Excellent service. Caring and flexible staff. Yummy Honey Nutmeg oat milk Latte! Fresh and tasty Arugula salad sold in cafe section. Music is cool too and Ambiance is stylish, colorful, and fresh looking! This is a Middle Eastern fusion restaurant. read more

ala - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thank you ala for providing an inviting space and delicious, thoughtfully prepared food for my friends and me. We see each other once in a blue moon and ala was the perfect place for us to enjoy being with each other again. Went on a Tuesday night and I'm glad we had a reservation. It was quite busy! For 3 people, we ordered 5 dishes which was plenty for us. It's hard to choose a favorite as each dish was beautifully presented and prepared. The babaganoush tuna crudo was very fresh and flavorful. So unique as well! Beautiful colors The manti and fried halloumi were also a standout dishes - I would order both again. The staff were all very friendly. We loved our server - she was attentive (my water glass was never empty!) but not overly so. She let us sit and talk long after we finished eating and waited until we asked for the check. Excellent service! Absolutely would recommend this restaurant - 5 stars! read more

See all

Came to Ala's for their bottomless brunch with some friends and enjoyed our time! The menu includes a lot of options and i loved how they had a mimosa bar to dress up our drinks! Definitely recommend the bottomless option and everyone picking different things and sharing! All the options were yummy and delicious. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and very spacious! I didn't feel like we were super close to the tables next to us. They do have a very nice patio which will be nice during the summer months. Only complaint is that our waiter was not that attentive. I wish he was more aware when we needed more champagne as we had to flag him down so many times. Also, there is a 90 minute time limit from when you get seated and they are pretty strict on that. read more

See all

My friend has been wanting to go here, so we decided to try it out. We were excited and heard good things. The restaurant is very nice and has a great vibe to it inside, which we loved! We came for happy hour on a Saturday around 4:30pm, so they had a select menu of appetizers for only $10 each. We started with truffle fries with hummus (5/5 delicious and highly recommend) and the lahmacun flatbread (3/5 okay) We then decided to share a Adana Kebap (4/5, flavorful and was a big portion) and Manti (5/5 yummy dumplings that I highly recommend). I have to take off stars for their poor service. Our waiter and the restaurant staff were arguing after we were seated, so that was awkward. Then our waiter brought out our appetizers about 15-20 minutes after ordering, and then COMPLETELY forgot to put in our main order of the Adana Kebap and Manti when he asked if we wanted dessert right after apps. We waited 1 1/2 hours for the main courses to come out when it wasn't super duper busy. Other tables that came in later than us got all of their food. The waiter checked in on us here and there, but we had to flag him down. When it came to paying the bill, my friend gave 18% tip for the service given everything that happened and the waiter rudely blurted our, "What? Was there something wrong with the service?" and gave her the side eye. We were shocked and never had that happen to us, which made this place a turn off. read more

ala - Mini Lahmacun and truffle fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I love Ala in Bethesda but this one star is for Ala in DC because of their bad service. I arrived with a large group on a Friday evening and we did not have reservations. The manager was not nice and seemed frustrated. He said that he could try to find us separate tables to which we agreed and then he said that we were each required to spend $50. I will go back to Ala in Bethesda but not to its location in DC. read more

Lots of potential but turned out to be a horrible experience. Majority of the time at the table ended up being spent looking up other restaurants in the area to go for dinner. Reservation on 8pm on a fri night. We get there and they tell us the kitchen closes at 8:30. Ok? Reservation was for downstairs. On arrival they say they have an "event" downstairs so there is no room. It looks empty though. So they take us upstairs. It's super noisy. We are given a table that's in the dark, between two birthday party looking groups of about 15 people each. Waiter seems nice but can't hear him and he can't hear us because it's so noisy. I end up resorting to pointing to order. We get starters, which are pretty good, but decide it's not worth it, ask for the check. Nothing for 24 minutes so we asked another waiter. Also on the way out I heard more tables asking to take food off the bill because it took so long to arrive. Kind of a shame because the food was pretty good (4 stars) but the experience was terrible (0 stars). read more

ala - Our table in the dark - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

