Came here for brunch this past weekend. The place is really cute and the service was good too. The problem for me was the food. It all looked very good and fresh but literally every dish was missing flavor. All the dips just tasted completely bland and the meats were dry and lacked any taste. I'm not sure what went wrong here. I wouldn't come back anytime soon. We really ended up filling up on the bread, cheese, nuts and fruit. Also, would be nice if they served the bread warm at the table instead of leaving it out on the buffet. read more

I came here for the three course menu brunch with a group of my friends on a Saturday morning. We had made a reservation prior, which was a good move our part, because the restaurant was very busy. We decided to go for the bottomless mimosas option, in addition to the brunch, which we thoroughly enjoyed. For starters, highlights were definitely the patatas bravas. The hummus bubble goodies were fine, but there was definitely not enough pita for our party size, and it took a while for them to come out with more. The shakshuka was a standout for the main course. The brussels sprouts were a little undercooked, and the latkes were under seasoned and kind of mushy. The challah French toast was delicious, though I wish that that the portion size had been larger. The desserts were absolutely incredible, and we enjoyed all of them. I think overall, the food was very delicious, and I was extremely satisfied. I think the service was fine, though rather slow. Despite opting for the bottomless mimosas option, it felt like our champagne bottle was always empty, and required us asking the servers multiple times for a new bottle of champagne. I would definitely come back here, but would recommend it only if you have a lot of time. read more

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Came here for brunch and our group of 5 was seated at a big table, which I always appreciate so that we each have more space. We all did the bottomless prefix brunch. Ala has a juice bar where you can adorn your Bloody Marys or Mimosas with, so I added tons of olives to my Bloody Mary and then fresh strawberries to my Mimosa when I wanted to change drinks. I ordered these 3 off of the prefix menu - 1) baba ghanoush 2) crab omelette (this one was my favorite!) 3) zalabia read more

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We had an amazing 3 course brunch ($34 per person, without bottomless) at ala! Our waitress Sophia was excellent and the food came out quickly, which was perfect because we were in a hurry. We both felt the 3 courses together were very filling. Another great aspect is that the bathrooms provided seat covers. The space was really clean and felt well-maintained. read more

ala - Soujok Egg Sandwich - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I brought an out of town friend here for DC Summer Restaurant Week and we had such a blast, highly recommend! Everything we ordered was a hit and I keep thinking about when I can come back. Notable: Fried haloumi Feta croquette Hummus The shot glasses of soup (I can't remember what it's called) Baklava Cocktails We were sat upstairs which was kind of... a different vibe? Bright lights, a little stale, I think it might have slowed service a bit. The food was good enough that this didn't really change my impression of the restaurant. Downstairs seemed a lot nicer but I'll have to come back to find out. read more

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The hits were the lamb kabob and the dips! After coming from turkey travels, i feel like my kabob bar has defiantly been raise and this one was flavorful and tender. Loved it. The dips were great as well and there was diversity within them, since we got the set of four. The babaganoush was the best, but I'm an eggplant girlie. The carrots were fine, but not tender or buttery and I would pass next time. The restaurant looked very nice, and they have a happy hour at the bar only that I would probably stop by again for. The service was not great. We were seated in a back corner and I think the waiter forgot about us. The kebab took a very long time to come and we ordered extra bread for the dips to fill ourselves up. He also forgot about my drink order until later. Waiter was very nice and apologetic and gave us a free desert/drink to compensate, but still something to note. I'd be open to coming back again, especially for brunch or HH. read more

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Came here with a friend on a Saturday afternoon for brunch in the summer of 2023. "One word": make-your-own mimosas. While I tend to like a bit more OJ, my friend was happily free to add as much champagne as she liked to her own mimosa. So you can believe we took advantage of the bottomless brunch option. However, we are also responsible so we indulged in the food as well. The fried halloumi was absolutely heaven, paired with honey, walnuts, pistachios, and chives. The challah toast was a close second and the portion size was just fine for the two of us. read more

ala - top right: famous halloumi - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ismael was the best!! Food was fantastic. Made us feel so well taken care of. Made my friends bday so memorable read more

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

My initial review was 5 years ago. I decided to visit again and the food has really improved since then. It's definitely worth adding to your brunch list. read more

