My cousin and I were looking for something new and light to eat in the Bethesda area, so when we came across this place, we decided to give it a try. Since the weather was really nice, we decided to sit outdoor, which was a great choice. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. She told us a little more about the restaurant and mentioned that they have a location in DC and recently opened this Bethesda location. She recommended ordering 2-3 items to share since the portions are on the smaller side, and we ended up ordering the perfect amount of food based on her suggestion. The staff were very attentive, and the service was lovely. Everything we ordered was delicious, but I especially loved the manti (mini beef dumplings!) if you're looking for something light but filling I would recommend this place! read more

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Ambiance: beautiful bright interior. This location is much bigger than the Tysons location that is closer to me. Service: great attentive staff Food: we did the unlimited brunch with mimosas. The starter dips and spread were great. We kept on getting more. However, the mains were not as great as I would have liked. I had the marinated shrimps which was a cold dish with 2 large shrimps. I thought it would a hot dish like the one in Tysons. I also got the lamb shoulder which I've taken a photo of with about a teaspoon full of shaved lamb on a bed of some type of rice risotto. I had to order the salmon Benedict which was good. Overall, the mimosas and the first course were great. I wasn't impressed with the main dishes. read more

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$75 per person for good bread ?? White shirts looking around for what to do Black shirts working hard Mangers taking food to tables Go figure - what happened to good value read more

I was invited out to check out the new bottomless brunch at Agora in Bethesda and I love it!!! I went today and got there early and didn't leave until after 3pm because I enjoyed myself! So, it's a bottomless Mediterranean restaurant where the dishes are $45 per person and they bring out the options to you. For an extra $10 , you can get bottomless drinks. What I appreciated is that they had pineapple juice at my request. Everything was delicious ! You do have to only bread, yogurt, hummus, and egg as that is a regular part of the dishes. The chef came over and talked with us and we appreciated that . Service was wonderful . The decor, clean, and open and makes it very chic. The bathrooms are amazing! Reminds me of Greece's Parking is available on East West highway or paid parking at the Hyatt. I love how they have an outdoor patio . read more

Agora - Mediterranean Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

(4.25) ~ Very good Overall food & Service. Note: Parking garage underneath the Hyatt Regency. Take the elevator up to PL (Plaza Level/Hyatt Regency), which opens outside, & turn left & Agora will be 100 ft. on the left side. Afterwards, pay at the exit gate w. your credit card. DRINKS: ** Turkish Coffee (No sugar) = (4.5) Very Authentic! ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) DIPS: We got the Sampler (see photo), to try ALL the dips. ** Baba Ghanouj = (4.25) Very smokey ** Htipiti = (4.15) Very tasty ** Labneh = (4.15) Very tasty ** Cacik = (4) very good ** Taramosalata = (4) very good * Hummus = (3.75) Good FOOD: ** Manti (see photo) = (4.25) Very good ** Ali Nazik Kebap (see photo) = (4.25) Very good ** Baklava (see photo) = (4.25) Very good ** Pistachio Souffle w. Maras ice cream (see photo) = (4) very unique. The Souffle was more savory than sweet & we really like the stretchy texture of the Maras ice Cream. Note: It takes 15 minutes to make, so order it in the beginning. read more

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Agora was such a beautiful restaurant. The inside was warm, stylish, and had a great atmosphere. The drinks were amazing, and the bread came out warm, fresh, and absolutely delicious. Everything was so filling that I did not get a chance to try any desserts from their in house pastry chef, but that gives me the perfect reason to come back. I had a wonderful experience and would definitely visit again! read more

Agora - Mediterranean Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Last night, the Bethesda location of Agora finally opened. Let me tell you, it has nothing of the charm or personality of the DC location. Instead of the beautiful design and intimacy evoking the eastern Mediterranean, one has a corporate dining room, booming with techno-bass. Perhaps this is appealing to the changing demographic of Bethesda, but for fans of the Dupont Circle gem, it is a serious culture shock. Neverthless, we tried to lIke it, and perused the menu. I thought a drink might help me to settle in, but there is no wine list. We were told that there are only two or three options as they were just opening. Yet even those were impossible to order, as there was no service in sight. During the exceedingly long time we waited for someone to take our order, we lost our nerve and decided to go elsewhere. So, I am afraid my rating is for the atmosphere and service rather than the food. I am generously assuming the food is good, and will leave it at three stars. I am sure that once the kinks are worked out, the wine situation will improve and the service will kick in. So give it a try if it sounds like a vibe you would enjoy. As for me, I'll be returning to DuPont. read more

After seeing a great show at Round House Theater (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - which I highly recommend seeing) we enjoyed a delicious meal. Ordered was taramosalata which we spread on the warm pita, keskek (delicious) and lambchops (medium rare as ordered). Recommend for dessert the pistachio souffle but in our opinion this is not a souffle but a molten lava cake. Service throughout our meal was excellent and friendly. read more

