Wow. We were supposed to go to some trendy place nearby but we stumbled upon this little gem. The food was AMAZING! The ambiance was cool, hip and comfortable. Good service. Their pitas were outstanding! We went twice in one week and will definitely go next time we are in DC. read more

Such a cute little brunch place! The food was so delicious too! Service was good too, highly recommend! read more

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Nice Turkish in Georgetown. Decor is very classy. The service here is impeccable. It was slow when I first arrived but I never had to wait for a thing. The apps and main were incredible. We had beef and chicken both were tasty. The bread is fresh and so good! read more

Our server Mia was the sweetest and gave us an incredible experience Manager checked on us many times Food so delicious and healthy The place is so nice i will definitely come back read more

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

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Definitely overrated. Food is inconsistent. Spiced ground beef hummus has flavor, but Moutabel is bland and the yogurt overpowers the dish. Branzino is also bland. The food comes to the table at room temperature, not even warm. Service, there is a reason the gratuity is added to the bill. We were there on a Sunday and they had plenty of servers and very few customers. The service seemed to be based on commercial breaks. All of the servers were behind the bar watching the football game on their phones. If you run out of drinks don't count on getting more. Our server would come around the bar and from 20 feet away would glance at our table and then walk back to the game. The hype for this restaurant and the reality don't seem to match. Probably best not to go in on a Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday until football season is over. If you do you will be paying 20% to be treated poorly. read more

THE GOOD AND BAD THE GOOD: Food 4.5 / 5.0: The food was not just good, it was great! We truly enjoyed eating there. Several dishes were solid 4.5 / 5 stars. We ordered more than we can eat. Ambiance 4.5 / 5.0: They did a great job but we did feel it was a bit dark. When we went in around 5:10pm it was well lit up. Around 5:15pm they really dimmed the lights down. It's a beautiful location, but really no need to dim the lights so much. Service 4.5 / 5.0: Was great! Polite and prompt staff, helpful to decide what to order. They had solid recommendations. Music: 4.0 / 5.0: mostly nice chill house vibes, but a few songs in there with chilling guitars / screeching that were enough to give you indigestion. Chill house is good. Keep it that way, low volume for 6pm dinner. No need to go club-style before 10pm. THE BAD: THE BILL (DC WAGE SURCHARGE:) 0 / 5: Absolutely ridiculous. This is what will stop us from going again. The bill came out and we noticed a 20% DC Wage Surcharge, to "help cover wages" of employees. I thought this was the tip. When we asked about it, we were told that was not the tip. The employee informed us the "DC Wage Surcharge" was only to help pay the cooks, but not the servers. If we left no tip, the server (he was great) wouldn't receive anything. On top of subsidizing the cooks pay, you also need to pay a tip for the server. So... we're expected to pay 40% GRATUITY for our meal? Seriously? Suggestion: Increase your prices on food, but don't slap your patrons with 20% for "DC WAGES," then 20% for your servers. Most other restaurants charge 2% or 3%, not 20%. As much as we enjoyed it we will not return for this reason. We all felt cheated. read more

Beautiful restaurant. Seriously love the vibe in there. Super lively energy and the service was very friendly. Food was very tasty- recommend the chef's mix grill so you can try a bunch of different things. All the dips were great, but would've loved if they gave more bread in the basket! Mon cherie cocktail was also very nicely done! Would definitely recommend and certainly go back! read more

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Had amazing food here, I love the flavor and authenticity. The atmosphere is wonderful very relaxing and clean. The people are nice and attentive read more

We came on a Sunday around 11:30am. We were seated immediately although it took our server some time to take our order and serve water. He didn't say anything when he came to the table - didn't introduce himself. We asked each other if we wanted anything to drink and then told him our order. In any case later on he was polite and checked in on how our food was. Ironically, the table next to us was complaining about their food to the server. Our food came very quickly and we were pleased with that. We had the following: 1. Vegetarian moussaka - pretty good. Flavorful 2. Avocado toast with halloumi - it came with one slice of toast and approximately a quarter of an avocado thinly smeared on it. Two small slices of halloumi. And wait for it... ONE poached egg. For the amount of food, this was very overpriced. 3. Falafel - three pieces. Soft and not dry. Difficult to compete with yellow cafe across the street though. 4. Fattoush Salad - saddest of them all. Tasted as if there was store bought dressing in it. The lettuce leaves were old and unappetizing. Picture attached. We didn't eat it. Ambiance was nice. Overall experience - wouldn't come back. There are better places nearby. read more