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

FOOD POISONING!! Do not eat the breakfast buffet. Lots of the food is sitting out for over 30 mins-1hr. Some undercooked. Had to go to the doctor for the WORST stomach pain. The plates were also not washed. They ran them through the dishwasher but still had other peoples leftover food on them. The manager Ceren did reach out to me and apologized but does not makeup for the hassle. Not worth it. read more

Food and drinks were good, but not fantastic. The service was a bit slow but the staff was very nice. It took a bit for my friend and I to catch someone's eye to order even though it was pretty slow. Also, while the photos online made the place look very ambient, the vibe was not quite as cozy as was pictured. We ordered the mixed spreads, the flatbread with sausage, kechi, batata hara, and pita along with a gin lavender drink and a passion fruit tequila cocktail. The food and drinks were pretty good. I feel like this would be a nice place to come when the weather is warmer and you can sit outside. I'm glad I experienced the food and drinks but don't think I'll be coming back any time soon. read more

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

Solid spot for happy hour! My favorite drink was the mirra martini-- their take on an espresso martini. It had an amazing texture; a little thicker than most espresso martinis I've had. The bulut (think rum, pineapple, coconut, tropical flavors) was pretty good, but the martini was the stand out of the two. The cocktail menu is limited, and they are $10 during happy hour. For food, the tawook strips (fried chicken) were an amazing deal at $9, and came with pickled veggies and a tasty sauce. Halloumi had nice flavors albeit a little dry, and the spinach croquettes were delicious. Our server was super nice, and the ambiance/decor is really cute, especially outside, although it's getting a bit too cold for that. read more

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I was looking for pup friendly yet trendy restaurants in Georgetown and came across this Mediterranean haven. We made reservations for a late afternoon on a holiday weekend. Although it was restaurant week, we were still able to order ala carte. They have great menu, ofcourse it's Levantine cuisine, food was flavorful, authentic and finger licking good. We definitely would recommend this place to anyone in the area or passing through! read more

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Fabulous service! The staff was friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and flavorful. I had the Betyi and the meat was perfectly cooked, soft and juicy. I would highly recommend this place! The best Turkish food in the area read more

Awful experience here. We sat on the patio for happy hour. Turns out, they only have happy hour inside. We decided to stay outside anyways because it was a nice day. I got sooooooOOOO many bug bites after sitting out there for about 10 minutes. The food was also very mediocre and unimpressive. I will say that their drinks are delicious. The passion fruit lime one was so refreshing and delicious. read more

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

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We came on Friday night and it wasn't busy at all. They offer happy hour from 2-6pm Monday-Friday so we made it just in time. We ordered the hummus, labneh, torshi, fried halloumi, and tawook shish kebab. For drinks, I got the levant and louloudi. We both enjoyed the fried halloumi, labneh (loved the creaminess), torshi, and levant (refreshing and liked the sumac in it). The other dishes were also good, but didn't stand out. I thought the chicken in the tawook shish kebab needed more flavor. It is a little pricey, even with the happy hour prices. One of the dishes came with pita but only three pieces so you end up having to order more. My partner and I came to celebrate his birthday, and I specified that we're celebrating a birthday on my reservation. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not communicated from the host to the server so I had to mention it to our server who then brought out a baklava with a candle. Rating it a 3.5/5. read more

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Consensus: I would highly recommend coming to Ala for brunch, it is absolutely fantastic and their bottomless deal is fantastic! ______________________________________ Food: The food was absolutely amazing, the starters that you get were all absolute bangers but my favorites had to be the bal kaymak, hummus, and freekeh tabouleh salad. Top that all off with the fresh and warm pita that they give you with unlimited refills, absolutely insane. For the main I got the arayes which was similarly delicious, the potatoes were nice and crispy, the arayes had a nice crisp as well, and the fresh yogurty sauce that came with it was amazing. Finally, the baklava at the end was a perfect dessert to finish off the meal. I couldn't finish it as I was so full from everything else, but what a meal! ______________________________________ Service: Service was fantastic, everyone was nice and helpful in recommending some great entrees! ______________________________________ Ambience: Really like the interior of this place, it is very cozy and decorated very nicely. Would definitely recommend coming by for a elevated casual brunch or date. ______________________________________ Notable Experiences: The bottomless was truly bottomless. They give you a whole bottle of champagne and carafe of orange juice to mix your own mimosas! read more

