Grand Trunk

All I wanted was a naan burger and that’s what I got!
First of all, I didn’t even know naan burgers existed till now! I’ve been missing out on life!! The décor of the venue came off a little tacky to me but I did appreciate the huge tandoor oven in the middle of the restaurant. I got to want the naan guy… well… make naan! The service set up reminded me to nandos peri peri, where you would order up front and someone would bring your or call out your food.
I ordered the Grand Trunk Naan Burger! Soooooo good! The naan was so fresh and my burger was cooked perfectly! The burger was huge. They used a whole piece of naan and folded it in half! It was like a soft burger naan taco wrap from heaven! My boyfriend ordered daal, garlic naan and butter chicken. The chicken was a little dry, but the daal and garlic naan were phenomenal. My boyfriend is Indian and he said the daal tasted home-​cooked for him… so you know its THAT good!
My overall experience was great! Naan burger K. O!

My friend and I were museum-​hopping in DC and needed a quick bite (emphasis on quick — we didn’t have enough time for someplace toooo sit-​down-​y) before our next stop. As we were walking, we noticed Grand Trunk and our growling stomachs and the frigid cold did not leave any room for indecision — we decided immediately on giving it a shot, and were glad we did!
The décor: Not even sure quite where to begin with this (whether this is a good or bad thing, I’m not sure)! Looking at it critically, I’d call it a bit all over the place/​uncoordinated, but looking at it optimistically (which is my preference in this case) I’d call it… eclectic. It’s like part sports-​bar, part wannabe-​lounge, part hipster hangout zone, but not necessarily in a bad way. In fact, I rather liked the trunks that lined the right side of the restaurant, the brick wall, the shiny overheads, and the comfy booth seating :)
The food: I ordered the Lahori Chicken (with rice) and it was a bit too oily for my liking (but then again, I think Pakistani food tends to be oily as a general rule so I wasn’t too surprised or put off by it). Even so, it was tasty no doubt — well-​spiced, filling, and satisfying. My friend ordered the spicy chicken naan burger — I took a bite of her chicken (okay, let’s be real — more like a few because I couldn’t resist) and boy oh boy did it hit the spot! I kept saying it was like the most perfect chicken tender ever — and I maintain that — only it had more flavor! Fried to perfection — definitely what I’m getting next time. Also got a mango lassi and was mentally prepping myself for disappointment (since all too often mango lassi at restaurants is either too diluted or else faaaar too sweet), but this was actually good! Expectations exceeded, hooray.
The service: It took a while for my friend to get her food (though mine arrived rather promptly), so we’re not entirely sure if they just forgot about her order or if they were really just making it ridiculously fresh. My money’s on the former, but either way, they were very nice about it and the staff was pleasant overall so no complaints in this department either.
I look forward to coming back the next time I’m in the area — especially curious to try the Spicy Chocolate Naan (who knew that could even be a thing?)!

This was my first time here. This place is very trendy and the ambience is nice. The service is great and fast. The good is fusion of Indian and American food. I ordered the Gujranwala lamb masala, the lamb was very tender and the sauce was delicious. My friend tried the trunk burger, it was very flavorful.
Also, the place is open ²⁴⁄₇. Pretty cool!

I went here for lunch with colleagues during a conference we were attending in the area.
Pros:
The décor is interesting;
Prices are reasonable
Cons:
Average flavor and presentation;
Crowded
It was ridiculously hot inside the day we came here. I’m not sure if it’s always sweltering inside, but the temperature definitely stands out in my memory of dining here. I felt bad for the employees who were stuck there.
It’s not that I wouldn’t eat here again, it just will never be a top pick for me.

We hadn’t eaten all day, so we were very hungry when we stumbled upon Grand Truck, ordering two naan burgers (one classic beef and the other vegetarian). Total cost was around $ 18, which was a great value considering the amount of food we got.
The naan burgers came out quickly, along with cilantro and yogurt based sauces. I preferred the vegetarian one to the beef (neither of us were particularly excited by the beef). The veggie one was spicy and more flavorful than the beef. Both burgers were huge and even though we came in with large appetites, we had to get to-​go boxes and will have enough for a future meal.
Many have described the décor of this place and it’s definitely worth checking out. Very nightclub/​lounge-​esque. I thought it was funny (does not match with the type of food served), but also cool!
Overall, definitely worth the experience for the interesting concept (naan burgers!) and décor. Plus, it’s a good value.

