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Elaine’s

3.9 (149 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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ELAINE’S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Classy
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Elaine’s

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Branzino Fish
Shai R.

My first time trying Branzino fish and I must say it was absolutely amazing. The texture was flaky and tender. It was seasoned to perfection. The dish came with seasoned veggies (cauliflower, onions, peppers, olives, etc.). I finished everything on the plate so that should speak volumes to how delicious it was. The service was also great. We were greeted by amazing staff upon entering. The owner came by to let us know the dishes came from his Wife's Mediterranean background. The restaurant was very clean and the decor fitted the theme of the dining experience. I'm hoping to visit this location again soon.

Chicken shish
Ada B.

Went back to celebrate my husband's birthday. We tried the delicious Pistachio martini and the Dubai chocolate martini. Both are very tasty . The baked hummus , falafel and salty feta cheese were all delicious. For entree we had the salmon in white wine with egyptian rice and the chicken shish with vermicelli rice and red peppers. The salmon was good, the chicken was bland. The pistachio cheesecake was amazing! Enough for two people to share. Muna was very attentive and gave us suggestions on the menu. The restaurant itself is not loud, but people at the bar can be heard having a good time . The chairs have a short back, so after 2 hours they become uncomfortable. Good food and Muna was excellent. Will definitely return!

View to the upstairs
Michaele M.

Came here for lunch yesterday. I was greeted by the owner, who took his time to explain their dishes and the inspirations for each one. The interior is elegant and sophisticated yet comfortable. Tequila Mockingbird - absolutely delicious. A nice balance of sweet and sour. Mon Miro cocktail - Boozy and tasty. May not need another one after this, it does the job. Branzino - Amazing. The tartness of the olives is balanced perfectly w/ the smooth creaminess of the cauliflower puree. The fish isn't overseasoned - the natural flavors are allowed to shine. The crispiness of the skin really adds to this dish. My first visit was a hit, definitely plan on returning.

Salina P.

Came here with some friends who were visiting from out of town. Was very impressed with the service and the food. The restaurant gave fancy vibes and could easily be a good spot for date night. My favorite was the hummus it was so creamy and smooth and the pita was hot off the stove! Only complaint is that extra pita cost more. It didn't come with many pieces so if you're sharing the dish it can be a bit annoying.

Olive Oil Martini...delicious!
Randy B.

Beautiful place and next to Momo's sushi. I walked by several times with escalating interest. Finally tried it with high expectations, and was a little disappointed. Almost felt like meeting your childhood hero. lol. The drinks are great, but the bar is slow so took half an hour to receive our drinks. The food was okay, but not amazing. Thankfully, I was with two amazing, hilarious, and beautiful ladies and despite slow service we had a great time and shared many laughs.

Salty Feta
Casey J.

Finally tried Elaine's as it's been on my list for a while. It's super cute inside and we were warmly greeted when we arrived. Service was inconsistent at times throughout the night- I think they had an event upstairs which may have played a role in that. I enjoyed the pistachio martini but would have like it more as a dessert vs to start out the meal as it was kinda sweet. I am curious to try the lunch here as it also sounds really good. Falafel was great. I enjoyed the hummus, pita, and the feta apps. Also really liked the chicken Shish dinner!

halloumi wrapped in phyllo dough with blueberries  and banana tahini
Olivia S.

Returning a year later to review! Overall, I would go here for a drink. Espresso martinis were good. This restaurant is simply over-priced . The quality just doesn't align with the prices. It's ok food (didn't care for the hummus, chicken and falafel were mediocre, halloumi was a bright spot). Service was still slow and non-existent really We sat in the bar area at a table - seemed like a lot for the bartender to manage the tables as well (as he was making drinks for the dining area as well). Also, they serve it as it's made which is a bit weird when one person gets 4 plates of food (small plates) and then the other person gets their entree 10 minutes later. Cute ambiance. Cozy and dark in the bar area and bright and light in the dining areas.

Delicate cream sauce on the French toast.
Christal B.

The owner himself treats you like family. There are servers that are tremendously friendly, but the owner humbly engages with you in the same manner . He takes pride in his establishment and makes you feel like a special guest. The food is fresh.

SCALLOPS
Tonya D.