We enjoyed Ankara since it has great outdoor patio seating and the indoor seating can accommodate large parties. The host was gracious and quick to seat us for our reservation. We had a party of 5 and were able to sit at a large wooden table indoors. We order three different appetizers--the hummus tumeric, spicy hadari, and muhummara. Then for my main dish I ordered the sucuk Benedict, which is a thinly cut Turkish sausage and eggs and Turkish tea. My husband ordered the short ribs Benedict. Then my son has the cinnamon waffle topped with strawberries, blueberries and honey. All the dishes were definitely savory and Turkish flavors. We definitely enjoyed the muhummara and pita bread. The ambiance and environment were also a great vibe for a Sunday brunch in DuPont circle. I gave the restaurant four stars because some of the dishes were not up to par, and some the food came out a little cold, but definitely would give this place another try. read more

See all

We decided to come here for a Saturday brunch. They serve Mediterranean/ Turkish style dishes with an unlimited mimosa option with different juices. The restaurant is pretty close to DuPont and the farmer's market. We set outside under the pergola which had a very nice ambiance. We didn't really take advantage of the bottomless mimosas although they were tasty and came with a several juices. The brunch option came with 3 courses and is Mediterranean/ Turkish inspired. I thought the food was mediocre. The fettoush salad was a bit flavorless and bland. I had the sesame simit with egg in the center and a fruit crumble. Maybe I would have had better luck with non breakfast items. Out waiter was very patient with us even though we took a while to decide. Overall not worth going the brunch option if you don't take advantage of the mimosas. read more

I was looking for a place in DuPont that had brunch and this is one of the spots that came up! I wasn't sure about "Turkish" food but very glad I did!!! So, I made a reservation at 1pm on Opentable. I was really impressed with Saturday brunch today. As soon as I walked in , Ashley , floor manager greeted me very warmly. Our server, Bora was very nice. He was very helpful and knew the menu. I was also impressed that the menu had a key for all the dietary restrictions that people may have. He explained the brunch option and the drinks. I told him I have a dairy allergy and he provided the food options I could enjoy. The brunch is $27 for a full food menu. It's an additional $12 for bottomless drinks. We were advised brunch is for 2 hours. First and foremost, kudos to a restaurant that serves Pineapple and Pomegranate for additional juice options! I ordered the Salmon, Spheherds Salad, turkey sausage, and Brussels sprouts. The food was fresh and very delicious. wow!!! The decor is cute and modern. I can't wait to come back for happy hour or another brunch. read more

See all

ala has a lovely, dim ambiance perfect for date night or a group dinner. The food was full of flavor. Although pricey, I would definitely come back. read more

ala - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

We had my sister's birthday brunch here and it was great. Ankara is great for large groups or small, cozy groups as well. For $27.99 you can participate in the "all you can eat" brunch, although everyone has to agree to participate, or you can get individual entrees. The deal also comes with either Turkish tea, coffee, or a glass of mimosa. For $12 more, you can participate in bottomless brunch. Our waiter Bora was really nice, attentive, and great at explaining menu items. We started with various dips and pita and put in orders for many items. The food is really good, minus the keshkek (whole wheat with butter) which we were not a fan of. I'd recommend crepes, eggs, pide (flatbread), and sigara boregi (phyllo with spinach and feta). But overall, everything is very good. One recommendation I have is to may bring out some of the hot items earlier. I was really hungry and was wondering why the eggs or flat bread had not come out and we were told it's coming later, so I ordered some other things that I thought would take less time to come out like the roasted veggies and falafel. In the beginning, we munched on the dips for a while but I was ready for some eggs. Towards the end of our two hour window, a bunch of the items we ordered came out together and by then, I was full. I don't like wasting food so I'll plan my appetite better next time. Desserts were great, but they also allow outside desserts for birthday parties. I'd definitely go back to enjoy the delicious food, service, and ambiance. read more

ala - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I don't think this place is spoke about enough. We went for Sunday brunch: $48 with bottomless mimosas. Totally worth it. We didn't want dessert so they let us get two appetizers instead. Couldn't recommend the hummus enough: my favorite. The Jazra Mutabal (carrot) was also amazing. The Batata Hara (golden potatos) was also amazing. I'm just a huge sauce person so I wish it had more Harissa. The Quzi Burger was also amazing: the lamb was charred but not in a way it tasted burnt, just crispy. OVERALL, Ala was Amazing. read more

