Polo India Club Restaurant
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
1736 Connecticut Avenue NW(between N R St & N S St)
Washington, DC 20009 (202) 483-8705
- Nearest Transit:
Dupont Circle (Red)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
12 Reviews for Polo India Club Restaurant
Nothing special, but I can call in an order or get delivery and the food is relatively inexpensive and pretty tasty. The curry's are great and the portions are pretty friendly.
My only complaint is the naan. One of my favorite parts of getting Indian is the naan and their's just isn't that great.
I found the food to be very tasty. The decor leaves something to be desired. If you're looking for the dining experience of Heritage India on Wisconsin go there - but if you're looking for good food, cheap & quick you won't be disappointed with Polo India Club.
I would have liked the naan to be more abundant, but whatevs.
I used to go to India Polo Club for their all-you-can-eat lunch buffet on a regular basis. This review only applies to their lunch buffet. I haven't gone in awhile in an effort to save money. Last time I went the lunch buffet was 8.95 and was a decent spread. The salad and the flat bread were always fresh. The main offerings from the buffet can be a mixed bag, since they change the buffet menu every day. Sometimes they serve lamb which I find a little tough. They almost always serve tandoori chicken and this great spinach paste that goes great on top of the flat bread. Some of the dishes can be spicey.
I am not an Indian food expert so forgive me if I don't know the proper names for each dish. I was told by an Indian friend of mine that India Polo Club is the real deal when it comes to authentic Indian food.
It's not a bad place to go for lunch, especially if you're looking for something different from the Thai places that populate Dupont Circle. I always find the service to be friendly and prompt. It's not crowded during lunch on most days. Sometimes out-of-towners stop by from the Hilton a few blocks away.
This is like a greatest hits indian food CD,
all your favorite tracks, Tandoor and Biryani.
The clay oven is represented well,
With all the standard masala to smell.
The sauces aren't inventive, but they ladle them thick,
enveloping the meat chunks, carrying a kick.
We ordered polo chicken Jaipurandi, and tikka masala,
with an order of Roti that did soon follow.
All was good, all spiced nice,
decent sized portions received for the price.
The decor is bland: polo mallets on the wall;
and the wallpaper smacks of grandma's bedroom hall.
But the waiter dimmed the lights, and the wine swirled our minds,
and we settled into our south asia finds.
In the final analysis, we would come back,
for it's more than an indian chicken shak.
They could use some pointers on creating the mood
to go with their heartily spiced-up food.
But the chicken chunks were tender and moist,
and this is good and must be voiced!
Don't expect Taj Mahal in Dupont,
but come enjoy this fine restaurant!
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (6)
Cool (10)
Walked in here with a friend and stood around for a minute or two, not sure whether to seat ourselves or wait for staff. When a lady finally approached us she said "table for one?" Whaaa?!? Who knew my new jacket was actually an invisibility cloak.
After finally being seated, we went over to partake in the lunch buffet. Not too big of a spread, but it looked like it had potential. So much for potential. The food was totally forgettable, and I actually managed to get a piece of chicken that was half-raw.
Check took ages to get, and... you get the point by now. There are a lot better dining options in the area.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Consistently good food at decent prices. There are a lot of good Indian restaurants, but I think this is the best for the price range. I've had one day when service was really really slow, but I've also had it be very good. I appreciate the fact that they don't bring out your entrees until your appetizers are done. And yes, the samosas are VERY hot. It'll take you forever to eat them.
I've had the Chicken Biryani, which is really good, and the Shrimp Masala, which is also delicious, and the Chicken Curry, which was outstanding. It's a ton of food, and I always have leftovers.
The Kashmiri naan is so good too, I definitely recommend trying it. It has spices and raisins and really adds another level to the food.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Horrible service, so-so food.
My wife and I must've gone on an off day for Polo India. We were promptly seated and handed menus upon arrival, but then the staff sat in the back room to eat their own dinners. We waited ten minutes for someone to come out and take our orders before I went back and asked if someone could help us, making me feel rude. This happened several more times- I had to ask them to take our dinner order, get us refills, bring the bill, etc. I hate feeling like I'm bothering the wait staff by being at their restaurant.
On top of it, the Chicken Tikka Masala was very tomato-ey and non-spicy (tasted a lot like ketchup) compared to what I'm used to in the Bay Area, London or NYC. However- everyone else here seems to love this place, so we must've went on a bad day. :)
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
Reliably good, and moderately priced, it's a great place to get your indian fix. Although the inside appears to have seen better days, it's always a nice experience.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I was craving indian food big time today. So I hopped onto the metro, rode it for two stops to Dupont Circle-North, and walked over to Polo Indian Club. It's by no means the best indian in Dupont Circle (that honor belongs to Heritage India), but they have a good buffett for $8, which is perfect for a quick lunch in between all the conference calls and deadlines we all face daily. The buffett changes daily, but it always has a decent selection. Today - Chicken Tandoori, Saag, Bengan Bertha, Naan, Rice, and Chicken Makhini - satisfied my appetite.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (2)
Our original plans for dinner fell through (who knew Sushi Taro was closed on Sunday?!), so we wandered around Dupont and ended up here, at my friend's recommendation.
A late Sunday night found the Polo India Club with diners, but not too many. We were promptly seated and drinks ordered, and from that moment forward my glass of water was never less than half-full.
We ordered vegetarian samosas and they came piping hot. Halfway through consuming them my friend comments, "I bet this is the kind of place that won't bring your entree until you're done with the appetizer," something I can't fault the Polo India Club for, but it was amusing nonetheless (my friend was taking forever to eat his samosas, too, apparently they were really. hot.)
I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, $13.95, and was pleased with it - though I would have enjoyed perhaps something with a little more spice or richer flavor (compared to similar dishes I've had at other Indian restaurants). However, my dish was still really delicious, the service was great, and I'll be happy to return to sample other dishes.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
If you're as big of a chicken tiki masala and mango lassi fan like I am, this place is a definite must. This place makes the best of both and I love them for it. They have a lunch buffet all week (11:30-2:30 M-S and 11:30-3:30 on Sundays) so it's a good time to sample a variety of Indian dishes. Yummy!
The restaurant itself is quiet with soft Indian music playing in the background. Plenty of available seating when I was there (though I did go on the 4th of July) and they have even more seating upstairs. The waiter was very helpful in finding dishes for the pickiest of eaters (though I felt bad that he was the only one working the floor at the time). Not far from the north exit of the Dupont metro stop.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
The food was truly very good (and though the portions looked small, it was strangely filling), from the sweet lassi to the dhal makhani, to their signature chicken dish, everything was well-spiced and yummy. The prices were a little steep and the table we sat at was a little tight. There is a strange diarama-esque scene in the back as well, with what looks to be a taxidermied bunny rabbit. But, again, the food is really good.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Hot and New
- Jaleo
113 reviews
Neighborhood: Penn Quarter
- Mr. Yogato
44 reviews
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
- Butcher Burgers
33 reviews
Arlington, VA
- Yechon
67 reviews
Annandale, VA
- Maine Avenue Fish Market
19 reviews
Washington, DC