I frequent Old Town a lot because of the many dining options. This place is a hidden gem, away from the usual busy areas. I met a friend for an early dinner and when we entered we were greeted by two hostesses. The smiles we received were very welcoming. We were seated immediately. The inside was cozy and charming but there was enough space between tables to allow for private conversations. We were then greeted by the Owner who welcomed us and told us a little bit about the restaurant...what a nice touch!! Our server appeared soon after with a smile and since it was our first time there we asked a few questions about some of the menu items. We both ordered the Shakespeare's Spritz which was refreshing and the fried cauliflower appetizer which was lightly fried and served atop a delicious roasted pepper sauce. For entrees we tried the Alexandrian shrimp and the pan seared scallops. Both dishes were very flavorful. I absolutely enjoyed dinner and look forward to visiting again real soon.

Decadence. One thing to note, this is a mildly sweet dessert, which I LOVED. But if you like sweet sweets, this may not be for you.
J.R. K.

This evening was my first time dining at Elaine's and in just one visit, it instantly became one of my favorite restaurants in Alexandria (or the DMV for that matter). From the friendly welcome by the proprietor (Jeff) at the door, to the last bite of the baklava cheesecake, the experience at Elaine's was wonderful. Anyplace with a London olive oil martini would generally peak my interest, but this place delivers on the promise of interesting drinks, excellent food, a very charming ambiance and great service. Give Elaine's a try. It won't disappoint.

Baklava Brownie
Monica S.

Located in Old Town Alexandria, Elaine's offers a cozy ambiance and introduces you to middle eastern cuisine with a flair of European influences. First things first, the thing always on my mind...parking! There is a little across the street that is a $10 flat rate- a convenient option. If you don't mind parallel parking and some walking, there are some 2 hour street parking zones--but this was hard to find on a friday evening. There are some 3 hour free parking zones a bit further away, that were still available. Re: Food. I think the appetizers hit the ball out of the park. We ordered the halloumi goulash (per owner's recs), calamari, and hummus. All delicious! My friends got the koshari and I got the scallops (may not have been the best scallops I've had but the fava bean puree was the highlight and really brought the dish together). I heard the koshari was good- I had a bite, and it was good but I was glad I ordered something else. The popular dishes seem to be the halloumi goulash, steak, koshari, and branzino. My pistachio martini was interesting and different; next time, I'd like to try their espresso martini. My friends got the baklava and the phyllo- wrapped brownie, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Service was good, our waiter was mostly attentive and would frequently check in. We did; however, flag people down for refills of water and drinks. I was a bit disappointed when we weren't notified that there would be an extra cost for additional pita bread. One of our members asked for a little more pita bread to finish off the hummus...which after looking at the receipt that I texted to myself, I noticed we were charged an extra cost. I'm not complaining of the cost, but I feel like we should've been told this. I think it was a nice touch that the owner and the chef were making rounds and checking in with the tables. The chef was very kind/ personable; he knew exactly what we had ordered (despite plates being cleared) and notified us that they have brunch on the weekends and have seasonal menus. The owner had checked in and offered suggestions at the beginning of our dinner, and told us that she names the restaurant after her grandmother. This is probably just my subjective feeling, but I felt like she was just speaking to my tablemates with body turned toward them (it had me wondering if it was because I was the only non-caucasian member of the trio). I had also made the reservation and asked for a nice table, away from the hustle and bustle as some coworkers and I were celebrating International Women's Day. Our table was okay, but it was right in line to the door and kind of got cold. The upstairs appeared to have a nicer ambiance with a "library" type of feel. TLDR; cozy ambiance, good service, appetizers were great.

Jen P.

After a cold day of holiday shopping, I was looking for somewhere warm and comforting; other reviews led me to Elaine's and I enjoyed it. They had one of my favorites (Moussaka--good, probably overpriced) and a quiet place for me to sit by myself and enjoy my book. I had been hoping for a special holiday drink menu (I saw one on-line), but wasn't offered anything and didn't ask (bartender that served me was fine, but I felt I was bothering him). I'd give it another try, but won't rush over there again.

Matthew F.