See all

Ala is a Michelin rated restaurant and i was so excited to check out their brunch options! We came during restaurant week and did the 3 course brunch with bottomless mimosas. Sarah is a great waitress and was so attentive to our needs. We said bottomless, she said right away! Super generous with the bottles of champagne and the food came out at a balanced distributed time for us to enjoy, digest, and appreciate each course. We started with the mixed spreads and moved to the tawook strips, smashed adana burger, crab omelette. I will say for mediterranean food, i was expecting more flavor explosion which each dish but I'd say the dishes were a little simple and basic. We all agreed we weren't AMAZED but it fed us well and the service made up for it. HUGE shoutout to Sarah, our Tunisian server who broke down the menu for us and described each dish. Our experience wouldn't be as great without Alex serving each dish with a big smile!! read more

ala - tawook strips, smashed adana burger, crab omelette - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Go to the bar and ask for frank! he is incredible, and the food is to die for. 10/10 recommend the all you can eat!

So good. I will be going back. I will offer upfront that the only reason I am not giving a 5 star is because the staff forgot items and didn't come by the table to clear dishes, refill water, or for us to order more drinks when glasses were empty. We learned at the end that the kitchen was short a staff member and it was impacting everyone, however I saw staff on cell phones and around the bar at times, which made it hard to know if they were busy with other things or just hanging out. The food was very good and the staff member who took care of us was very helpful when it came to choosing menu items. We pretty much ordered a few things from each part of the menu - two spreads, shrimp, potatoes, the sausage and goat cheese under charcuterie, lamb chops and short rib under larger plates, and wine. We ordered a flatbread that never came, however at the end the staff apologized and took care of things on the check. I would order every item again. For those hoping to sit outside, it's a nice environment and was packed when we arrived. There were only a few folks inside during our time and almost every outside table was taken. read more

ala - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This is the best brunch in DC. No, really. It is. We had unlimited mimosas that we served ourselves at the mimosa bar, and we so appreciated the chance to mix our own drinks. Since you pour your alcohol and juice, you get to control how heavy-handed it can be. You even get to garnish your bottomless mimosas! Then, of course, there is the bottomless food! Our server sent us one portion of everything on the menu and recommended that we ask for more servings of the food we liked. Their menu was definitely worth tasting from beginning to end. Believe me when I say, ala is the best brunch experience in DC. read more

Fantastic experience. Unique and delicious food. Even better service. Genuinely, the staff were generous and friendly. Beautiful atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more

I'd give this a solid 4 stars overall. For the food I tried a sampling of small plates including the eggplant spread, falafel, short rib gyro, cauliflower, mini dumplings, and the mousse. Overall Al the food was super good. Favorites were hands down the falafel - super crunchy with super smooth hummus underneath, and the gyro - the short rib just had outstanding flavor. I'd prob get the short rib large plate when I go back. Negatives - 1) they don't provide anywhere near enough bread to go with the spread essentially forcing you to pay $3 for more bread to enjoy the second half. 2) the service was some of the slowest I've ever experience in DC. We didn't go on a busy night and we still ended up being there over 3 hours total. read more

Have to say, this is one of the best happy hour spots I've tried in DC! Sat on the patio on a hot, humid night - but with the fan it was still lovely! Service was kind and attentive. The cocktails were innovative and delicious and honestly, it was hard to choose! I had the Zahrah and the Pandora and loved both. We also shared a variety of small plates and every single one was a home run, from the watermelon salad with fresh gebna (bateekh) to the roasted eggplant (zaalouk) with spiced taboon, to the falafel with beet puree, and the oyster mushrooms with grilled sour dough. They have a huge variety of vegetarian and vegan options, and they're all good! Also, pro tip: *DO NOT* skip the halva mousse for dessert! Best of all, everything is 25% for happy hour from 4-6pm! You can order all your dishes - even dessert - and they'll space it out well. read more