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

I had a great time with my group at Alara. We went on a Monday evening around 6 and it was busy but not packed. The menu is mezze style- all smaller dishes meant to be shared. There is complimentary pita with oil while you wait that comes out really warm. We really enjoyed the kibbeh, spicy labneh, baked cauliflower, and the kefta. Our servers were kind and attentive but the language barrier did prove difficult at times when trying to ask questions about the menu and for their recommendations. I find this important because each item on the mezze menu is like $18 so you definitely want to like what you pick! The drink selection is pretty good and they also had a small nonalcoholic section. My group also enjoyed sharing an order of the rice pudding, which was definitely worth coming back for. Overall, Alara is clean, pretty, and has good food- though because it is exorbitantly priced, I plan to only come for special occasions or with groups of at least 4 or more to share the load! read more

my friend made a long-awaited reservation at Georgetown's hottest new Mediterranean restaurant Alara and unfortunately, only the mezze platter arrived--our full order was never served! to start, our reservation was set for 8 and we arrived within the grace period and had to wait for our table, but the group was in good spirits and ordered a round of drinks with some initial apps (mezze platter, spiced ground beef hummus, and tzatziki dip) all were tasty, and we adored the sesame seed pitas, BUT THAT WAS ALL WE GOT TO EAT! shortly after apps came out, we placed the rest of our order for kabobs, salads, etc. along with another round of drinks, 10pm rolled around and still no food in sight. we brought this up to our waiter, who gave us a confused impression and the manager was unaccommodating to try to make things right on the spot (he offered a complementary dessert, which we didn't want considering we hadn't had a meal yet) alara had potential, but definitely has some kinks in service and hospitality to work through first. read more

Alara - Mezze Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Seated upon entry, Very busy. Good size portions. Apps delicious and large. lamb tough and overdone. Drinks tasty. HOWEVER they add a 20% service charge and I was told that only 2% of that goes toward tips. Our service charge was $95 and it screws the staff as it's tough to tip above that charge. Service was excellent. read more

It was a nice sunny afternoon when we popped into the restaurant after a wonderful walk around the tidal basin. We were never been in and so ordered various mezze dishes and it was all yummy! I got the kibbe which was just right crispy and filled with flavorful meat inside! The service was quick and they kept filling our bread basket and olive oil which is deliciously warm! read more

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Alara failed a basic taste test: the beef pidde was super salty and with not enough beef. The crust was way too large. $19 including mandatory 20% service charge! read more

Food was delicious and we were seated quickly with our large group of 10! I enjoyed a Soujouk Pide and a Santorini drink. Would return

We enjoyed a great late lunch at Alara today. Service was warm and friendly and food was very good. The roasted mushroom humus was outstanding and the muhammara and moussaka were both delicious. Baskets of hot pita bread kept coming and our server Mia was very attentive. Prices are high and 20% added service charge was a surprise and created a dilemma for what to leave for a tip. If you're looking for a place to share good Mediterranean dishes Alara is worth a try. read more

Save your money We asked to pack the rest of our food and left half through the meal. The acoustic of this place is one of the worse in the city. Because of that everyone speaks louder and with the music you cant hear yourself. I could not hear my wife from across the table and vice versa. While the food was good, we could not enjoy this meal at all since we were trying to speak/hear each other, and it was very frustrating. The service was also very slow (it took me a while to get my server to pay attention to us) Good idea, very bad execution read more

This was my first time attending the opening day of a restaurant and I was super excited. It was super busy. Almost a little crowded but I knew that must be due to the opening of a new restaurant so I didn't mind. My friends and I ordered the fixed menu. Our reservation was 8pm and we didn't leave till 12am. Not because we were taking our time, but because the service was so incredibly slow and each course took forever to come out. We were so close to just asking the last courses to be boxed up. The orders were also messed up a few times. Trying to remain patient was hard but again we let it go due to the first day. Our server was sweet but they did not come ask how our meal was and if everything was okay. To make it even more interesting, my friend ordered an espresso martini & they brought her a glass half full. We thought it was a joke but when we looked closer, it looked as if it was half drank! We think the server accidentally placed down a drink that was meant to be taken away to be washed... it was disturbing. But also almost laughable. We thought we were punked. For what it's worth the food and cocktails that were correct were tasty. The hummus was delicious and so was the chicken kebab. The creme brulee was not my favorite. The baklava was good but tastes a lot like the ones I pick up from a local small business. I hope in a few weeks-months things are better because it has a lot of potential. This was just my experience unfortunately :/ read more

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I tried this restaurant for the first time - thinking it looked nice. The best thing about it was the warm bread and olive oil. The brunch was extremely mediocre - the potatoes were hard and unappealing - didn't eat them. The non alcoholic beer was charged at the same price as the alcoholic beer and on top of that they charge a 20% service fee which doesn't go to the server. The prices are higher than average and with mediocre brunch food and a service fee - stay away - you get much better food and value elsewhere. read more

Well for years now no restaurant in Georgetown tempted me to deal with all the hassles of Georgetown. Well Alara has the charming vibe, welcoming service and delicious drinks and food to seduce you into Georgetown. We will definitely be back!!! read more

Alara is a great addition to Georgetown. The place is absolutely beautiful and the service and food was incredible- there is a big variety of amazing plates! The drinks were really top notch! We will definitely go back. Loved it read more