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Do you like Mediterranean food?? I recommend trying Ala in NW DC. @alarestaurants It's Michelin rated There is plenty of seating (indoor and outdoor) It is beautifully decorated The staff is very friendly There are many options of food for different dietary needs And the cocktails are delicious Drink Recs Pandora Levant Alaskan Qinna-bon Food recs Manti Urfa pepper shrimp Reservations recommended read more

I went to ala for their brunch. It is about $48 per person with an unlimited mimosa bar. You do serve yourself the mimosa and they had a couple of juice options with fruits and syrups that you could add onto your mimosa. For brunch, you pick one starter, one main course and one option from the sweets menu. In my opinion that was really good for the price because it's rare that you would have three course meal, bottomless mimosas for under $50. For my starter I had the parfait which was really good but a very small portion. For my entrée I had the sucuk and eggs, which was a type of sausage with eggs. The sausage was really flavorful. You could tell that it was prepared with many herbs and spices. For dessert I had a chocolate mousse that I don't see on the menu anymore. I've added photos of some of the other dishes that my friends had but looking at their new bottomless brunch menu. It looks like they changed things up a bit. All of the items available were full of flavor but some were a little bit too salty for my taste, like the potatoes. This is definitely worth a try especially if you are on a budget. The waiter was very friendly, and took his time to explain some of the more traditional dishes to us so that we would choose the right options for our palate. They did offer to pour the mimosas for us if we did not want to continue to get up, but we thoroughly enjoyed mixing and matching the different juices, syrup, and fruits for ourselves. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. The outside area has a beautiful awning with flowers all around so it's a great opportunity to take some pictures while you are there. I will definitely have to revisit ala to see about some of the new items on the brunch menu. read more

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Great location for weekend brunch! Atif was an exceptional waiter--personable, knowledgeable, and attentive. Brunch price is right and you can sample so much of the menu! We've been here for dinner before, and will definitely be back for brunch. read more

ala - Brunch at Ala! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Everything was amazing. Food was yummy and tasted really good. Our server was Ada, she was very sweet, attentive, and kept checking on us. If you love authentic Turkish Food , this is one of the places I would recommend. Restaurant has nice decorations and is not loud like other restaurants. I would give 10 stars, if it was possible. I would be back for sure when I am back in DC again. read more

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Lovely service with Harrison! I visited for my cousins birthday and enjoyed very yummy food and a nice restaurant ambiance. I would recommend this for bottomless brunch as I thought it offered good value for an upscale restaurant. read more

ala - Bottomless brunch menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Yum! A great small plates restaurant in DuPont Circle! I have been on the hunt for the best kunefe in DC and believe that after a year of searching, I've found it! It's right here. Perfectly crispy, gooey interior, outrageous whipped cream on top... 100/10. Easily added to the list of favorite DC dishes. The small plates we shared--while quite pricy--were good! The baba ghanoush was smoky perfection and a great complement to the Zaatar pita. The croquettes were good too! The potatoes weren't a huge hit for me, but the harissa sauce they came with really hit the spot. And the couscous was good! I can make a similar dish for much less, though. We had a great server and liked the well-decorated interior. Overall, it was a great experience! I can't wait to come back! read more

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I'd really give it a 3.5/5. My huge problem was the menu says bottomless with food purchase, but our waitress made us get the three course menu. We asked someone else (not dressed like a waiter possibly a manager) the policy and he said you can do bottomless with a la carte, but our waitress insisted that wasn't true. The inconsistency with that policy was our first impression of the restaurant which was a bit annoying. The price wasn't an issue we just knew we didn't want that much food and it's still not clear what you have to purchase, so I wouldn't go back. It's actually well priced for the amount of food and drinks you get. I got the soujok and egg sandwich which was good. The tajook strips were okay. The challah toast looked like two little bites, however I didn't try it. The zalabia was really good. The starters were tasty too. Nothing crazy, but they were decent. read more