See all

I had a great second experience at Ankara, especially because of the friendly and efficient service and the chance to try a few different dishes that I normally wouldn't have. This was one of the best experiences we've had with service dining out and it really pushed the meal over the top. Everyone was friendly and patient and were attentive enough to know if we needed anything. They also kept the dishes coming out at a good pace. They have a fairly wide menu of appetizers, flatbreads, mezze, grilled items, desserts; we really enjoyed the meatballs in cream sauce topped with cheese (reminiscent of Swedish meatballs) and the Ispanakli Borek (phyllo pastries filled with cheese and spinach, though the more spinach the better!), as well as the desserts - the seasonal pumpkin chunks (Kabak Tatlisi) was soft and not too sweet, and the baklava was flaky and decadent (with pistachio cream underneath it). The main dishes were good (assorted vegetables with rice and the beef over a bed of grains) but not the standouts of the meal. They also have a selection of sweet mocktails and drinks. And the bread with olive tapenade for the table was warm and tasty! I would love to return, especially to try their brunch and some of their slow cooked options, which can take a little longer to prepare! I do also like the location (right off the Dupont Circle metro stop and a nice spot to go for a walk after dinner). read more

See all

Was in DC on business and happened upon Ala at around 2:00 p.m., not having read any reviews. What a find! The food was so delicious and the service was outstanding. I had the za'atar pide which was incredible. Our waitress was so friendly and helpful with ordering, given my unfamiliarity with the food offerings. read more

Didn't know what to expect and the food was AMAZING. Best baba ghanoush I've had maybe ever. Not a bad dish on the table. Great for vegans and gluten free. Go for a special occasion or a fun dinner with friends. read more

A tasting experience that left 3 out of 4 people with food poisonin. I would recommend the bottled wate.

I LOVED Ankara, and I was skeptical of the rebranding to Ala. Not surprisingly, I primarily miss Ankara and was not thrilled with Ala. PROS: The mimosa bar at brunch is AMAZING. I really loved this feature but it was the only real improvement Lovely decorations/upgrades to the patio area outside CONS: FEWER food options The new "flatbreads" are just abysmal. Horrible. They used to have REALLY amazing flatbreads with cheese when it was Ankara and I desperately miss those. the new ones are just like crusty thin bread with some weird spices on top. They still have the halloumi cheese but they changed the recipe and it's not as good as it was before There was a dip with walnuts and red peppers I used to love...it's gone There was a dessert I liked, I forget exactly how it was but it was a chocolate cake type thing...GONE Tumeric hummus was another fav...GONE and replaced with harissa hummus, too spicy for me Harissa grilled cheese was burned The egg dishes and lavender cream spreads were the tastiest parts. Falafel was pretty good. Overall, I say BRING BACK ANKARA. This was disappointing and I won't be rushing back. read more

So I've been here before, but did not leave a review. My review would have been much better if I had. Nice place with a lot of attractions around. Food was good, but it was better before. First up: hummus, which was very good, but it was an extra cost for pita. I think pita, at least some, should be included with the hummus. Then we had the Branzino, which was the best of the choices today. We also had stuffed pepper dolmas, which were ok, kind of bland, and the Israeli Couscous, which I expected to be warm, but it wasn't. All in all just ok. I expected better because I've been here for better. Service, again, was ok. Not bad! read more

The food was alright and the atmosphere was very pleasant but the service was extremely poor. It was laughable and disappointing to my group that the bottomless brunch we were made to order was in fact not bottomless at all - unless we had to flag a server down ourselves? Neither bottles or glasses were checked, or any offer for something different. Also, the appetizer portion came with about a dozen different things to try, but you'll be surprised when there is an "up charge" for an extra order of bread. I won't be visiting again, and I'd advise any locals or visitors to steer clear of ala for their next brunch outing. It was not worth it. read more

