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    Passage to India

    3.8 (272 reviews)
    ModerateIndian, Vegan
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Passage to India Takeout or Delivery

    Passage to India Photos

    PASSAGE TO INDIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Lily S.

    Good service, nice decor, but pretty basic and unimpressive food. We opted for the lunch special- the naan was probably the highlight of the meal. The rice had peas in it, which was a first. I also expected something closer to basmati... this rice reminded me of something I could make at home, not something you get at a restaurant. Service is friendly enough albeit not overly attentive. I loved the decor though, especially the beautiful doors. Overall- would not recommend and not planning on coming back any time soon. Garage parking across the street is very convenient.

    Maitrayee D.

    Always my favorite restaurant to go to.Love the decor . We were there for a party . Menu was created according to the host . Rice , Dal with cauliflower yummy .My all time favorite was the eggplant dish . Paneer was good too . Fish and goat meat was very good . Best was the dessert Shahi Tukra and Dates kheer . Appetizers were veg cutlet and fish cutlet yummy .Full of flavor .Always enjoy their palak chaat . Must visit this restaurant.

    Aarti B.

    Delicious, authentic mild Indian food - get the Beguni Khazna vegeterian Thali! The Thali is a great way to sample a bunch of Indian curries - Vegetable Korma, Paneer Tikka, and Palak Corn, Dhal Mahkani Lentils served with Basmati Rice, Raita yogurt, and Naan as well as a variety of apps - Samosa, Aloo Tikka potato patty, and Pakora crispy fritter. The $28 Thali was well worth the cost! The food was fresh, flavorful, and pipping hot! I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't spicy. I rarely see the 3 dishes - korma, tikka, and paneer served together in a Thali. It's hard to pick out a favorite curry, everything was very good. The crispy Samosa was my favorite followed by the Pakora. I mopped up all the delicious curries with the fluffy garlic naan. While the naan was good and had soft bubbly texture, it wasn't as pillowy soft as I hoped for and a bit undercooked on the edges. Hubby enjoyed the Lunch special Chicken TIkka along with Dhal Makhani and Garlic Naan and rice. There are about a dozen dishes offered on the lunch special. $12 was very reasonable for the lunch special and the quantity of the food. The homey ambiance with traditional photos of princes and vibrant heavy doors "dharwaja" reminds me of the restaurants my parents took me to growing up. Sonali, the restaurant owner, is very nice and hospitable. Her husband built the restaurant 25 years ago and passed away a few years ago. She does an amazing job running it (he would be proud!). Looking forward to coming back when I'm in the area for the Thali!

    As we have not had Indian food in a while, and as it was reviewed by @TastesoftheUnion recently, we decided to try. So on Friday night, September 12th we walked in shortly after 5pm. We were the first customers that evening and were promptly seated. The place was clean and brightly lit. The bathroom was also very clean. The Mrs. ordered a Mango Lassi and I had Ice Tea. Since it was our first time, we decided to try the sampler platter and we were not disappointed. This give us a nice sampling of some of the more popular items. As we like Indian food, but cannot have anything too spicy. We found the food overall very nice -- nothing too overwhelming. Staff were attentive. Look forward to returning and trying some of their other dishes.

    Chicken Makhni and a couple of sides: lentils and eggplant (no longer in the menu)
    Daniela H.

    Oh-my-god! I enjoyed every single thing I ate. My pictures don't make the beauty of their dishes justice. I tried several different dishes and was lucky enough to be accompanied by my friend who is originally from India and ordered everything for me. With this, I can also say that their food is very traditional. What I loved the most was the calamari and their amazing lentils. Their samosas were also amazing. The service was excellent, everyone was welcoming and nice. The ambiance is alright, very traditional decor, I really liked their mosaic doors. I went there three days ago and already have plans for going back this week! I recommend that if you go in a group you order everything to share, everyone will get their own plate with rice and salad. Really happy with this find!

    Katie W.

    Loved everything we tried here from the samosa's to the palak chaat to the paneer makhani and especially the garlic naan. Everything was very rich and flavorful! The entrees also come with a side of rice and mixed veggies. Nice and quick service in a lovely atmosphere!

    L*Lamb Roganjosh Curry Lunch Specialty and l*L*Konkan Fish Curry Lunch Specialty
    Erica L.

    I enjoyed my in person dining experience. We hadn't been that keen to return after having a cashew dish last time that seemed to have turned but this time was smooth sailing. The dining room is nicely decorated and service is attentive. There are great, adorable lunch specials though there's a limited number of options, a few veg, a couple seafood, and a few meat options. Each is $11-12 and comes with rice and smoked black lentils and a very fresh salad of bell peppers, carrot, cucumber, and lettuce. Pay an extra $4.50 for a yellow lentil lemony soup, naan/roti, and rice pudding (though come to think of it, that never arrived). We really enjoyed the fish coconut milk curry which has a good amount of tang and complexity with quite tender fish, the stewed lamb roganjosh in a tomato based sauce, and the black daal which comes with. I do wish there was a little more rice with the dish as I ended up drinking spoonfuls of lentils and sauce at the end, and the fish curry could have had a few veg or something sprinkled in. There wasn't much heat spice but the flavors were quite balanced. We will definitely add this place to our lunch takeout rotation. There are a number of less American Indian restaurant standard dishes I'd like to try sometime when I'm not on the lunch special train.

