Came in for a drink and quick bite, greeted by amazing service that got me a seat at the bar…read more Management was phenomenal and personable, and the bartender made me feel very welcome and got me an allergy free option on the menu. Unique drinks, great atmosphere. Steak looked insane definitely planning on getting that upon return!

La Shukran delivered from start to finish. Easily one of the best dining experiences I've had in a…read morewhile. We had a reservation but there was a short wait, so the hostess directed us to the bar. When we were finally seated, we found out our drinks had been comped. Such a thoughtful touch! We started with the BBQ'd Maitake spread which was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. It was served with French baguettes. We also had the lamb sausage dumplings, which were absolutely delicious. I had the Rumaan to drink which paired perfectly, and for my main, the slow grilled lamb. All were outstanding. I closed out with the Filfil cocktail and chocolate macarons, which were the perfect ending. The food was flavorful and consistently top tier, the vibe was great, and the service was truly one of a kind. Warm, attentive, and genuinely memorable. Five stars without hesitation!!!

Dining with my friend on Lebanese cuisine was a delightful culinary adventure filled with surprises…read moreand delights. Moussaka: A classic Lebanese dish. Eggplant and hummus were simmered until soft and flavorful, with a subtle smoky aroma. The addition of mint leaves enhanced the flavor. Bone Marrow: Beef tartare with bone marrow and pomegranate seeds--how interesting! The first two provided a rich, fatty texture and intense aroma, while the latter burst in your mouth occasionally, juicy, tangy, and refreshing. Brussels Sprouts: Brussels sprouts with grapes, walnuts, fig jam, and mint yogurt--a whimsical yet magical combination... The Brussels sprouts offered a fresh, vegetal aroma and a slightly roasted aroma; the walnuts provided a nutty richness and crunch; the fruit provided a fresh sweet and sour taste and plenty of juice; and the yogurt acted as a binder between the flavors while adding a touch of minty coolness. Duck Shawarma: My friend and I thought: ...Peking duck? The skin was soft, the meat tender, not gamey, with a subtle smoky flavor; the fig and lemon sauce was sweet and refreshing; the small pita pillows held the meat securely, better than the lettuce what might have been too cold. Lamb Stuffed Grape Leaves: Black rice was wrapped in grape leaves and simmered with minced lamb. The rice absorbed the fragrance of the grape leaves, similar to lotus leaves (my friend and I thought: lamb version of sticky rice chicken糯米雞...?). The lamb, however, was served separately at the bottom of the pot and didn't absorb much flavor; overall, it was intensely sour. In short, this dish was a bit oddly designed, and it was the only one we didn't finish because the sourness was unbearable. Pita Bread: The bread was thin yet chewy, with a rough, slightly powdery surface, making it substantial and satisfying. I especially loved the "everything wrapped in a big pancake" style! This restaurant is located on the wharf near the Potomac River and boasts beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows. The spring sunlight streamed in softly.

I was so excited for ilili. I'd been a few years prior for a private event and everything was…read morefantastic. But I went with a friend for dinner and didn't love it, and given the price, it should have been excellent. I loved the vibe and service was friendly. It's pretty inside. I ordered the Keraz Carciofi Negroni, pointing to the mocktail version. I didn't even realize there was a cocktail version and that's what they gave me. Why you would a have cocktail and mocktail with the same name is beyond me. I got lightheaded and dizzy almost immediately, but I couldn't taste alcohol, so I thought it was because I hadn't eaten, especially as I felt fine once I started eating. So this also tells me that the cocktail version is poorly made. I was definitely charged for the cocktail version. We ordered the Lebanese Journey tasting menu. Nothing really wowed, except for the bread, baba ghanoush, and mouhamara. The mouhamara surprised me because it is usually not my favorite but this version was delicious. Lamb was tasty but not good enough that I'd return for it. For a tasting menu to just have two mezeh standouts, on top of an improperly made mocktail, I'd not return to ilili.

I don't even know where to start with this. Last friday, I had a remarkable dinner here, and I was…read morewowed from the moment I stepped inside. As much as I love the cocktail bar next door, I had no idea this epic place was here. The inside is a bit dark, yet so welcoming and cozy. It's the waiting area if you are either early for your reservation or waiting for others in your party. They are kind enough to give you a glass of water and the cocktail menu in case you want to get started. We were fancy and did the hearth table and WHAT a journey it was. From surprise drink tastings and bites to pretty much trying all new food items and combinations, I would absolutely do it again. I could name the things that I had, but you may or may not know what they are. All I can say was that it was seven delightful courses that left me just right. The friendly, professional staff made it even better. Check the reservations and to the hearth table. Do it.