My favorite part of visiting DC is always bottomless brunch. It's the best way to start the day IMO. The make your own mimosa bar is such a smart idea for both the customer and for the staff. Not only did they have a variety of juices, but they had flavored syrups, fruit, and herbs you could add as well. I loved the mimosa I made with grapefruit juice and lavender syrup. We had a group of 6 people and it was super easy to share everything. The food ranged from sweet to savory and we could order more of the dishes we liked best. My favorite dish was the falafel with beet on top it was just a perfect combination. We stayed for the entire 2 hours we were allotted and had a great time. Highly recommend! read more

I prefer my brunch bottomless like Winnie ---- Went to @aladupontdc yesterday and sat at their beautiful & spacious outdoor patio (all was well until we were attacked by bees) Despite dramatically making a scene, this place was nothing short of amazing. Bottomless small plates & a mimosa bar! Quite literally told our waiter "we'd like one of everything please" Favorites: dolmades, falafel, spinach bourekas, musakhan tawook, labneh. Dessert: kadaif riz bi haleeb read more

See all

We came here on Sunday night with a large group. Ankara is great for large groups, if you're splitting the bill evenly. They can only take 6 cards, and they can't split by seat. If you and 5 friends come in for the pre fixe, you'll be just fine. It's not ideal for 8 people ordering different priced things and some drinking, some not, etc. That said, we had a great experience. The location is excellent, right near DuPont metro. The restaurant is clean, nicely decorated, and you don't feel cramped. It's a pretty big space, with plenty of outdoor patio seating too. The service is great, and the menu is pretty extensive. Adventurous and picky eaters can find something to enjoy here. The fig-infused Mediterranean Mule was delicious. I could drink a gallon of it! The food was more of a mixed bag, but everything was average to great. I had red lentil soup, which was tasty and very filling. I also had the toscana salad, which had too many croutons on it. It was a generous portion though. The bread they serve is so good, served nice and warm. I had to hold back from nibbling on it and spoiling my appetite! The hummus was honestly a little disappointing for a place where you'd expect it to be fantastic. The babaghanoush was very smoky, so if you're into that, you'll love it. The shakshuka, interestingly enough, is not a hot egg tomato dish. It tasted good enough, but my favorite was the beet dip. It might have been called beet hummus? The falafel was lovely, and served over a layer of hummus that we mopped up with pita chips. My favorite was the grilled halloumi with honey! I could eat a whole serving by myself (but shouldn't). The only thing that was NOT good was the seafood orzo, which my friends ordered and said was awful. The seafood was chewy, which is just not appealing. My boyfriend got the kofte, which he said was delicious. He ate every bite. read more

See all

Loved ala! The interior is so detailed and is beautiful. The cocktails are very well crafted and their infused wines are so different than anything I've ever had (including in dc!). The service is very attentive and friendly and they make you feel like you're part of the family. Highly recommend the Kebap and khyar salad! read more

See all

In a relatively crowded bottomless brunch scene, Ala distinguishes itself by offering a unique menu of Middle Eastern bites and drink selections that extend beyond the standard mimosas and bloodies. As such, my wife and I chose it to celebrate her birthday with a medium sized group. The host sat us at the upstairs dining room which houses the bigger, rowdier groups at the restaurant. The downstairs dining room has better ambiance and seemed calmer, so request that if you prefer a quieter brunch. Our table was ready promptly at our reservation time, and our friendly waitress helpfully explained how the bottomless system works at Ala. Service overall was decent but had a few hiccups, namely that a dining companion's coffee took nearly 30 minutes to arrive to our table and that the kitchen sent out quite a few incorrect dishes. Additionally, service felt a little chaotic towards the second half of our meal, but we have had similar experiences at most other bottomless places we've brunched at. Our table skipped on drinks due due to some unexpected hangovers (the woes of getting older), so I can't comment on the quality of drink service here. Do note the bottomless menu for drinks includes all draft beers and cocktails with house liquor, a relative rarity among brunch places. Foodwise, we overall enjoyed our bites. The portions here can run comedically small, so I recommend trying everything you want up front and then ordering multiples of the dishes you like. Favorites among our party included the flaky spinach boreka, the addictive zaatar fries, the flavorful menemen, and the comforting harissa grilled cheese. On the sweet side, I really enjoyed the crispy, fluffy caraway toast (Ala's spin on a French toast) and many of our fellow diners raved about the chocolate halvah mousse. We liked essentially all the other items we sampled, save for the gheysavah with its odd combo of chunky nuts and crispy fried eggs. One universal criticism of our meal was that most of our food arrived lukewarm. Additionally, we found the pita bread we received often had a dry texture and was not heated adequately. Overall, however, our party enjoyed the flavors we sampled and found that they compared favorably to other brunch spots in town (Middle Eastern or otherwise). The food and drinks here are different enough from the norm to warrant a visit when in the mood for bottomless, and this place overall left a good impression in terms of our experience. read more

