Merzi

Got horribly sick from eating here — hours after hours of vomiting after having their vegetarian bowl. I knew it was here because me and my partner had the exact same foods for the past 48 hours except I had a bowl from here and they did not. NEVER GOING BACK. Also throwing up half digested chickpeas really ruins the experience.
Eat at your own peril.

Fast, cheap, and fairly good, but this is far from great Indian food. If you need a quick bite, this is a decent option, but manager your expectations because this isn’t mind-​blowing Indian food.

For a fast food place, this was great. Beats those hamburger joints any time. I ordered the lamb and my son the chicken tikka and it hit the spot. No it’s not a traditional Indian restaurant but I prefer to take my son to eat here than some of those fast food chains.

Gross. Don’t waste your money.
I think this place is trying to be fast Indian food, but I’m not sure. It certainly doesn’t resemble any Indian food I’ve ever eaten around the world — and I can’t give it a pass because it wasn’t even tasty.
Making matters worse, they have no idea how to serve a customer. I ordered a chicken «tandisserie» sandwich, and the counter guy asked me to choose (mistake # 1) between the chicken on the bone (on a sandwich???) or the shredded chicken (duh, yes). Then he proceeded to pour a ton of sauce all over my «sandwich», making it drenched and impossible to eat (mistake # 2). And the sandwich was served on foil (mistake # 3) instead of a plate (I asked for eat-​in), so when I tried to rescue the soggy mess with a fork, all I got was a forkful of foil shreds.
Perhaps the counter guy was new, but I’m not planning on giving this place another chance.

Good Indian styled chipotle.
Food tastes good.

I was in Washington DC for a few days on business and was looking for a quick and easy place for lunch. Based on the Unilocal reviews I thought this place may be a good pick.
This is not a sit down and be served type of restaurant it is more like a Moe’s or a Chipotle style walk up to the counter build your dish and seat yourself establishment. The food was delicious and fresh. I like to try different types of ethnic food when I am away from home and this particular restaurant served Indian themed fare.
The service was quick, friendly, and the young lady behind the counter had no problems explaining things to me and answering any questions I had. The price is very reasonable.
The only thing that I did not like about this establishment is that there is limited seating. However this is a city, it was lunch time, and the place was packed, so the lack of seating is probably more due to the timing, as opposed to the business not creating enough tables and space.
If you are in DC and are looking for a quick bite to eat, at a place where you’re not going to sit down and served, I recommend giving this place a try.

Food– In short this is an Indian Chipotle. The have the exact same format. No brown rice. You can take white basmati rice or naan bread, chicken either breast or pieces, add veggies, chickpeas, potatoes, and chose from 3 different types of curry sauces based on the level of spicy you like, served over a flat bread. The taste is good not outstanding or great. The names of the dishes are a little complicated and I don’t remember my dishes name.
Drinks– nothing worth mentioning.
Ambience/​restaurant style– it’s a small place with around 6 – 8 tables, looks kind off like a chipotle. I would prefer to take out rather than to sot and eat here.
Overall– a place that you should try at least once.

My custom veggie bowl was delicious. I ate only half, it was a lot of food plus I had already «snacked» across the street at China Chilcano.
I like Merzi. It is consistent, never disappoints when I need a good, fast meal on the run.

As many folks have indicated the best way to quickly describe this place is would be to say it is Indian food Chipotle style. Of note, there are fewer options /​variations to add to your meal. This is best illustrated by the fact that one person does the assembly and does not really leave their post — the assembly area is about half the length as at a Chipotle. The available veggies seem to vary, I noticed others had corn but I did not see that option. When I was there cabbage was available but I did not try it. For meat I went with the lamb which was a nice option for lunch and something a little different.
All in all it was A-​OK. I could see myself trying something else here again perhaps in a couple of weeks.

Keep your expectations hedged to avoid disappointment at Merzi.
I’ve been to a number of Chipotle-​style Indian places, and Merzi doesn’t rank at the top. But if you just want a decently filling food option for about $ 8 – 9, it’s one of the few places in the immediate neighborhood that meets that qualification.
The décor is rather chic, but was spoiled by the dirty tables and benches. Maybe I came right after a rush and the workers hadn’t had time to clean up yet? I had to wipe down my table and seat with napkins before sitting.
Their naan is pre-​purchased and doesn’t have that fluffy tandoori quality. It tastes more like the pitas that you might get with a gyro. I couldn’t identify any Indian spices, and even though I asked for spicy sauce, there was no heat in the dish. I would have had to slather my chicken naan bowl in sriracha if I wanted it to be spicy. Now what Indian restaurant provides sriracha? No one said Merzi is authentic.
Also, my bowl was so full of liquid that I vainly searched for a spoon to scoop it up. They only have knives and forks at the service table. Maybe ordering the rice instead of the naan can avoid this problem.