    Sev Murmura Chaat
    Leemor Y.

    Service and food here were excellent. Came here to eat dinner - we were a group of 5. For starters we got the cheese brochette tandoori (4.5/5) and chaat (3.5/5) - both were very nice, would have enjoyed a sauce over the chaat but nice flavors nonetheless. For mains I got the saag paneer (4/5) and malai kofta (4.5/5), and a roti and naan. We also got a mango lassi (5/5), which was just right. I would definitely come again, this is a great choice. The decor (menu and doors) were awesome as well.

    Chef's sampler entrée

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    4 months ago

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    3 months ago

    My go-to place when I am in Bethesda. Everything is great!! Food, service, ambiance. All good. Excellent overall dining experience.

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    2 years ago

    The food was meh and expensive. Service was poor. Resting on past performance. Tired curtains and walls.

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    2 years ago

    Ate here yesterday for the first time. Absolutely delicious. Looking forward to going back again to try other dishes as well.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Passage to India

    A lot of the more interesting dishes seem to not be available for delivery anymore. Are they available for pickup, or has the menu been changed across the board?

    Passage to India has returned to full menu! Hooray! Though not delivery, I just had a fantastic lunch dining in (tables well-spaced apart).

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    Kadhai Boutique Indian Cuisine

    Kadhai Boutique Indian Cuisine

    4.2
    (587 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    It honestly pains me to write this one-star review because I've been going to Kadahi for years and…read moreit's always been one of my favorite spots. Unfortunately, the last few visits haven't been great, and tonight was the worst it's ever been. I ordered the matar paneer and it was watery and almost completely flavorless, which is very unlike what I've had there before. The rice was even more disappointing -- it tasted old and was hardened into clumps, almost molded into the shape of the container instead of being individual grains. It was difficult to even break apart. The samosas were good, which was the one bright spot, but the garlic naan barely had any garlic on it. Normally their naan is amazing and very flavorful. I'm really disappointed because this used to be my go-to spot for Indian food. I'm hoping this was just a bad night, but after a few recent experiences that were also lacking in freshness and flavor, I may have to start looking for a new place.

    I arrived shortly after they opened on a Sunday and this place was almost full of diners. They…read morefeature a $22 lunch buffet with around 10 items you can choose from. All of the food was fresh and delicious. I loved all of the seasoning and sauces. The tandoori chicken and goat were cooked perfectly. The meats were tender a juicy. There were a couple of parties that called prior and made reservations. The ambience was very warm and inviting. I saw some diners dining alone and many locals. There was also a large party of 12 dining here. The servers were attentive. My friend and I really enjoyed our dining experience here and will definitely be back to try out their dinner menu.

    Photos
    Overview of the restaurant.
    Overview of the restaurant.
    Samosa
    Samosa
    Bar overview of the restaurant.

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    Bar overview of the restaurant.
    Virraaj

    Virraaj

    4.2
    (154 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Got some take out from Virraj because my daughters (10 and 12) had a taste for some Indian food for…read moredinner We ordered: - Palak Chaat (Crispy spinach) - Butter Chicken - Naan The girls loved the Butter Chicken and the Naan. The Palak Chaat did not go over well. We were introduced to Palak Chaat when we dined at Rasika West End when some friends came to town. IT was so good there that we had to get a 2nd order because the girls could not get enough. The Virraj Palak Chat was not as crispy as Rasika's and had more toppings that made it a little soggy. I suspect the expereince could have been better had we dined in at Virraj and not done takeout as I suspect that this is a dish that is best enjoyed soon after it's made. Overall I would recommend based on the other dishes but the Palak Chaat at Rasika's was much better. Also their online order menu and their website needs pictures of their dishes.

    I came here with my parents for lunch on Saturday based on the rave reviews on Yelp. They didn't…read moresteer me wrong! We arrived at 12:15pm for lunch and we're the only one there. Hopefully they're busy for dinner because it was sad to see such a lovely restaurant completely empty. Everything we ordered had some kick to it (how I like it!). My parents got chicken Tikka masala. They said it was good but spicy (for them). I thought my channa dish was spicier. Beware if you're super sensitive to spice! The rice was a light brown and seasoned. I'm not sure if it was brown rice or white rice with seasoning, but it was very good. Prices were fair, especially for Bethesda. Please visit this restaurant! They deserve the business.

