Our company division recently hosted a team offsite in the DMV area, and to encourage us to meet…read morenew colleagues, we were placed into small groups of 10-12 people where a local colleague selected a restaurant for the group. I chose Ambar for my group, and I'm very pleased with our selection. Food Most of our group had dietary restrictions. Several of us were gluten free, and one person was both nut and seafood free. Ambar did an excellent job curating a menu that worked for everyone without making anyone feel like an afterthought. We opted for the Chef's Table experience, which included a spread tasting with veggie sticks and a variety of dishes that were clearly labeled and thoughtfully prepared: * Bean hummus - GF / DF / NF * Ajvar - GF / DF / NF * Balkan salad - GF / DF / NF (one prepared without feta cheese) * Baby carrots - GF / DF / NF (one prepared without tofu sauce) * Roasted peppers - GF / DF / NF * Cauliflower - GF / DF / NF * Baked beans - GF / DF / NF * Roasted lamb - GF / DF / NF * Stuffed pork belly "Sarma" - GF / DF / NF * Brussels sprouts - GF / DF / NF (one prepared without yogurt and bacon) * Seafood platter Everything was flavorful, well-seasoned, and beautifully presented. The meal was so delicious that I didn't even manage to get photos of everything, which rarely happens for me. Just know we dined very well and left completely satisfied. Service The staff was wonderful from start to finish. From the event team member who served as our account manager, to the chef, to the servers and wait staff, everyone was attentive and accommodating. They handled our dietary needs with care and professionalism and made sure our group felt taken care of throughout the evening. Pricing We paid a set fee that we were able to negotiate, and the final rate wasn't too bad for a group experience like this. Just keep in mind that there is an admin fee, a 20% gratuity, and taxes added on top, so be sure to factor that into your planning if you're booking a group event. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend Ambar for group dining, especially if you have guests with dietary restrictions. They made coordination easy, delivered great food, and created a memorable dining experience for our team.

We had an enjoyable experience. The all-you-can-eat small plate style is great for sharing with…read morefriends or family and trying a lot of different dishes. The food was overall tasty, especially the dips -- we all really enjoyed the beet dip, and I liked the fresh citrus balance in some of the spreads. The medium rare steak was also cooked well. Some other dishes like the shrimp and grits, sliders, and mac & cheese were more underwhelming and a little lacking in flavor. But overall a solid spot for to come with a group and a good way to try a variety of Balkan-inspired dishes.

I can't believe I haven't heard more people talking about Ambar in DC/Clarendon! We went to the…read moreClarendon location for dinner yesterday and it was absolutely incredible. They offer an all-you-can-eat dinner menu (plus brunch), and every single thing we tried was delicious. We were a party of two and definitely overstuffed ourselves trying as much as we could Honestly, I think 3-4 people would be the perfect group size so you can share everything and sample more dishes comfortably. The food came out quickly, tapas-style, which made the whole experience even better. Great price for the amount and quality of food, excellent service, and such a fun ambiance. The decor was also super cute. I really liked that they had a large disability ramp as well.

Came here for the first time on Mother's Day Mother's Day. They ran a special three dish Mother's…read moreDay to their brunch experience for $49.99. When we walked in, we thought it was gonna be packed because there were no reservations on OpenTable however they were able to see us right away. A very nice touch to add a stem of Rose for the women. I would say that I gave it a lower star rating not because the food was bad. It was actually delicious, but probably the experience itself. The restaurant felt chaotic, and even though all the tables were not completely packed of course there were flowers everywhere people gathering with grandmother's mother's children, etc We were seated in a two people table and all the top past dishes started to pile up very quickly. Instead of monitoring, the progress of the finished dishes and removing those dishes due to space constraint, the dishes came from the kitchen, almost on top of one another, and at one point I had to hold a dish in my hand in order to make space to put a dish on top of another flatbread pan/dish, making things super chaotic. Also dishes had to be put on top of the menu because in order to order additional food, you need to leave at least one copy of the menu at the table. Overall, again the flavors and taste were good, though I might have had similar dishes from other places, and my partner commented that some of it is actually very close to the Capital One landing at DCA. I would just say that it was more due to the chaos and just the way that all the dishes piled up on top of us we felt like we were we had to eat super quickly so that we could stack dishes ourselves and create room at the table. Also, when serving the dishes were not kept level and basically was slide to the side of the dish, making presentation off

