Passage to India

Reviews

• CM

  Christine Mathew

  Oct 14, 2025
  5.0
  I am Indian American and my brother and I have never seen a place like this before, maybe how a palace dining room might look. I liked the well-kept colonial decor, the clean (not grimy) menus with historical write ups, and the food, which tasted home-cooked. The channa masala, palak paneer, and samosa chaat were good. The tandoori chicken isn’t the red charred chicken usually prepared, but more like roasted breaded chicken. It was still good and a great way to avoid artificial food dye! I’m sure they could open a tea room if they wanted to!
• ST

  Sabrina Torres

  Oct 9, 2025
  5.0
  The BEST Indian food in Bethesda hands down... Consistently delicious, great service, quick, well priced. I especially love the lunch platter!! Have been here multiple times and never leave less than satisfied.
• ST

  Sherrine M. Thompson

  Oct 4, 2025
  4.0
  I recently had lunch at Passage to India in Bethesda with a few friends, including one who grew up in India. The restaurant itself has a warm, elegant atmosphere from the chandeliers, framed art, and rich tones give it a classic and slightly formal feel, but it’s still inviting. The space wasn’t crowded during lunch, which made it perfect for conversation. We never felt rushed, and the staff was friendly, attentive, and accommodating throughout our meal. As for the food, it was a mix of traditional Indian dishes and some creative fusion touches. For my meal, I tried their butter chicken “taco”, which uses soft naan in place of a traditional taco shell. It’s a fun fusion twist, creamy, flavorful butter chicken with fresh greens and shredded cheese layered over warm naan. It was hearty, messy in the best way, and full of flavor. My friends ordered more traditional dishes, including a beautifully presented thali with dal makhani, paneer curry, rice, and naan, as well as crispy chaat drizzled with yogurt and chutneys. I also shared a delicious samosa with one of them. It was perfectly crisp on the outside and filled with spiced potatoes and peas. My Indian friend mentioned that while the food was good, the flavors were not quite as bold or complex as what she’s used to at home. From my perspective, the dishes were satisfying, with just enough spice to make them interesting without being overwhelming. Overall, Passage to India offered a pleasant dining experience: flavorful food, comfortable surroundings, and great service. If you’re looking for a relaxed place to enjoy Indian cuisine in Bethesda, especially with friends or family, it’s a nice spot to linger over lunch.
• KD

  Khushboo Harshal Desai

  Sep 27, 2025
  2.0
  Food was really good but the service was very slow. We ordered additional naans after we started with entrees and we received naans after 20 minutes.
• PE

  Peter Eriksson

  Sep 17, 2025
  4.0
  Food was good, need to come back and try many more options from more than the lunch menu to have a better understanding of the overall quality. I was accompanied by genuine indians who was satisfied with the different courses served (vegetarian in this case). Service was very good but it was also scaresly populated so I do not know how that would change during rush our. I would recommend this place for anyone longing for Indian food.