This place had been on my list for sometime and restaurant week gave me the perfect excuse to finally check it out! The menu options were fantastic. I got the following: - Starter: charcuterie plate - It came with goat cheese, feta cheese, kaci, zaytoon, torshi, and the pita bread. The goat cheese was my favorite - 5/5 - Mezze: Short ribs, fennel pilaf, and lettuce herb salad. The short ribs are slow cooked for 8 hours and they were so tender and flavorful - one of the best short ribs I've had! The pomegranates added a nice sweet taste - 5/5 - Sweets: Pistachio baklava - delicious and filling - 4/5 We also got the drink deal that allows you to pair a wine and cocktail for only $15! I got the elise lady. This is a perfect tequila cocktail that is just the right amount of sweet. For the wine, I got the cleopatra. It was really sweet as the menu states, but I enjoyed it. Overall, the food and ambiance of the place are great. I can't wait to return and try more options! read more

See all

Brunch was so worth it. All were delicious, and half were surprisingly delicious. The hidden flavors!

When I tell you this spot is amazing, trust and believe it really is! They have a gorgeous interior and it screams luxury with a hint of Middle Eastern vibes. The staff were so attentive despite me being indecisive on where I wanted to be seated. As great as the service was, the food was even better. My friend and I started off with a round of cocktails-- Kerasi & Pandora. If you're a dark liquor person, the Kerasi will suit you best as it had whiskey, smoked cherry syrup, and lemon. Whereas, their Pandora cocktail is more on the floral side with gin, lavender, and lime. Honestly, it was a bit too tart for me but my friend loved it and it was pretty to look at as well. For appetizers, we had the harissa hummus, dried cacik, with homemade flatbread. The hummus was like liquid gold and the harissa added a little heat which I didn't mind. The dried cacik was like a cucumber pickled yogurt based dip topped with mint powder. It wasn't my favorite but couldn't stop eating it for some odd reason. Following that we tried their Turkish Labneh manoushe with sastra, labneh, tomatoes, and more. This dish was amazing but will say their lahmacun was my favorite. I don't know if it was the beef or the eggplant but whatever it was, I was obsessed. If you're looking for something more on the healthier side, their falafels topped with beer was very delicious. The falafel were so homemade and soft too. For our entrees, we went with their short ribs with chickpea crema and herb salad. This was by far my favorite dish of the night as the short ribs were so tender. My friend had their chicken kebabs with dates, and it was coated in this sesame honey sauce. She loved every bit of it. For our shared dessert, we went with their Poached pear in this coffee chocolate sauce. We weren't a huge fan of it as it was too complex for our taste buds. We'd probably order something else the next time we visit. All in all, this spot is legit and would highly recommend it. read more

See all

The place was smaller than expected but staff was all nice. It was pretty loud and hard to hear anyone across the table talking. The food was okay. The drinks were very good. read more

ala - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 really. When forced to choose between 3 and 4, had to go 4. Why? 1. Yelp check-in yields 50% off bottle of wine. Server recommended a good one. 2. Server was good. 3. Tastes were good. Eggplant moussaka especially. Why was 3 in the running? 1. Portion sizes small. I am a light eater. My hubby a medium eater. We agree. We left not full. 2. Spanakopita appetizer a round brioche thingy. We debated did we like it. Guess we did. Small.We prefer spanakopita at many other restaurants up and down the coast. If they doubled the entree portion, we would not complain. 3. His lamb plate good over rice but meat portion tiny. Rice very good however. This restaurant near DuPont Circle where my conference was. Convenient. Decent appearance. If you too are nearby for business or conference, try. Just go for Yelp check-in and great deal on vino. Maybe their portions will get a notch bigger! read more