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First-time Brunch visit and it went AMAZING! My fiance and I went to Ala for a Sunday brunch date, which surpassed our expectations! The food was delicious, the drinks were tasty and unique, but the service is what stood out the most! Vanessa attended our table and was warm, kind, and very knowledgeable. She made our experience unforgettable and unique. As first-time visitors, she made great recommendations and helped us through the experience of a bottomless variety of dishes and options. She went above and beyond, which showed she really cared about our dining experience. The venue itself is beautiful and well-decorated. We will absolutely be returning again! read more

Quite good! Had another team dinner here. This time we went to the second floor and the decorations there showed a different, more modern style read more

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I have been to this restaurant under different names over the years. However, this is the best incarnation so far. Menu is clearly labeled for vegan and gluten free options. The food is Mediterranean tending towards middle eastern food and it was very good. I had the lamb kabobs on a cranberry chutney sauce which was delicious. No beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp options for the kabobs. My wife had a short rib which she devoured. We had a waiter in training, but he tried hard to provide good service. He did know much about ingredients, but was otherwise friendly and prompt. The redo on the decore was really nice, providing different rooms with nice vibes. Definitely worth a try even if you been to this location before. read more

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

Came here last weekend for first time since March 2024 - was really excited for the mimosa station + menu. However, buffet style food was not great; some food had definitely been sitting out for a while and a lot of it lacked flavor. Carrying plates up and down the narrow stairs was also annoying, instead of just getting served an entree. Mimosa was simple orange juice, as opposed to other juice choices + fruit addings available last time I was here. Not sure I'll come back. read more

First time visit to Ala and it was very good. The menu is rich with delicious Turkish and other influences. We found the four course dinner a good experience with the mezzo's and mains big enough to share. Sedan, our server, was super nice and very helpful with describing the dishes. Dolmades with tuna tartare was a surprise and excellent. Will be back for more. read more

This place is beautiful, very trendy, great for a date night or to grab drinks. The food presentation was nice but some of the items lacked flavor which was really surprising. The dipping sauces with the pita weren't all that good to me and I would have preferred for the pita to be in a chip form rather than a whole, uncut pita. The sea bass was tasty. This was my first time trying. I would have liked for them to cut the head off. My friend liked the short rib but said It was a tad too salty and the potatoes had no flavor. We sat at the bar so the service was quick. They brought everything out at once. read more

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This was my first time trying this spot. I love Mediterranean food and how fresh it is, but the buffet style restaurant week did not appeal to me. There was delicious food but i think the buffet style menu diminished the quality of the food. The food was great and delicious. I did try their French onion soup with a vegetarian broth, but it was not that great. They also had main courses to order but it was also quite underwhelming. Otherwise, the service was good and attentive, and did make a point to check in often. The ambiance was thrown off by the buffet line as the center of the restaurant so it felt very casual. I will have to try again on a regular day! read more

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

This gem was a real treat! Came for my birthday and Vanessa was my ahhhmazing waitress! She not only recommended the best hot and cold mezzes but her suggestion were on point!!we had the chicken, shrimp and broccoli. Idk who was out that brócoli together but those flavors was phenomenal! As a main, I had the Adana kebab, branzino, short rib and lamb shank! The meat was sooo tender. The fish was perfect cooked and crispy! And to top of off their were other patrons celebrating birthdays! The bartender Obe sent a round of drinks!! Def a night to remember and I'll def be back! read more

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Had the opportunity to meet KIM at brunch. She is a beautifully amazing person who came by at the perfect times to check in on our party. KimVerly is personable and fantastic. She gave amazing recommendations for both food and drink. (Thank you!!) Outdoor seating is odd because of how the tables are set too closely to the seats/backless benches (your feet will be struggling around the legs). Definitely sit in a chair with a back rest versus the "bench" seating with pillows that tease you (you'd understand if you been there). Overall, I'd come back with the same company with KIM. Staff is amazing. Food is healthy portions (meaning not five times what we "need".) Some dishes were a little salty for my liking--that's also because I'm supposed to cut down on sodium. Was a successful celebrated birthday brunch. Thank you, ALA (and our buddy who made the reservations/things happen). read more