This place reminded me of home. We ordered the Veal Zürich Style and it was fantastic. My mother…read moreused to make this dish for me growing up, and I haven't had it since she passed away two years ago. It was so good that I am inspired to try my hand at this in my own kitchen. Thank you, Silvan and David, for bringing back those memories with your amazing food! The fondue was also exceptional. We enjoyed the Belper Knolle fondue and ordered the potatoes to accompany the bread for dipping. Speaking of bread, the basket of bread and butter they brought us while we waited for our food was wonderful. If you are looking for really good bread, take home a loaf of the Wurzelbrot. (We did!) Drinks were incredible and served to us by Silvan himself. We enjoyed the hot spiked apple cider and the Smoking Mirrors. Service was excellent and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We spent the first snowy night of the season at Stable DC and boy, was it the perfect place to be! Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. Vielen Herzlichen Dank!

I appreciate Swiss culture being part of the DC food scene! I came here for both brunch and dinner…read moreservice, and I'll say the drinks/food I had were amazing. Especially with the fondue service, they did everything right and I felt like I was back in Switzerland! Would highly recommend for dining here, especially in the back rooms indoors where it feels like you're in a lodge. I will say I am not giving this place 5 stars because of the quality of service I received here. It was disappointing for brunch, the server kept on messing up mine/my friend's orders, and eventually we gave up trying to correct him because we didn't want to inconvenience him anymore. Furthermore, for dinner, we were only served when we did our initial order, when the food came out, and when we were presented the bill. Overall, I very much enjoyed coming here. Perhaps I went on off days, but would be willing to do the dining experience again.

The food, the service and attention to detail were outstanding. Our server, the GM, did everything…read moreto make our dining experience enjoyable. We even received a complimentary dish to welcome us back, as repeat customers. You will not be disappointed if you dine here; definitely try the risotto!

Maple Ave is a small, no-frills bistro in Vienna that serves higher end modern European options ran…read moreby two people! They offer a prix-fixe menu that changes seasonally (?) for brunch and dinner. The ingredients here are high-quality and well prepared and cared for before serving. I've heard great things about Maple Ave from a friends, so I took my family here for dinner this past Wednesday. We really enjoyed the creativity of how the dishes were crafted and plated here and the execution was also phenomenal. This time around, it was 59.00 per person for a 4-course prix-fixe dinner (two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert). Since there were only a couple options per section, we were able to try all the options they had. FIRST: APPLE HAZELNUT SOUP Creamy, pale colored soup with a thicker consistency similar to butternut squash soup. It was lightly sweet, yet savory at the same time. There were some pickled apples and toasted hazelnuts delicately sprinkled on top that added a bit of a crunch. The soup was unique and we enjoyed it. FIRST: ROOTCAKE Between the rootcake and the apple hazelnut soup, the rootcake was my favorite. The vegetables were caramelized and made into a patty, topped generously with almonds with some umami aïoli and pimenton sauce. The rootcake was so good. Each bite was hearty and rich, and it's such a unique way to prepare vegetables. The sauce enhanced each bite and the almonds provided a nutty texture. I would recommend the rootcake as your first option. SECOND: CRISPY SQUASH NUGGETS I didn't think I would enjoy the crispy squash nuggets as much as I did. The roasted squash is breaded with panko crumbs, sitting in some dill yogurt sauce and topped with some raisins and radish. The squash were perfectly seasoned and crispy with a soft interior that left my taste buds wanting more. The dill yogurt sauce was a good complement. I'd definitely recommend this option if you're not a fan of mushrooms and/or you want something more crispy. SECOND: WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO One of the best mushroom risottos I've ever had. It's rich and creamy, filled with truffle flavor. The shiitake mushrooms had a dry, crispy texture. The manchego shavings on top were a great plus. The squash was used for coloring and probably some flavoring? Not sure. The whole thing was really good and memorable. I'd definitely recommend! THIRD: SHRIMP I'm not a huge fan of shrimp, but my family loved it along with the citrus braised fennel. I was a fan of the creamy semolina, though! Overall, it wasn't for me, but that's more of a personal preference. THIRD: PORK CONFIT STEAK The pork they used was pork belly (?) and seared very nicely, topped with perfectly crispy potatoes, mangoes (?), brown butter sweet potato puree and chimi churri sauce. The pork belly melted in my mouth but as someone who's not the biggest fan of fatty pork, I wish it was a leaner cut. The potatoes were so good and went well with the sweet potato puree. Even though I didn't love the pork confit steak, I'd recommend this entree over the shrimp. FOURTH: MOCK FRIED "APPLE" PIE It was zucchini instead of apple and you can't even tell. I loved the crispy pie exterior which was lightly topped with cinnamon. The vanilla bean ice cream was my favorite as it was creamy and smooth. The dulce de leche and lavender honey were nice touches. Very nice way to end the meal. All the food here were so rich with lots of complex flavors. Each dish was so beautifully plated with many vibrant colors. We were quite full after all the food we ate. I would recommend coming here with another person to try all the options they offer here! The food here is unique and well-executed, and I'd be open to come back to try a different seasonal menu.