Could this be my best Alexandria restaurant week meal ever? I've had a lot of great meals during different restaurant weeks, but this could be it. I visited mostly because I have fond memories of the previous tenant, Bilbo Baggins. Motivating myself to visit new places is a tough call for me, but I needed to see what's there now. I soon saw Elaine's is very posh but warm. Everything is now different of course, but it made me miss Bilbo less knowing the location is in good hands. I came on a snowy day with limited patrons so my servers were very attentive. I even met the owner; a very charming lady born in the city of Alexandria Egypt who joked she went from one Alexandria to another. The dishes are what she referred to as 'real family-style Egyptian', not touristy-Egyptian (although if your average Egyptian ate like this then I'd be jealous). She also told us the place was named after her grandmother, and the 'library' upstairs was inspired by her author husband. The 4-course meals were a mix of New American and Egyptian. But my favorite by far was the braised lamb shoulder. Soft, succulent, yet a tiny bit crispy. It fell apart with my fork as soon as I dived in. This was washed down with a beer and a cocktail, made in front of me as I sat at the bar. Yep - 5 stars.

Braised Lamb Shank

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8 months ago

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Jeffrey H.

Thank you Ada for your lovely review. We hope to see you again soon!

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10 months ago

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11 months ago

Really nice dinner with friends. Food was great. Service was quick and non-intrusive. Would recommend for a quiet, intimate meal.

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11 months ago

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Jeffrey H.

Thank you for your great review, Tonya! We hope to see you again soon!

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Page 1 of 4

Ask the Community - Elaine’s

Hi, do you have non-halal meat options for people who don't eat halal?

Hi Sam, we don’t offer Halal meat unless it is requested for private events.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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This review is for the Alexandria location of Flavor Hive off of General Washington Dr…read more On 1/28/26, after 8:00 PM, we placed two separate orders. Only one order (check #88) was provided at pickup. The second order (check #87) was never given to us, despite being paid for. When I called the phone number listed on both the paid receipt and from Google, I did not reach the restaurant. Instead, the call was answered by a male individual phone comes up from Vienna and did not appear to be affiliated with the restaurant staff on-site. This alone is unacceptable. The individual who answered was rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. Multiple witnesses overheard the conversation, which has been documented. We were not initially seeking a refund -- only verification of the missing order and whether it could still be picked up. There was zero effort to assist, no accountability, and no urgency to resolve the issue. This level of disorganization and lack of customer service is unacceptable for any restaurant. If Flavor Hive continues to operate this way -- including routing customer calls to unprofessional third parties -- it will absolutely damage the business and its reputation.

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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.

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I'd been wanting to try Jerusalem Restaurant for years and I'm glad I finally got the chance. We…read morewere nearby on a Friday, and they have a lunch buffet on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Jerusalem is so pretty and is beautifully decorated. The staff are friendly and service was excellent. I think they were concerned we did not eat enough. Their buffet is huge! The food was delicious. My favorite was the lamb mandi and rice. The lentil soup was delicious. Their pita is so good. There are plenty of vegetarian options. I loved dessert and the tea with it. Jerusalem offers great fresh juices as well. I'm looking forward to returning when I'm hungrier and I cannot wait.

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Bawadi Mediterranean Grill - Falafel and grape leaf stuffed with rice, herbs and lemon juice

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I came here with my sister's for Iftar during Ramadan. The restaurant is decorated beautifully…read more The place is huge and good for groups. They have only buffet during Ramadan. I got there after 6pm. It was packed. It was my first there and had no idea what I was getting into. The menus doesnt explain much nor were prices mentioned. Its like $39.99 They also tacked on a service fee. Which is deceiving since its not mentioned upfront in the menu. You find out when you get your bill. The service was 5 stars. The young man very attentive and friendly. Ushered our dirty tables and brought us our drinks. I had minty lemonade which I recommend if your gonna eat a lot. Here's my gripe. Its very important to label food. None of the food trays or stations were labeled. I have several food allergies and I had no idea what was what. I had to ask what was this or that. One tray had rice and I saw something that had deep fried crispy something. I thought it was chicken... it was fish :( The hummus was good though. The baklava meh. The pita bread was good. Some rice tray had kabob type of meat but it was lukewarm. For the price I paid, its not worth it. Please label your trays. Im give this place another try with my husband after Ramadan. , I saw on the dessert menu they have Knafeh.. a delicious middle eastern dessert that I love. Can't wait to try that.

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