This spot is just one of the nice spots close by. I like it because it’s not as crowded as some of the places closer to the verizon center. As Indian food goes it’s about average. Honestly… I have had better. But still it was pretty yummy. It’s Chipotle Style Serving of Indian Cuisine and the price is pretty decent.
I have only been there a few times. The good news is that there’s not usually a wait in line. I ordered the rice bowl with the Tandoori chicken with chic peas, cucumber and red onions, and tomatoes. They also offer potatoes but that just doesn’t appeal to me. I had mine with medium chutney sauce.
The verdict: well I like the medium chutney sauce my only complaint really is that the rice and chicken are served almost cold. And since the sauce is cold too it almost feels like eating a lukewarm rice filled salad. The flavor of the rice is tasty though and it’s pretty affordable as a meal. So I would definitely stop through again. That is of course If I’m in the mood for Indian (which isn’t that often honestly) and/​or just feeling too lazy to walk up two blocks to chipotle for a burrito.

As everyone else has said, this is an Indian-​style Chipotle fast food restaurant. The service is fast, and there is a lot of food for what you’re paying for.
I got the chaat (cabbage, potatoes, and chickpeas) as my base, lamb, medium creamy tikka masala sauce, mild garlic yogurt chutney, corn, cucumbers, onion, and salsa on top. Everything was really good. The only thing I realized was that my dish was slightly more liquid-​y than the others, probably because I didn’t have any rice to soak up the sauce.
Go here if you want a savory, fast, inexpensive, filling meal!

Just shy of three stars. +1 Indian Chipotle, in case the Americanized fast food hints weren’t obvious enough from their hybridization of tandoori and rotisserie. Lots of seating but very quiet on a weeknight. Girl at the register wasn’t very friendly. Meat was acceptably tender but not particularly flavorful without the help of the chutneys. I wouldn’t mind coming back to try their beef in a salad or rice bowl, perhaps with a Mango Fantango or a samosa. As far as a calorie-​conscious quick bite to keep you full goes, Merzi will do in a pinch.

Been in DC a few years, never tried this place and I’ve dedicated myself to trying new eats this year, so I gave Merzi a go and was let down.
Maybe it’s because I came in at a weird time?(although that is no excuse) Around 6:30PM. The dish I got was «meh», I don’t think the ingredients were as fresh as they could have been. The steamed cabbage looked questionable and most of the choices were nearly empty. I got a chaat bowl with chick peas, chicken, corn, the medium chutney and spicy sauce on top. (Surprised the guy behind the counter didn’t even offer to bring out some new stuff?)
I was hungry and was pretty sure it wasn’t gonna kill me, so I dug in and… more disappointments. Definitely expected better.
Again, before I make any final judgments, I’ll have to go back during busier hours and compare this first experience (fluke?) and I’ll update my review.
I refuse to believe this place is bad, not yet!
Cheers!

Time for a re-​review!
You know I come here way too much when the counter staff start making my order from memory. It’s not that Merzi has mind-​blowing cuisine, because they don’t, honestly — it’s standard, basic grub, similar to Chipotle, only Indian inspired. (I place emphasis on «inspired», folks. Please don’t come here expecting Indian food — that’s not what they do, that’s not what it’s SUPPOSED to taste like. If you think you’re going to get real Indian food for only 7 or 8 bucks a pop, then you’re a cheapskate. An unrealistic one, at that.)
There’s no question that a lot of the available ingredients are not things that you would normally find in Indian cuisine. Corn? No, indeed. I’ve never seen any Indian dish that utilizes corn — but that’s okay, because there are plenty of other things to choose from. Chickpeas? Yes, please. Potatoes? Sure. (Aloo gobi, after all.) Cucumber mix? Of course. It’s all in how you make the dish, and if you pick the wrong things, of course it’s going to taste like slop.
I always get the same thing, every time — a spicy grilled chicken rice bowl with potatoes, chickpeas, lettuce, and enough pickled onions to offend even the most easy-​going coworker in the office. That’s it. But it’s enough for lunch, and it fits my caloric needs very well. Merzi has a nutritional calculator on its website where you can figure up your item, and it’s very helpful. (They have the calories listed on their menu boards, but I find that method less than accurate, so I would recommend the website.) This is really one of the main reasons why I eat here so often — it’s low enough in calories and it’s filling. The taste may not be to everyone’s specification, but it’s good enough for me.
The more you get to know the staff, the friendlier they are. I’ve been comped a couple of times just «because» — my first dish after the New Year, they comped and I was completely taken aback. Really nice of them. I’ve had the manager come up and ask me for suggestions on how to improve their menu, etc., as well. They seem to care about their customers’ opinions, so don’t be afraid to talk to them and make suggestions.
Sometimes this place is dead, but sometimes it’s absolutely MOBBED to the point where you can’t get a seat. Anywhere. It seems to vary depending on the day, and I never really know when it’ll be busy or not, so I’ll take it to go on those days.
Oddly, the medium sauce (to me) seems spicier than the spicy sauce.
Merzi simply isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, and that’s okay. Try it out, but don’t have high expectations that the food will be Indian as purists know it — it’s just not, and it wasn’t built to be that way.
Still a fan.