Stopped by Alara with a friend to try out a new nearby restaurant. The food and service was good (4.5/5); HOWEVER they include on the bill a 20% surcharge. This is not given to the staff as a tip, is instead intended to combat "rising costs of operation." The surcharge and subsequent 20% tip on top of it sent our bill from $110 for two diners with drinks to $225. If restaurants are hurting for cash, so are diners. Unfortunately, I won't be back read more

the food was very good, the shareable plates it a fun evening HOWEVER - mgmt adds a 20% service charge to cover costs, and this DOES not go to the wait staff. These costs should be included in the menu prices, it's a total ripoff! if you go, please be sure to tip your server, this is not their fault read more

wonderful wonderful wonderful. Mayada is an exceptional host! new favorite restaurant in DC read more

Terrible service. Almost everyone that works there seems confused and are unhelpful. I don't know how places with only pretty interiors are going to last without providing good customer service. Food was 5/10 read more

20% surcharge before tips, why??? food and service were below mediocre, and the management did nothing to mitigate the issues we had. Will never be back here. read more

Food was unseasoned and service was below adequate. Tip is already included, I would expect that from a place that actually deserved a good tip. Everything here was below adequate. I would not recommend. read more

Food was mediocre. We ordered our food and they literally brought out the entire meal within ten minutes. They obviously had the dishes premade and had no sense of pacing at all. If I wanted to go to a fast casual restaurant I could have done so for much less money. Also, comically confusing 20 percent service charge with a note that says that it is not a tip although tips are optional. Huh? read more

I went once and loved it. We needed a place like that in Georgetown I am definitely going back great food and service!

The decor and restaurant as a whole are beautiful. The service was solid. The biggest problem was the food. It just wasn't good. We had the lamb shank, cauliflower, moutabal, and beef pide, and a few other things. Pretty much everything was mediocre at best. It's priced as a luxury restaurant and pretty much everything is appropriately luxurious except for the single most important thing: the actual meal. read more

The seating is pretty tight which makes it hard to dine and the food isn't very impressive.

While the food is adequate the 20% service charge that does NOT go to the servers but to the owner for operating costs is an abysmal example of greed. When we expressed our disdain for this practice the condescending manager had the nerve to explain the servers receive a $10 an hour salary and 2% of the 20% and additional tips if patrons decide to leave extra. We did indeed leave extra because the staff works hard here, but we will not return to this place. There are too many good restaurants in town that don't blatantly rip off its patrons and treat staff poorly. You really have to read your credit card receipt carefully to know what's happening here... this is a horrible practice that should not be allowed. read more

Food was delicious and staff was friendly and attentive. Decor is light and airy. Nice atmosphere.

So, let me tell you first, the food is great, atmosphere fun, but.....I found out when I looked at the tab that the owner (who owns three other DC area restaurants) adds a 20% fee not for the wait staff, bartenders, or busboys who are doing all the work, but to the owner whom I personally never saw or met. If you want to compensate the well deserving staff, you have to add an additional tip. This is outrageous, from a company that pays their wait staff minimum wage. I will never go there again and boycott at restaurants owned by Hakan Ilham. read more

When the bill was presented we were informed of a 20% surcharge to cover operational costs even though we were a party of 2 people. We were then encouraged to tip the server separately as the surcharge would not go to him! The restaurant should inform guests of this charge beforehand rather than springing it on them at the last minute. read more

Turkish food is one of the best in the world. I recommend that you try it and you will know what a beautiful experience Turkish culture is.

The food was mixed, sigara borekis were really great and crispy, mushroom hummus was bland, and the grape leaves were better than average. But despite paying with the credit card reader at the table, someone managed to double charge me for one meal. I've called three times and am seeking a refund from my bank. I won't eat someplace where I can't trust the staff, that's bare minimum. read more

We went to alara yesterday dinner.. food was good .. services by maya made our experience unforgettable. We had one of our friends' birthday that we mentioned about in our booked and she took care of that surprise well.. thank you guys.. will be back soon read more

Food was mediocre. We had salmon, hummus, and branzino. Nothing unique. Bread was good. This restaurant charges a DC area wage surcharge. Our bill came to 123.85 and they added a 24.77 surcharge - none of which goes to the server for tip. So then you need to add another 20 percent on top of that. As a restaurant owner myself, this is fraudulent. I would not support this behavior. read more

First, I want to say this restaurant might have potential but they really need to work on their service. Service was incredibly slow (we did not receive our menus for ten minutes among other things), the old fashioned was undrinkable- far too syrupy, the wrong wine was brought out twice (after specifically pointing on the menu to which wine we wanted), the food was all brought at one time (including the main) then they rebought the main out to us after being heated under a lamp for 20 minutes. Nothing was offered besides a ten dollar discount on a $250 meal. There were some nice elements- the ambiance, hummus, moussaka were all good. read more