Daru
27 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/washingtondc30 comments cited below
The comments cited below are a sample of the full tally across 9 threads.
What people say, in short
Most people recommend Daru; a few call it the best around, among them one who says it is the top Indian meal they have had in the US. Several describe it as modern or not traditional, and a couple call it fusion. One commenter calls it good value for fine-dining quality, and two bring up its happy hour. Not everyone is convinced: one calls it a disappointment with generic flavors, one feels it has slipped compared with a few years ago, one finds it overpriced, and one calls it bougie and better for special occasions than everyday eating.
Address
Daru, 1451 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
At a glance
- Price
- Premium
- Opinions divided
- Yes
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Daru, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/Mlb_unofficial in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026
Friends touring upscale Indian spots rank it top three; all have great food and it feels homey.
- Recommendsu/me_for_president2032 in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024
Calls Daru clearly the best; says visiting relatives liked it most.
- Mixedu/green_rubber_bands in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026consistency
Feels Daru has fallen off recently, not bad but not as good as a few years ago.
- Recommendsu/my_cat_free-solos in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024taste
Lives nearby and orders often; likes Daru's flavors and wok-fried cabbage, though it feels a bit fusion.
- Recommendsu/Wity_4d in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024taste
Calls Daru amazing and probably the best, though not traditional in their view.
- Recommendsu/jcmoonraker in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026
Ranks Daru first among the three.
- Recommendsu/RHThree in r/washingtondc · Jun 2025
Offers Daru on H Street NE as a biryani answer.
- Recommendsu/curryleaf20 in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026
Says Daru stays great with an excellent happy hour, though its food differs from Tapori's.
Show all 30 cited comments
- Recommendsu/anonymous-frother in r/washingtondc · Aug 2025
Names Daru as a suggestion for Indian happy hour.
- Recommendsu/Hot-Half3334 in r/washingtondc · Aug 2024
Includes the H Street Daru among several spots suggested in reply to the request.
- Recommendsu/roshan213 in r/washingtondc · Apr 2024
Names Daru as a direct answer to the food request.
- Recommendsu/bright-star96 in r/washingtondc · Aug 2024
Says they love Daru and advises booking reservations early.
- Recommendsu/Outrageous-Cap8713 in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026
Says Daru blew them away unlike Tapori.
- Recommendsu/ninjita_ in r/washingtondc · Aug 2025taste
Calls Daru the top Indian meal they've eaten in the States.
- Recommendsu/ktembo in r/washingtondc · Mar 2025
Recommends Daru as a modern, less traditional option for Indian food.
- Recommendsu/pkstennis in r/washingtondc · Aug 2024
Recommends Daru as an Indian pick, alongside other spots for Asian food.
- Recommendsu/BoogerPresley in r/washingtondc · Apr 2024
Recommends Daru for upscale Indian food.
- Recommendsu/PublicName in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024taste
Replying to the Daru suggestion, says it isn't traditional in the usual sense but calls it outstanding.
- Recommendsu/fairly_legal in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024value
Argues Daru is among DC's best values for the quality.
- Mixedu/doomDenied in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026price
Thought several things were pretty good but overpriced.
- Recommendsu/delirium_hc in r/washingtondc · Apr 2026
Reports personally dining at Daru while avoiding gluten; recommends it in this thread.
- Recommendsu/jslakov in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024
Says they finally tried Daru after this thread and loved it.
- Mixedu/azulinike in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024taste
Groups Daru with upscale spots: decent taste, but not close to the everyday food they crave.
- Recommendsu/snortgigglecough in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024
Suggests trying Daru, unsure how traditional it is, but calls it fancy.
- Mixedu/kv_reddit in r/washingtondc · Nov 2024taste
Calls Daru a solid option but notes its creative twist and says it isn't traditional.
- Caveatu/Fantastic-Green-1839 in r/washingtondc · Jul 2026taste
Calls Daru a disappointment with same old generic flavors.
- Mixedu/Royal-Elevator6582 in r/washingtondc · Aug 2025
Calls Daru great but says its menu leans toward fusion, citing a mushroom biryani.
- Recommendsu/Final-Revolution6216 in r/washingtondc · Jun 2025
Lists Daru among answers to the biryani question.
- Recommendsu/fallenandcantget_up in r/washingtondc · Aug 2024
Lists Daru as an Indian option in a numbered list of DC spots.
- Recommendsu/One-Antelope6617 in r/washingtondc · Aug 2024
Gives a short recommendation of Daru in reply to the original post.
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Freshness
Details last checked 13 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.