See all

Ate here on Sunday with a group of extended family and we had a wonderful meal. We were seated upstairs and I'm unable to climb stairs. They do have an elevator that staff must take you because it takes a very meandering route behind locked doors. Our size group was required to order the prix fixe but everyone was satisfied with the available choices. My son thinks we ate all but two of the items available. Daughter-in-law and I shared two from the first course, fried halloumi and spinach croquettes. I liked the halloumi but loved the croquettes because of the texture. We also ended up with an order of batatas on our table that nobody claimed so we all tasted, and I liked the texture of them as well. For an entree I chose the sausage and cheese sandwich because I wanted the protein. Liked the filling a lot but it was too much bread for me with dessert coming. I got to taste all 3, but was glad I ordered the baklava, which was a small portion but SO good. Second choice would have been the chocolate mousse which had a very intense chocolate flavor. read more

Beautiful Mediterranean setting! You enter through a Levantine courtyard (or as best a recreation as can be managed in Downtown DC), complete with a mosaic and overhanging grape leaves. We chose to sit outside on a warm fall night; the inside looked a very inviting atmosphere as well. The outdoors ambiance was lovely--great for a romantic evening. The waitstaff kindly provided us sanitizing wipes as we were seated. Our server's advice was to order several small plates to share, which we took especially as none of the large plates were vegetarian. Ala also has a very nice wine and cocktail special with any order of food, consisting of two cocktails and two wines. Our choice of cocktails were the Knidos (raki, rum, cucumber, mint, apple juice). I enjoyed the Knidos especially, as I'm always on the lookout for raki - something of a rare treat for a non-Turk. What came out first was an order of zaalouk and spiced taboon, a fluffy and rich Levantine flatbread. The pistachios give it a nice crunch on top as well. The zaalouk humourously had the appearance of beef tartare (but none of the taste, which is good considering it's meant to be vegan) - we recommend squeezing the lemon into it to introduce a little acidity. Next we had the kokoretsi mesh, a vegetarian version of a traditional dish made of lamb intestines, wrapped around sweetbreads on skewer and grilled horizontally over the charcoal fire. I loved the spices used to season the charred oyster mushrooms that were substituted for the meat. My dining partner thought it could use a cream-based accompaniment--fortunately, we also ordered a labneh man'oushe, from which we transferred a bit of the goat milk-based labneh. The man'oushe itself was so-so, in our estimation. The flavours were nice, but the dish overall (a "Lebanese street food is eaten on the go, crispy on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside") was quite dry. The last time we ordered was a fatar flatbread, made with oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, harissa, parsley, and toum--essentially just a pizza in the &pizza style, but a darn good one at that. We finished our meal with a glass of raki - this is a must unless you especially hate licorice, which raki has strong notes of. It's the quintessential liquor of Turkey, and the visual effect alone is worth it: this clear liquor turns milky white with the addition of a few drops of water. All in all, a beautiful way to cap off a wonderful meal and evening. read more