KenScale: 8.5/10 Visit: March 2026…read more My wife Jun and I have been to Albi multiple times already and on every visit we end up ordering the exceptional lamb kebabs for our final savory dish. Earlier this year, I saw that the restaurant started offering a large duck rice dish on the menu and, knowing how much Jun loves duck, tried to see if I can book a table. We had a reservation in January but we had to cancel that due to a last-minute trip to New York, and really struggled to find an open seating on a reasonable hour (we just had no appetite for a dinner past 9 p.m.) until recently last month. As we opened up the menu, we were very sad to learn that the duck was no longer on the menu (our server couldn't give a definitive time on when the dish will be back), but that didn't dampen our enthusiasm for another outstanding meal at Albi. Since my last review of the restaurant was in 2023, I figured a re-review was in order, especially given that this visit was our 10th total. When it comes to Middle Eastern spreads, it's hard to beat what Albi offers along with a giant pita bread. At this point, Jun had tried the mushroom hummus with confit egg yolk multiple times, and yet she couldn't again stop marveling how addictively delicious the hummus was with alluringly smoky flavor of mushroom. One new spread that we saw for the first time and decided to order was msabaha with embered firefly squid and white peas covered in tahini; not surprisingly, it was another standout dish even if squid is not an ingredient one would ordinarily see in these spreads. Another item on the menu that we tried for the first time (and really liked) was malfouf, a wrap of cabbages stuffed with smoked beef cheek and red shatta condiment. By now, we have seen multiple variations of the lamb kebabs at Albi and every time we walked out of the restaurant happily stuffed. For the current season, we were greeted with loin and smoked belly shish accompanied by vegetables of charred turnips and brassicas. The lamb's texture as usual was quite outstanding, and the charred vegetables (as well as a side dish of Fattoush salad with orchard fruits and smoked feta) also offered a wonderful complement to the meat. If someone asks me to list the most iconic dishes in DC, I won't hesitate to include the lamb kebabs from Albi. During our trip to Jordan in February, we fell in love with a popular dessert called knafeh (made with pastry dough layered with cheese and soaked in syrup); we never had a chance to try the same from Albi until this visit, and Jun remarked that the delightful knafeh was just like how she remembered from a restaurant in Petra, except the pomegranate sorbet that was placed in the middle. It seems like getting a reservation at Albi is becoming more and more difficult over time. The reservation window opens on the first day of each month and once past that first day, it is really challenging to find a seating during early and prime-time dinner windows, especially for the main dining room. This visit was the first time we had to be seated at the bar as we were slightly late to the reservation party, but the bar seating actually wasn't bad at all, as we chatted with the friendly bartenders from time to time while enjoying the food. As always, the beverage list at Albi is outstanding, featuring many Middle East-based cocktails and wines. As we increasingly find ourselves in our culinary journey together these days visiting our old favorites more often rather than checking out new places all the time, Jun and I are very thankful that Albi is in DC. It still is firing on all cylinders even after being around for several years in the DC dining scene, and deserves to be one of the best restaurants in the city.

I made reservations for Sunday Brunch and was looking forward to experiencing another Jose Andres…read morerestaurant. We were seated immediately by the matra-dee before our reservation time slot. The decor is open and airy and there's a large patio if you prefer to dine alfresco. We wanted a variety of items and began with Hummus, smoked beet salata and baba ghanoush. Followed by Crispy brussels afelia, Chicken shakshouka, Soujouk pide and shish taouk. For dessert we enjoyed Greek yogurt with apricots and olive oil cake with champagne. The presentation of all the entree's were plated professionally, tasted outstanding, and service from our waiter was on point. I highly recommend this restaurant by Jose Andres.

Whoa. Horrible outside host for outdoor seating and even worse experience with the indoor host…read morefor indoor seating -- this was not an okay experience at any level. Zero professionalism, no hospitality, and probably way too over their head with how popular this restaurant is for Middle Eastern cuisine. Completely not cool as to how they treat those who try to patronize their business. Note to management: we understand your establishment has great reviews but please don't take that for granted. Please train your staff to treat every single guest regardless of party size with respect, professionalism, and hospitality. Not mad about not being able to dine here because y'all were "fully booked" but more disappointed with how your outdoor and indoor hosts handled the messaging. P.S. There were plenty of tables left unoccupied for "7:30pm reservations" but it was already 8:00pm -- so I take it the grace period for reservations is 30+ minutes?!

TLDR: it's like a 3.5/5 personally. The entrees were good but nothing worth going out of the way…read morefor. The fries were very floppy and left something to be desired. My wife and I stopped here on our way to NYC since we had some time until the train arrived. The restaurant has a cafe feel to it throughout with an actual cafe to the right as you walk in. We started with the fries to munch on, but they were floppy and a bit oily. Left something to be desired. I ordered the lamb tagine for my entree. I would say that the tagine had good flavor but there was only a little lamb in the sauce from what I could tell. And some of the couscous was very hard as well. My wife got the beef kabob and it was better overall in terms of flavor and completeness. The service was fine and what you expect from a sit down restaurant. Nothing blew us away about the interior either but it's very cafe themed throughout. It's newer feeling a modern inside. It's right down the street from Union Station so not that far if you decide to take the train.