This is shockingly good food, as evidenced by the fact that the people I brought in – a family of picky eaters from China who rarely stray from authentic Chinese food or McDonald’s — were begrudgingly impressed by their meal here.
I ordered for our group, and got the following:
–Chicken tikka masala
–Naan
–Mango lassi
–Naan burger
Everything was quite good, and portions were very generous. Service was also quick and efficient.

The grand trunk is indeed a grand restaurant for people who like to experiment with new flavors. As you enter you might be mistaken that you may have entered a bar however this is a very flamboyant restaurant. Strewn with TV screens all over the place literally left right and center the grand trunk imparts a very hip and trendy kind of ambience. With loud music playing all kinds of Postrock and trance tunes you do kind of feel out of place when you see some seriously traditional Pakistani families devouring delicious food.
My only qualm is upon entry I was not greeted and no one was there to tell me what the process was to order. After taking a trip downstairs in the basement and finding my way back up I finally discovered that you order upfront and they will bring you food as it’s prepared. The guy taking my order was friendly and informative however everybody else including the servers and the guy preparing the naans in the center were quite rude. Most of the tables were dirty with leftover food and trays which apparently nobody was planning on removing until I specifically asked my server three times to clean up my table. This place is certainly not big however the furniture used here is quite bulky and is not appropriate for a restaurant this small but I have to give them the full marks for experimentation and introducing a completely new perspective to serving the desi food.
Now to the best part about the restaurant is the excellent food selection and a perfect job with making authentic Pakistani food. We ordered the chicken masala along with rice which was extremely good. The rice was not some boiled white rice but Sort of like a pulao! We also ordered Lamb masala which was extremely good as well and surprisingly the land was well marinated and tender. Naan was not bad however it wasn’t anything special maybe because it had turned cold by the time they had served it. I saw a lot of people enjoying the naan burger which appears to be the speciality of this place. Final word I will give the grand trunk five stars for the food three stars for the Décor and two stars for the service! Will I come back? Well certainly!

Mehhhh… I think the reason I wasn’t feelin’ Grand Trunk too much is because I didn’t order the naan burger. Instead, I chose to go with the lahori chicken, which is boneless chicken simmered in ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, and coriander. You have a choice of either basmati rice or naan, but being the carbaholic oinkster that I am, Will C. kindly got me both :) I found the chicken to be on the dry side, and they gave me a whole lot of chicken, but not enough sauce. The garlic naan that I ordered as a side was quite good, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the rest of the meal for me. Will C. and I also split a mango lassi, which I enjoyed… but then again, I don’t think I’ve ever had a shitty mango lassi before.
I will say that portion sizes are quite generous here. I got an insane amount of rice with my lahori chicken, and I was barely able to make a dent in it. I am not opposed to the idea of stopping by again to try their naan burger. My boyfriend absolutely loved it, so I can totally see us coming back again for seconds. If my experience is any indication, I suggest going with their naan burgers instead of their rice & curry dishes.

Grand Trunk is by far the best place I have had in DC. Not only is it cheap for DC but it’s absolutely delicious. The ambiance of this place is a bit odd– i’m not quite sure what atmosphere they are trying to strive for. It reminds me of an old school club you see the 90’s music videos. With the ambiance and interior decoration aside the food is absolutely bomb. I visited this establishment right at 11 (their opening time) so majority of the TV’s were not on yet and the staff were still getting ready.
After reading through many Unilocal reviews and reviewing their menu twice I ended up opting for their Naan burger and splitting a mango lassi with the girlfriend. That seemed to be the most talked about item in the Unilocal reviews. Boy was I glad that I went with the Naan burger. The Naan burger comes with 3 sauces that you can use on the burger. I barely used any of the sauces because the burger was so flavorful itself that you did not really need any of those sauces. The meat was marinated so well and very flavorful. Imagine eating kubideh (shaped into a burger patty) in a naan topped with lettuce, tomato, and onions. The burger itself was decently portioned leaving me satisfied. Seeing it in pictures I thought it would leave me hungry. My girlfriends lahori chicken bowl was alright, it wasn’t anything impressive so I would skip that. It seemed like the chicken/​sauce to rice ratio was off. She had a bunch of rice left at the end of the meal.
If you are looking for Indian/​Pakistani food that you can eat quickly and won’t break the bank, seek no further. You have found the place, the fusion burger here is absolutely the best. Delicious!

Very filling, I’d recommend you stick to the main entrée and not fall prey to any sides.
I got the Chicken Tikka Masala which was good, a little dry but good flavor and seasoning. I also got a side of garlic fries because everyone was raving about them. They were OK. Definitely a lot of garlic, but honestly I just didn’t care for the flavor. Fries are supposed to be salty and these were sweet. The outside was almost sticky, I’m not sure what they put on it but it was definitely sugar-​based. Very odd. I ate about half of them and threw the rest out, for $ 3.75 French fries I feel like I should have been floored.
The prices went up since someone took a photo of the menu. The entrée bowls are about $ 9.75 now, so don’t expect this to be a cheap lunch.