    Photos
    Virraaj
    AFGHANI SOYA CHAAP
    AFGHANI SOYA CHAAP
    Paratha

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    Paratha
    Commonwealth Indian Restaurant

    Commonwealth Indian Restaurant

    4.4
    (301 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    A delicious and delightful lunch at Commonwealth. I ordered the Butter Chicken Lunch Combo and it…read morewas a great amount of food: A portion of white rice, one garlic naan (cut into quarters), a bowl of daal (lentils, a bit spicy), the butter chicken (not spicy) and the avocado mango salad. The chicken was juicy and delicious in the velvety smooth creamy curry. I also loved the zesty salad and the luxuriously creamy and flavorful daal. My husband had the Yellow Crab Curry ($22.99). It contained a very generous portion of lumped crab and the curry was smooth and creamy as well. The curry came with rice and we had the option of ordering additional naan, if needed. The restaurant was very quiet for lunch and service was very attentive by the waiter and the Maître d' The restaurant itself is beautiful and has a nice amount of seating, especially for large events. The waiter advised me the restaurant served about 300 people for their Mother's Day brunch! I thought that was amazing. I also thought I couldn't imagine how difficult it would have been to go to the bathroom during such an event. The women's room had two stalls (and the accessible stall had a diaper changing table), but only one sink! Luckily that was not a concern during our lunch visit. Heads up, the wait staff will ask if you'd like a paper bag to carry out any leftovers, and they are $0.10/bag due to the bag tax.

    Our started with spinach chaat. The spinach was crispy as it should be, and pomegranate and mango…read moreadded nice contrast. We got naan but the plain naan was betty than the garlic. For entrees one got the chicken vindaloo. He loves heat, but this dish overwhelmed him. Along with his sputtering, his checks had a nice rosy red glow. Our crab curry was a nice change. I don't see crab on alot of Indian restaurant menus. It was blue crab, albeit from Louisiana. Tasted fine though. Our other dishes were butter chicken, and chicken tikka marsala. Both were fine, but most Indian restaurants have that down. We got good service, enjoyed the ambience, and recommend you give it a try.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Chicken Tikka Masala
    Chicken Tikka Masala
    Interior vibe

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    Interior vibe
    M&N's Pizza

    M&N's Pizza

    4.6
    (529 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Fantastic!! The owner greeted us and he was so friendly and personable. This is a small take out…read morekind of spot and it is worthwhile to check out! Their menu is so unique. This isn't an ordinary pizza spot! Their pizzas are centered around Asian cuisines (think Indian, Thai, etc. and spices!) and they have a lot of other non-pizza options too. The pizza I ordered was absolutely delicious. I would love to come back and try more things. It's the kind of place where you want to try something new each time.

    M&N is a Bethesda Staple and once you've been you'll keep coming for. For real life…read more We've tried carry out before with friends here, but we ordered this for an impromptu date night, carry out (because there's no dining there) and it was Fantastic! We tried their Tandoori Chicken, Palak Paneer, and Hawaiian Pizza with a side of Masala Fries. Hubs is a classic pizza kinda guy and even he enjoyed the tandoori chicken. Pizzas weren't overly "wet" with topping and sauce and the "toppings" were perfectly made? (Is that even a description for the heavenly sauce that they make?) It was well-sauced and seasoned! I watched the gentleman running the front hold doors open, politely greet, and thank Every customer, even DoorDash and Uber drivers. That alone should be why you visit! When I left, I just asked for a couple napkins since I didn't see any and he sent me off with a generous handful of napkins And plates! Thank you M&N! We will definitely be back!!

    Photos
    M&N's Pizza
    14" Aushak Pizza (Halal)
    14" Aushak Pizza (Halal)
    M&N's Pizza

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    Bethesda Curry Kitchen

    Bethesda Curry Kitchen

    3.5
    (163 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    My first time here and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and quiet, cozy atmosphere. Menu has lots of…read moretraditional dishes to choose from, inckuding many I don't see typically on offer. I had the chole bhatura and some masala tea, with a side of homemade (carrot) achar. A nice little gem and reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

    Kids and I enjoyed a feast of both Northern and Southern Indian food, the food was authentic,…read morefresh, and pleasantly mild. The crispy Masala Dosa and Saag Paneer Dosa was on point (the Masala and Saag Paneer were served on the side). While the spinach Saag Paneer was tasty, the Masala paired a bit better with the dosa than the Saag. The Paneer Makhani hit the spot! It had a mild spicy kick and despite its name, it had a different curry than Daal Makhani and tasted similar to creamy tomato sauce Paneer Tikka. The Daal Makhani tastes like the daal my mom makes at home. It was really nice and appreciated that I could get a side portion of both the daal and the paneer makhani. It was a great way to try the dishes without committing to a large portion. The Garlic Naan was good and great for mopping up the curry, it just wasn't that bubbly and fluffy. The service was stellar and very accommodating with my rowdy young kids. Admittedly, we made a mess and the kids stuff another booth the lady was super nice and patient. While there are so many Indian restaurants around the corner, this was a stand-out for both Northern and Southern Indian food.

    Photos
    Indoor seating
    Indoor seating
    Paneer Makhani (tastes like paneer tikka)
    Paneer Makhani (tastes like paneer tikka)
    Menu

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    Menu

    Passage to India - indpak - Updated June 2026

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