Reviews of Martsa On Elm

My girlfriend and I really loved the food here. Pretty much everything was delicious and so flavorful. The ambience was also very nice - quiet and peaceful but also busy as the night went on. The shrimp curry was absolutely amazing. The Bhale - Tibetan bread - was light and fluffy and so yummy. The soups were both delicious. The Tibetan tea was comforting and tasty but also strange if you hadn’t had it before. The momos (dumplings) were probably our least favorite dish as the dough wasn’t as light and flavorful as we’d have wished. We’d probably award this 4.5 stars if possible - a half star deduction because the service wasn’t very good. They were a bit inattentive (we didn’t have our waters filled once without us asking) and they were a bit standoffish. But the speed of the food arriving and the quality of the food compensated well. In any case, we’ll definitely be back!!

This is my second time at this restaurant. I was disappointed the first time I came in here. But since I had heard a lot about this place, I decided to give it another go. Some items on the menu are ok while others are really nice. Try Thukpas- Tibetan ramen. If you like spice, try the spicy ones. The pumpkin balls are good. Ambience makes it worth visiting once along with good food.

Don't go hungry...but taste buds will be pleased. The tangerine shrimp and cashew chicken were...so...good. The pakoras were also cooked crisp to perfection. Everything tasted fresh and full of flavor. The service was good (once they had a chance to get to us), I felt bad for the staff and kitchen because they looked so swamped, which made the food that much more impressive. They did not take any short cuts on their flavor or preparation/presentation. I will definitely come back, just probably not on a Saturday night 😬 Get there before you are hangry and your tummy (and taste buds) will thank you!

Good foods with the awful service. Since the Covid, I understand many restaurants are understaffed, so I tried to be patient. Servers can make a mistake. Again, I understand it happens sometimes. However, they pretended there was no mix-up and never told us about it before asking it. Moreover, while waiting for food, other customers who came later than me were served their food. Interestingly, these customers were white, but I am Asian.

We absolutely love Martsa on Elm and try to come weekly or biweekly. The food here is consistently incredible and we’ve tried a lot of the menu. Definitely get the pumpkin appetizer. All of their teas are delicious. My favorite dish right now is the spicy beef noodles. Make sure to order your food quickly because the kitchen isn’t speedy, but it is totally worth the wait.