See all

Did some extensive searching for dinner options in DC for our short weekend visit, and after stumbling upon Ala's menu and pricing, it was a done deal for us! We easily booked a reservation for outdoor dining ~2 weeks in advance, which gave us plenty of time to plan the rest of our trip around our dinner experience. Ala is nicely situated in Dupont Circle, which was within walking distance from our hotel as well as some other landmarks we had been hoping to see. They have a very expansive outdoor space with heaters situated throughout and a closed off space from the foot traffic of Dupont Circle. Our dinner was in early April, and while it was warm in the afternoon, it had definitely chilled by 6PM, so I appreciated the heater and was prepared with my own blanket as well. We were easily sat and introduced to our servers (1 trainee and 1 trainer, both excellent), who took excellent care for us the entire night and definitely did not rush us at all! We appreciated their hospitality and guidance through our experience at Ala. In terms of food - Ala offers a large menu, but the biggest bang for your buck is the "ziyafet," which allows you to select 2 hot and 2 cold dishes from the entire menu for a mere $39 / person. It was so hard to narrow down our selections as so many options sounded unique and delish! I ultimately opted for the chocolate mutabbal and shawnder as my cold dishes, while my fiancee went for the freekah tabbouleh and harissa hummus for his. The spreads (all but the tabbouleh) came with some pita for dipping. The mutabbal was unlike anything I've had before - featuring a smoky eggplant spread, it was topped with tons of chocolate shavings that gave it such a unique spin. The chocolate at times did overpower the eggplant flavor, so I did wind up enjoying some of the chocolate on its own and removed from the dip itself, which allowed me to truly savor the smoky eggplant flavor. Surprisingly, the shawnder (beet root and anise flavors) was sweeter than the mutabbal, but still quite enjoyable. This spread was a bit more liquidy than the mutabbal, but it was refreshing and delicious nonetheless. My fiancee's tabbouleh was OK - it had a bit too much mint to my liking, but the flavors were certainly there. The hummus was also good - not quite like Israeli hummus that I'm used to as it had different spices and a bit of a smoother texture, but also quite good and spicy with the harissa. We ordered so many spreads that we needed some extra pita, which took a while to get, but was appreciated once it arrived. For hot dishes, I went with the fried halloumi and the short rib (originally wanted the salmon, but they were out of it that night), and my fiancee the lahmacun and tandir (lamb). The halloumi was excellent - perfectly fried and nicely paired with the honey. I'm not a huge rib fan, but honestly this dish was out of this world - the ribs were so tender and perfectly seasoned with a blend of cinnamon, tumeric, corriander, etc. Along with the nice chickpea blended spread, this was a standout of the night for sure. The lahmacun was good - a little spicier than expected but a nice homage to traditional Turkish food. And the tandir was also excellent - not quite as delectable as the rib as it was a bit tougher, but still quite delicious and nicely matched with the yogurt sauce. While the food was so delightful, perhaps the best deal of the night is the drinks - for $19, you can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail, 2 glasses of wine with dinner, and a post-dinner cocktail - truly a deal that can't be beat! We loved trying some unique cocktails that featured Levant specialties, and I enjoyed trying some of their homemade wines. Since it was so much alcohol, we did spend about 3H at dinner, so we appreciated not being rushed for the night so we could fully enjoy the experience. Needless to say, we were stuffed by the end of our dinner! Overall, we totally loved our Ala experience and were so glad we stumbled upon this restaurant in DC. I would highly, highly recommend Ala to anyone visiting DC, and I certainly will be returning on future trips to the city. Thank you for such a wonderful experience during our quick weekend getaway, Ala - we hope to see you again soon! read more

See all

What a wonderful Turkish (tapa style) restaurant with many delicious mezze (cold and hot) and small dishes to share. Nice cocktails and mocktails too. Prime location (right at Dupont Circle metro exit). Beautiful, elegant decors. Some tables (seating) are nicer (more comfortable, more homey) than others but overall all good. See pictures for what to order. Calamari is quite ordinary. Skip that. But the grilled lamb cubes are great, as was most other dishes. We didn't order any entrees. Just the small dishes, and we were stuffed! Noise level is a bit high as we can't easily hear people from across the table. We were a group of 7 celebrating a birthday and they surprised us with a cake and candle, as well as a number of waitresses and waiters singing happy birthday! Pretty magical. Simple gesture. Big happiness. Waiter was quite nice, though he didn't speak good English, and some confusions arose. They brought us a cocktail we didn't order (they mixed up; sent the wrong cocktail). They ended up giving it to us for free, which was a nice gesture, and they brought out the correct cocktail. As for the dishes, one of them that we ordered was grilled (kebob style lamb and minced beef mix). They brought us lamb chops which we never ordered. They took it back and brought out the correct one. That's the only regret of the otherwise perfect evening. read more

See all