Outstanding experience featuring delicious food, beautiful presentation, and excellent service…read more Everything felt thoughtfully prepared, creating a memorable evening that exceeded expectations and made us eager to return again soon.

We came to Gypsy Kitchen for our anniversary, and it was the perfect spot! The service was speedy…read moreand kind, and the decor/ambiance was beautiful. We ordered a bottle of the Cava, and four small plates, which was plenty of food. The mussels, labneh and Patatas bravas were all very generous portions. Labneh: 5/5, delicious, served with plenty of pita Patatas bravas: 5/5, with great flavor and crispy roasted potatoes Mussels: 4/5, generous portion size, and the sauce was very good but I wished the sauce was more white wine-based Tuna crudo: 5/5, not a ton of food but the flavor was absolutely delicious, very citrusy and fresh Labneh cheesecake: 4/5, served with a sauce that was a bit like cough syrup but otherwise absolutely delicious

Was able to do a walk-in on a recent Thursday evening…read more I had been many times before, but it had been a while, so it was great to dine at Agora again. Everyone in my group loved the assortment of small plates that we had. We considered getting the lamb chops, but it only comes with 2, and there were three of us, so we opted against it. The dishes we got instead (an assortment of vegetables, meat, and seafood) were all delicious, and we would all be happy to get them again.

Went there twice to taste different kinds of Turkish dishes. One time for dinner and the other for…read morelunch. Overall the food was good. The serving size of the dishes I ordered were medium to small. The service was far less satisfactory than food. I tried the following dishes: 1. Complimentary pita: ~40g per piece. Not salty and paired well with the other dishes. Definitely get some! 2. Lahmacun: The lamb+beef mixture was tasty. It came with 4 pieces. 3. Branzino: ~6oz. The fish was grilled to perfection; juciy tender, and the skin was nicely charred. It was served with freh parsley and seasoned grilled tomato (salt+oregano I think). 4. Imam Bayildi: Half of an eggplant topped with sauteed onions and tomatoes. While itself was pretty normal, it went so well with the Ottoman rice. 5. Ottoman Rice: The true highlight of all the dishes I tried! It was basically Basimati rice cooked with dried apricots, raisins, almonds & pine nuts mix, and seasoned with black currant. Overall it was warm, earthy and lightly smoky. The apricot slices added some delightful sweetness and juiciness to the dish. Should pair well with Labneh, chicken and seafood. But to be honest, I can simply eat this stuff along for a whole meal! 6. Tabbouleh: They went against the traditional recipe by substituting the bulgur with quinoa and added some pomegranate arils. I liked the special texture of quinoa. The sweetness of pomegrante arils also enriched the flavors. However, I had to constantly spit the seeds when enjoying the salad. 7. Kofte: Adana style ground beef patties. Just like what I make at home haha! I ordered it as an add-on to my salad at lunchtime. It came with only 2 pieces which weighed no more than 3oz in total... Despite the delicious food, service was disappointing. The first time, the dinner, was Okay. While my food came out slowly, at least my server was aware of it and asked me how I liked the dishes. The second time, the lunch, was horrible. Even before I was seated, my server made me feel that he was reluctant to serve me, and emphasized that I had to order asap. "Luckily", I had already decided what to order. After I got my dishes, no one in the restaurant asked me if the food was Okay. And at the check, my bill was thrown onto my table. In comparison, the two ladies dining next to me came even after I started eating, but were greeted warmly and were given lots of time to decide what to order; not to mention that the staff gave them lots of suggestions, asked about their dining experience, and even chatted with them about sightseeing in DC, etc. Such discrimitory treatment is really unacceptable.