Um… The Nan burger. Nuff said.
Ok so I had heard so many good things about this place that I had to try it… But no one prepared me for the shear vast amounts of food I was about to embark on!!! And note, if it says spicy, take it seriously! Like the jalepeno nan? Eat some of those seeds in the nan and get a burst of heat. Is it too hot? Depends on your threshold.
The place inside is very contemporary and modern. Almost looks like it should be a lounge. Find a place to sit and then order in the front… Food will be delivered to you. The trucker tea was very good and packs a caffeine punch! It’s like a strong chai tea latte but better.
The nan burger is two patties of marinated meat in a piece of nan and the fixings. It can really feed more than one person… So plan accordingly. The marsala is also good, but I prefer the nan burger. When I come back that is what I’m going to get.

With the recommendations of the foodies I know, I decided to stop by for late lunch here.
Small but a great menu!
Retro themed décor is eye catching!
Again with the good things I have heard about their most popular naan burgers I decided to go ahead and try it myself!
Ordered the chicken naan burger and didn’t realize when I saw pictures of it that it would be that huge!
I wish I could try their potato bun as well as I have heard that’s another hit!
The flavors in The burger are mesmerizing!
The chicken is cooked to perfection. Spices seemed to have gotten into the chicken well.
Love the green Mint chutney they serve along with it.
Would surely recommend and visit over again.

It’s a good thing (or bad) that I don’t live close to Grand Trunk becasue I would eat here all the time. The food is full of flavor and makes you want to eat more. We tried the Grand Trunk Double Naan Burger, the Lahori Chicken, and the Agra Chicken Tikka Masala plus and order of jallepaneo ginger naan. Everything was delicious but a bit spicy. We ordered our dishes mild and they were still a bit spicy. If you are sensitive to spice, definitely stick with mild. The double naan burger was hands down our favorite, and the agra chicken was also a must order.
There was so much food, even shared between three people we were stuffed and couldn’t finish everything. Sharing is a good option and the burger alone with a side of naan would have been more than enough for all three of us.

I was in the area exploring some must-​see sights in the heart of DC when hunger struck. On my way to Potbelly’s, I figured why not try something new? After all, it had over 300 reviews and 4 stars on Unilocal!
Let’s talk about the ambience of Grand Trunk. First things first, there are TV screens everywhere (even the stairs)! Which gave me a sports bar vibe, but it’s not a sports bar. Then there’s the furniture, which there is TOO much of. The seating is a bit of a mess, and the furniture is far from the posh look they’re going for. Overall, the décor is crazy! I’m not 100% sure if it’s intentional or not.
The customer service was ehh. The employees were all too busy chit chatting with each other that the service could not be delivered. Yes, we got our orders in, but it almost felt like we bugged the employee to simply take our order. Also, I’ve worked in food & service industry for years, and never have I seen so many employees on their cell phones! If they weren’t so busy on their phones, they could have realized what a mess the downstairs seating area had been. Cleaning would do this restaurant some good. I’m not a huge fan of little flies around my dining area.
Onto the food… My fiancé and I each ordered the Lamb Masala (medium spice). Overall, the food to curry ratio was good. The lamb was cooked well and the meat was juicy. The naan was fresh and HOT! All the sauces complimented the entrée well. Aside from wishing I had ordered my meal mild instead of medium, I enjoyed every bite.
Would I come back to Grand Trunk? I’m not sure. The food was good, but the service really could have been better.

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for this place! My boyfriend was completely infatuated. Whenever we would sit around, he could often casually remark, «God, I want some Grand Trunk.» I suspect he loves Grand Trunk more than he loves me (does this qualify as an affair?) The guy at the front definitely recognized him whenever we came in, and would give us a knowing smile that we had come again to satisfy his fix. On that note, I think this place is family-​owned, which makes me happy to support them.
I tried pretty much all the naan burgers. I really liked the potato one! It seemed more like an effective fusion between Indian and American, while I think much of the Indian was lost on the burger patty ones. But honestly I enjoyed them all. Everything is generally flavorful (big plus if you like garlic) and fresh. My boyfriend always got the lamb vindaloo. It’s tasty without being too spicy.
I love the décor and setting. At first, I thought it was strange and nightclub-​like, but it’s hard to complain when there are TVs underneath clear stairs. The outdoor seating is my favorite. I love sitting in those big cushy circle sofas on a breezy summer day.

