some the dumplings and two entrees. The dumplings were good but nothing special. The entrees we got both had some solid flavors but the meat had a texture of being old and over cooked. Very chewy and almost hard at points. Wondering if it just isn't as fresh since the place was totally empty. read more

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Really great service, they are super attentive and prompt. We came during their lunch buffet and it was a pretty standard Indian buffet. I judge an Indian place by their chicken tikka masala and their's passed the test. Most of the dishes were good, some were just okay (like the eggplant one). They also had dessert, which we didn't really care much for. Overall, it was a pretty good value for lunch. We checked in on Yelp so we took advantage of the check-in offer and the manager was accommodating of that as well! If you are hungry during lunch and craving Indian food, I'd recommend you coming here, you really can't beat the value and the quantity of food! read more

Amazing lunch buffet! The tandori chicken is delicious. The service is above and beyond!

Absolutely delicious. We love Indian food and enjoy trying Indian restaurants in cities all over. This was a very good one. The dishes choices were generally typical of other restaurants with a couple of ones we had not tried before. The flavors were excellent and the food was prepared quite well. The presentation was very pleasant and the staff were terrific. The restaurant was clean, as were the restrooms. read more

We were hungry and decided to try out a different Indian restaurant than we normally visit for lunch one day. Ambience is key. With that said, the ambience of the environment was stellar. I just wish I could say the same about the quality of the food. However, the service was quick and staff was more than friendly. Another note is that their bathroom is not actually inside the restaurant. It's a short walk outside the restaurant, located adjacent to the other professional business offices. It was clean from what I recall. Overall, the prices seem to be more expensive for the quality of food we're used to eating. read more

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Great food & Greet service . Paneer Bhuri was one of the best. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our request of specific table/booth. read more

Came here on Valentine's Day with no reservation and was sat immediately. I ordered the butter chicken that I absolutely loved. I had a great time the vibe of the restaurant was very chill. Have been back for the butter chicken and it is seriously the best butter chicken I've ever had. read more

Namaste is fine. It was almost empty when I visited, later on a weekday evening, which would usually make me leave, but they have good reviews. I probably should've left as everything was just OK, and nothing compels me back. I waited a while to be seated. My server was incredibly nice and friendly. The garlic naan and lamb Madras didn't really have much flavor. Lamb was oily. The chicken choe-la was super dry but quite tasty and well-seasoned. Nothing really stood out. On my way out, I noticed they did a brisk takeout/delivery business, but I'm not sure why. You can do better in Alexandria. read more

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