Agora just opened their first Bethesda location (they've got spots in DC and Virginia), and I could not be happier about it. Mediterranean in the broad sense: Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek all represented. I stopped in for lunch and got the chicken wrap, which is essentially a shawarma/shish taouk situation: garlic toum, pickled turnips, sumac onions, tomatoes, all wrapped in lavash. Outstanding. Full stop. What makes this such a win is the location. Every other Lebanese or similar spot doing an Arabic-style chicken wrap is about an hour out in any direction from here. To finally have one in Bethesda is a genuine relief, especially for me, because I love toum and would happily put extra on just about anything. They also do a happy hour Monday through Friday, which is a nice bonus for the neighborhood. Pickup is ridiculously easy, too. You can pull right up to the hotel roundabout out front, grab your to-go order, and be on your way m.....no hunting for a parking space in Bethesda, which is a pain sometimes. One more thing worth calling out: when I picked up my order, the employee canceled out the tip screen *before* handing me the device so I didn't have to do it myself. That has literally never happened to me. Everyone's asking for a tip on everything these days, and that small gesture was genuinely thoughtful. Good people work here. And if you're staying at the Hyatt, they're right in your lobby. You can't get more convenient than walking downstairs for this. read more

What a spectacular way we spent our Saturday at Agora Bethesda. Enjoyed the "all you can eat brunch" with a Turkish theme. The layout of the restaurant is outstanding. The service for two and a half hours was attentive and over all great! Agora Bethesda is easily accessed by the Bethesda Metro station as well as easy parking at the Hyatt Hotel. read more

Very tasty food. We got the halumi, beet salad and a lacmachun to share. All were Delicious as was bread and olive oil/chopped olives brought to the table. Wait staff and the manager(?) Kim knocked themselves out to be attentive even though they were short staffed and we were sitting outside. Very good experience all around. We will def go back read more

Agora is a promising new addition to Bethesda, with excellent food and attentive service, but the lighting and noise levels significantly detracted from the experience. I would happily return once those ambience issues are addressed. All of the meat dishes were very good, especially the lamb kebab special and the shish kebab, and the zucchini fritters were a hit. The only parts of the meal that were not to my taste were the cod mousse on the sampler platter, which I found too fishy and salty, and the grilled chicken, which was somewhat overcooked. It was very dry inside, and the char on the outside was a bit too heavy. The service was excellent. Our waiter was attentive, quick, polite, and knowledgeable about the menu. Unfortunately, the ambience needs significant improvement. The recessed lighting and tabletop lights would be more than sufficient for an evening dining experience, but the large blue overhead lights are cool-toned and overly bright, making the dining room feel more like a school cafeteria than a restaurant. The room also consists almost entirely of hard surfaces, so it was extremely echoey and loud. My family could barely hear one another during dinner. Some acoustic panels, ceiling treatments, curtains, or other sound-dampening materials would make an enormous difference. I genuinely enjoyed the food and appreciated the very good service, but I probably will not return until the lighting and noise issues are addressed. read more

Open design features a great atmosphere for events and gatherings; highly recommended. read more

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You should definitely eat here but wait a few weeks until they work out the bumps! We were excited to try the new Bethesda location that took over the Daily Grill space in the Bethesda Hyatt. Tonight, we were told, was their first busy service since opening last week. There was a lot of apologizing for a rough dining experience by our server. We did wish that the manager had come over but I am sure she was putting out fires. We waited 30 minutes to get our drinks then one cocktail was missing and did not show for another 10 minutes...that's how it started and instead of sharing the other negative examples let me say the food that arrived was delicious. The portions were decent sized and our server worked hard to correct the mistakes. We appreciated how hard she worked! The spicy margarita is really delicious as is the homemade lemonade. The dip sampler is a must and they are generous with baskets of the warm bread. The new space is pretty and the outside space looks great. We asked to sit there but they were already booked by 7:00 PM. We will be back to give it another try and hope it will be a different dining experience. read more

It was my first time at Agora and Mike was fantastic!!!! The service was spectacular! Coming again!

The food was really good, especially the grilled chicken. The sampler plate was excellent as was the grilled halloumi. Service was excellent. We spilled a beer and they immediately replaced it without a charge for it. Drinks were unique and tasty. One of the better restaurants in downtown Bethesda. read more

The staff were plain unwelcoming and rude. Bethesda is packed with wonderful restaurants, avoid this one

Food was good but this restaurant is extremely loud. Great for a date if you want ambience and not conversation!

My friend and I recently dined at the new Agora restaurant in downtown Bethesda. Everything was so wonderful! From the delicious mezze entrees and appetizers we shared, to the great wine selection, to the excellent and attentive service, to the atmosphere and ambience, it was just spectacular! I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone searching for well priced and delicious Mediterranean fair in the Bethesda or DMV area. Thank you for a wonderful evening! read more

This was a fantastic opening week for Agora. Amir was quick, knowledgeable, and super helpful. The food was all cooked perfectly and came out soon after ordering, the drinks were fantastic, and the restaurant itself was clean, comfortable, and enjoyable to witness. read more

As frequent patrons of the tysons corner agora location, we were excited to have a closer location opening in bethesda. But it was disappointing. The decor lacks the charm and beauty of the tysons location. The noise level is so high that i could not hear my husband or the waitress. Even if everything else had been perfect, I would not return due to the noise. My husband's favorite agora dish is the manti. The version of this dish that he was served in bethesda bore little resemblance to the dish as it is prepared in tysons. In tysons the dish is served in a plate that is a kind of skillet. In bethesda it was served in an ordinary bowl. The dumplings looked different and smaller and did not taste nearly as good. The pita bread was room temperature rather than the fresh, hot bread we have been served many times in tysons. Do not expect this restaurant to be at the same level as tysons. read more