I expected more because the prices were a bit high. I'm someone that appreciates value in portions…read moreand pricing. If one doesn't match up then it's not the place for me. I felt the prices were high and the food quality wasn't great. It felt very Americanized and wasn't bursting with flavor. The food took some time to come out so it was definitely a sit down kinda restaurant. The ambiance was nice. It felt like a place you'd have a business luncheon. Options were clean, not greasy (except the fries) or things that would have you feeling gross. They have a full bar with mocktails. Located fairly close to the train station it was around a 10 min or less walk. Beef Kabob platter 6/10 Za'tar fries 4/10 greasy, not crispy, no flavor Tandoori chicken shawarma 6/10 Overall I probably wouldn't get this again.

This is actually my second time coming to this restaurant, and both times were absolutely…read morespectacular. The food is nothing but genius--fantastic concepts like their roasted carrots, soft, spicy outer textures with a simultaneously solid and rich core. Their hummus is delectable and thick, offering an appreciated simplistic flavor paired with everything served. Their nutty, sweet, warm halloumi, mezze tasting (various pickled veggies offering a cool addition and sometimes a kick), ribeye steak & chicken souvlaki blew me away. The steak was as good as it was last time (9.9/10), and the chicken souvlaki was soft, cooked to perfection served with a zingy garnish of pickled onions. For dessert, their chocolate spiced mousse was a run-of-the-mill chocolate mousse. It was good, but I wasn't getting much of the spice. The service at our time there has a funny backstory--reservations were accidentally made at their sister restaurant, Medina. However, due to it being a special occasion, George (shoutout) managed to find us a perfect seat on the second level, overlooking the inner workings of the exposed aesthetic of the restaurant. The ambiance was calm, smooth, dim-lit, and encompassed a primal, eclectic atmosphere at the same time. Nonetheless, Maydan is an incredible restaurant providing outstanding meals suitable for various diets (keto, vegan, etc.) with great and dutiful servers who bring together the shrouded, intimate atmosphere. Everything just works and time flies in there. Definitely worth a try!

Went here to celebrate with my family and had a party of four…read more Drink order took 10 minutes, delivery of said drinks took another 15. The appetizer was dropped on my lap as the waitress cleared the plate. She didn't seem to care and said "slippery little things". $300 worth of food was delivered and not once were we asked how the food quality was. The problem is the $75 flat iron steak we ordered as medium came out as rare and was to the point it was hard to cut it was so chewy. Spoke to manager about the situation and his care meter seemed to be broken. It's a shame because ambiance and environment is great. The service was not.

Randomly stopped here on a night walk, wasn't super busy so I decided to check it out and i was not…read moredisappointed at all! To say the least the guys were super friendly and helpful with picking out what I should order they recommended the lamb and chicken. Everything was Hot, fresh and flavorful so memorable! You can have a kabob a lot of places but a lot of places don't have Mango Lassi! I was pleased to see real authenticity throughout their menu so stop by if you have time for lunch for quick grab and go dinner option.

The food was good and the service was friendly. The portion sizes were good for the price and I…read moreloved the variety. There were plenty of tables and a clean bathroom.

Same taste regardless of where you go, and the customer service was pretty fast…read more Not too many people actually eat at Halal Guys in Washington, D.C. compared to what you'd see in New York, but I did appreciate the convenience of the Washington Union Station location, where you can sit down and eat without feeling too disturbed since there isn't a lot of food traffic. I think it's relatively new, and as they continue expanding into the D.C. area, it seems like you're more likely to get a quiet meal there.

Ridiculously small portions. Overpriced nonsense. I'll never be back. I can't believe with all the…read moregood middle eastern restaurants in th area they have the balls to be this stingy with their portions. Ridiculously small portions. Overpriced nonsense. I'll never be back. I can't believe with all the good middle eastern restaurants in th area they have the balls to be this stingy with their portions.

Really enjoyed this newest option inside the Bryant street market. I got a falafel wrap with fries…read more It took about 13 minutes for it to be made, so you know it's fresh (but be prepared to wait a bit). The fries were absolutely delicious. I love the seasoning blend they use. I wish they had a feta or tahini dipping sauce instead of just ketchup and honey mustard. I'll be back!

Really great spot for a falafel wrap! It was super delicious and loved that it came with fries…read more Service was great, loved all the sauce options they had sitting in their location in Bryant St Market. Their honey mustard was sooo good.