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I would say this place is more like a 3.5 star restaurant but I'm just rounding up. For starters, I really like the vibe of the place. It is such a cute place to have dinner with friends and I really like the aesthetic. The food was okay. My favorite dish was the adena kebab. Would recommend getting that, but I just think it was a little pricey for what it's worth ($36). The branzino was the most disappointing. I thought the fish was cooked extremely well but the flavors were just not it for me. I was most excited to try that as well. Pita bread was good and solid. Service was good nothing too crazy. For a place to be Turkey inspired, I wish they had turkish tea to end the meal. Maybe something to add to the menu? read more

ala - Shamandar Fattoush and Pita Bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I wanted to go somewhere nice for my prez day off and here I am at Ala. I've been preferring Mediterranean/lighter fare and Ala fits that bill. I went for lunch, and got the shish eggplant, grilled neck veal, and fried red snapper. The fried snapper was pretty good, I liked how the tahini and green sauce went with the fried snapper. Personally, I would've prefered the snapper grilled over fried, it was a bit dry, but the onions/veg on top was a nice touch. The grilled neck veal with cous cous is a more bland/mild tasting dish. The veal was perfectly cooked and the cous cous had perfect texture, but the lack of seasonings and sauce made this one pretty bland, but still good due to the execution of how it was cooked. Lastly, my favorite was actually the veg dish, the shish eggplant with the hummus and spicy sauce was really delicious. I'm not listing everything it has in there, but it all went together really well and was the most interesting of the 3 dishes. I would get this again. There was only one server and one host doubling as a server for the entire restaurant so the service was slow, but with the staff shortage, it's to be expected and it's not a knock against them. read more

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I recently had bottomless brunch here with friends. Upon arrival, we learned that their bottomless brunch format had recently changed to a combination of buffet-style offerings and small entrees ordered separately. Standard mimosa options were available, with bottles and carafes of juice left at the table for convenience, eliminating the need for frequent refills by staff. The buffet was underwhelming overall. While the pita and dips were the notable items, the pita was not served fresh to order. Though it wasn't stale or dry, it lacked the warmth and freshness that would have enhanced the experience. Among the dips, the pink beet and labneh were my favorites, offering vibrant flavors that paired well with the otherwise average selection. The interior of the restaurant features a dark, modern design with relatively low ceilings, creating a cozy atmosphere. The outdoor seating area looked cute but appeared to be closed for the winter. Must-Try Dishes (5/5): Crab Omelette, Tawook Schnitzel, and Garides & Salmon Toast. Still Good (4/5): Toum Short Ribs Gyro and Fall Latke. Pass (3/5): Shakshuka--watery and lacking the fresh ingredients and depth of flavor that define a great shakshuka. read more

Stopped by during restaurant week and it did not disappoint! Great spread and selection. Really enjoyed the mimosa bar that you can create your own creations. Food was tasty and so delicious. The shrimp grits were yummy and the lamb burger was the perfect size. Amazing baklava and croquets read more

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All you can eat Sunday brunch was amazing! Very tasty options at a reasonable price with great ambiance.

This is a great brunch spot. I came here with a couple friends on Sunday afternoon and had a great experience. Ambiance is laid back and casual. Service was top class - our server was very attentive and seemed well trained. Manager stopped by to check on us after we were done with our meals and offered us complimentary tea as well. read more

Phenomenal! I reserved a table for two on OpenTable. They are also on Resy. I was immediately greeted by several staff, the manager checked me in, I was seated and given the option to self-select my desired table, and handed menus right away. Service was top-notch, consistent, reliable, friendly, and superb. My friend and I ordered from the happy hour menu (sparking wine, red wine, fried halloumi, harissa hummus, za'atar) and from the regular menu (golden cauliflower, shish batinjan [eggplant skewers]). The presentation was outstanding: masterfully created and garnished dishes. The food was utterly exceptional and words cannot do it justice. Every single bite of food and sip of drink was delectable. If it were socially appropriate, I would have licked the plates clean! The prices for each dish (even happy hour items) are on the higher side but the flavor, texture, portion, and execution make them well worth the price! It's very cozy inside, with dimmer light and artificial dangly foliage decorated throughout. The outside patio is likely suitable for warmer months. Highly recommended! read more

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

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