One of my favorite restaurants for a quick, casual meal in DC. I love sitting near the center of the restaurant where you can watch someone cooking naan. I need to try the naan burger but not sure if I ever will because the four cheese naan — a South Asian grilled cheese sandwich — is so awesome. Not many places in DC where you can get a delicious, filling sandwich for less than $ 5. You can add a bowl of lentils and still get out for less than $ 8. Can’t wait to go back.

Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed about Grand Trunk. 2.5 stars rounded up.
Pros:
1. Good, simple menu
2. Very quick and friendly service
3. Convenient location for those exploring DC
4. Good sauce for the Lahori chicken
5. Good naan
Need to work on
1. The chicken was quite dry — halfway through my tikka masala, I gave up eating the chicken because it just wasn’t good. This was a big problem for me.
2. Waffle fries were not good quality, and also a bit dry — should not charge as much for these fries.
Unfortunately, I would not come here again. However, the staff was very friendly!

My husband and I came across this gem while on our way to Penn Quarter. We were craving something flavorful and inexpensive, so I pulled up Unilocal and once again it did not disappoint!
This place is so trendy from the outside to the inside. There were comfy patio furniture outside as if you were lounging near a Vegas pool. May seem a bit odd, but I thought it was pretty cool. Inside the Booths and décor was like a trendy lounge, a club– like atmosphere. It’s a restaurant that has counter service… where you walk up and place your order and they bring it to you. I got the lamb masala and hubs got chicken tikka masala, we also got garlic naan to share. The food was great, and also a generous portion. It looked average, but as I continued eating, it filled me up I couldn’t finish it. For 2 meals, 2 drinks and a side of fried veggies (I forget the name) for $ 30. Pretty decent. There is more seating downstairs but it was a little challenging bc it was clear stairs with videos looping underneath!
Overall, I enjoyed it very much. Would recommend!

I know a lot of folks have described the décor of this location in different ways. To me, it can best summarized if you think someone asked a group of kids to pick decorations and then they used them all, in one place. Yes, it is that loud, bright, and varied (although it does seemed to have toned down a little but that might just be because I have visited a few times and maybe it just doesn’t phase me anymore…)
The first time I came here I got the Grand Trunk burger with cheese. It comes on naan. When you get a double the two burgers fit next to each other perfectly. Depending on how hungry you are it can be lunch or if you can eat half and keep the rest for later. It comes with a couple a sauces which accent it well but make sure you have some napkins.
I recently also had the lamb tikka masala with rice and the side sauces. I thought it was pretty good, good flavor and I particularly enjoyed the rice.
I have also tried the cinnamon naan — that was just alright, I think maybe it was not cooked on a clean surface and was not particularly cinnamony and I do love me cinnamon. I have been in a personal debate about trying the chocolate described with a hot component.
I have not tried the fries but they look pretty good and I notice folks getting them, especially when they get the traditional burger (on a regular bun).
Also, fun soda machine — lots of options.

I appreciate having a new food concept in the Penn Quarter/​Chinatown neighborhood, although with so many great options nearby, I’m not sure how often I would come back here.
2 of us came by on a weeknight for dinner and the place was empty. The ambiance and décor inside is pretty cool — there are lounge-​y couches outside where you can hang out. We ordered the chicken and beef naan burgers and a mango lassi. The lassi was premade (the worker pulled it out of a fridge) and definitely not worth the price. The naan burgers were delicious, but getting a double beef burger was unnecessary because there was a lot of overpowering spices in the meat. The cheese on top was a must, but it was ridiculously priced (an extra $ 1.50!). The next time I’m here, I’d like to split a burger and then get something else to try.

J’ai moyennement aimé.
Ils se décrivent comme Asian Fusion, mais c’est surtout de la nourriture indienne.
Le burger Naan pourrait être intéressant, mais à vrai dire, il s’agit surtout d’un pain avec du ketchup, de la mayo et un steak, pas de réelle originalité.
J’ai aimé le tika massala et le prix vaut le coup, c’est vrai. Par contre, passez votre chemin sur le chocolate naan. Je croyais me régaler en goutant un pain original. On né sentait pas du tout le chocolat, mais plutôt les épices, et ça devenait carrément immangeable (et pourtant j’adore ce qui est très épicé habituellement!!)
Le restaurant en lui meme est très bruyant et les tables sont assez sales, du moins la notre quand on y était. La déco est disco/​kitch mais assez intéressant à mon gout.