I had been avoiding this place mostly because I was worried about another have it your way type place. While I have liked every place hat I have been to, for some reason, the concept of classical Indian flavors served this way is a concept I flip flop on constantly.
So after a long day, lousy commute, and icky weather, I decided to stop in to Merzi on the way home. There was a group of three: an adult and two small children eating. Other than that, the place was empty around 5 pm on a Tuesday.
I ordered the rice bowl and tandisserie chicken. When I saw the size of the chicken placed on top of the rice, I was worried it was going to be a lot of bone. None of it was bone so you get a sizable portion of chicken. I then asked for a little bit of everything in terms of veggies so I had a mix of red onions, corn, chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, and potato. I topped it off with a medium warm sauce and a mild cold chutney.
Everything tasted good. It’s actually quite a bit of food for this style of cuisine and I was happy about the price that I paid ($ 8.78). Unfortunately, after a few bites of the chicken, I felt it tasted weird, and the server while quick, wasn’t particularly friendly hence the A-​OK rating.

I first tried Merzi’s food at a Unilocal event earlier this year. Finally got to the restaurant to try it in person. As others have said, the service is based on the Chipotle model. You pick a base (naan, rice, etc), then add ingredients (meat or veggie), add additional ingredients such as chickpeas, potatoes, and finally a choice of sauce. Quick, easy, and so good.
The staff is helpful and answers questions with a smile. For drinks they carry fountain soda, bottled teas and water, and something called Mango Fantango which is sort of a lassi type drink. Mmm.
Worth a try if you’re in the Chinatown area and want something quick and delicious.

Just ate here and really liked my experience! The space had a reletively updated and trendy feeling. I decided to get a chicken rice bowl with all of the veggies, spicy chutney, and medium yogurt sauce. I also grabbed a samosa and a Naan on the side.
The spicy chutney and medium yogurt sauce werent spicy but they were both very flavorful. The chicken was tender and flavored well. My favorite was actually little potatoes you can get in the bowl they were awesome and I will order extra next time.
The samosa was good– it seemed to be stuffed with a potato and veggie mix– crunchy outside and a warm «potatoey» center
The Naan was quite different than most Naan I’ve had before– it was more like a warm flat bread. I enjoyed it very much and was a surprise when I got it in a good way.
I will deff come here again for a casual lunch or dinner for their delicious twist to indian food.

Being on call means eating on the go. With no time for fancy sit down date, my husband and I came to Merzi for a quick meal. I love the Chipotle’s concept and found that Merzi’s did not differ or disappoint! I created my own chaat bowl (Tandisserie chicken, cucumber salad, tomato salsa, corn, onion, chick peas, potato, and cabbage in mild and hot curry sauce + garlic yogurt + cucumber chutney sauce) while my husband made his own naan bowl (diced marinated chicken, corns, cucumber salad in medium curry sauce).
Unlike Shophouse, you are allowed to ask for seconds (extra corn please!). Even though my bowl was swimming all sorts of curry and chutney, they surprisingly worked well with each other. My bowl was bursting with flavors and I couldn’t get enough. My tandisserie chicken was so tender and juicy. I never expected such moist, well cooked chicken thigh to come from a fast food eatery like Merzi. My husband’s marinated chicken was also very flavorful and couldn’t be happier to help him polish his bowl.
My only wish was that they would have additional sides. Cucumber salad and corns were a little boring. Are they even considered to be Indian sides? Nevertheless, would definitely return!

Merzi is about as authentically Indian as Chipotle is authentically Mexican. Once you accept that, get ready for a delicious, flavorful meal that’s easily under $ 10. I often come here to pick up a quick lunch or to grab dinner before a movie or event at the Verizon Center.
The menu is pretty straight forward. I normally get the basmati rice, either the tandisserie or regular chicken (both are delicious), mild sauce, and as much of the toppings as I can coerce the workers to pile on. The place is normally pretty empty, although I have come before with a group of 5 and had a difficult time finding seating (there’s only indoor seating). I normally taking visiting friends here since this is the sole location, but Merzi definitely has all of the features that would make it great for expansion. I hope I will see more Merzis around the DC area soon!