I treated my friend to brunch after seeing all the hype on TikTok, Yelp, and Instagram, and it…read moreabsolutely lived up to it! This was easily one of the most entertaining brunches I've experienced in the DMV, while still maintaining an upscale vibe. From the singer taking special requests during brunch to the live entertainment afterward, drummers, dancers, and a saxophonist turning things into a full brunch party...we were thoroughly entertained from start to finish. What really stood out, though, was that the food matched the energy. At some places, you get great entertainment but mediocre food - not here. Everything was beautifully presented, served at the perfect temperature, and genuinely delicious. My friend was so impressed with her birthday celebration that she thanked me for days afterward. The service was impeccable, the space is stunning with plenty of Instagram-worthy moments, and despite how busy it was, it somehow still felt warm and welcoming. If you're in the mood to get dressed up, enjoy an upscale brunch, celebrate a special occasion, or impress someone on a date, this is definitely the place. I'm already looking forward to my next brunch party here!

Gorgeous restaurant! I felt very underdressed but I loved the vibrant atmosphere…read more STARTER: Prosciutto - very large portion, had plenty to take home, thinly sliced and addictive ENTREE: Hanger Steak Au Poivre $56 10 oz black angus hanger steak, pomme frites & green beans, green peppercorn sauce *I really enjoyed the steak but I didn't finish it because I polished off 2 trays of bread by myself...andddd I don't regret it. COCKTAILS: Smoked Old Fashioned $18 BB Bourbon, BB House Bitters, Syrup, Smoke *I loved the smokiness of the drink and it went great with the bread because I had no self control... Our service was consistent throughout dinner and they packed up all of our leftovers very nicely and set them aside on the counter while we chatted and they didn't rush us with the bill like a lot of establishments do. **Would you believe it that the server packed me a to go box of bread? I am dead. I could not stop laughing when I saw that. I will definitely be back! ;)

Came here with 2 other friends for a Saturday lunch based on a friend's recommendation. It wasn't…read morepacked and the weather was nice so we took an outdoor table. We got the ottoman experience which included unlimited foods and drinks on the menu. I didn't know what to expect but the experience is mindblowing good! They served us everything included in the experience menu which has cold mezze and hot mezze plates, omelette, various skewers and desserts and sides. Everything is so fresh and tasty. I especially enjoyed the muhammara, the pink dip, and the omelette. The pita breads are warm and fluffy, perfect with the mezze. We also got a lot of mimosas and the honey yogurt dessert was not heavy and perfect end to our brunch. We all ended up so full but very much satisfied with the experience. If you go with friends or a group, get the experience you won't regret!

Heard this spot had received some recognition from Michelin, and while I was in DC, I went out of…read moremy way to give it a try. Unfortunately, I felt pretty let down. Stopped by on my way out from DC before heading to the airport. I got to try their ayran, lahmacun, baklava with ice cream. I will first say that the interior of the place is certainly beautiful, and the staff seems to be fairly nice as well. Bit formal. But, in terms of the food, I just wasn't that impressed. The lahmacun just lacked flavor. There was very little spice; in fact, for whatever reason, it almost tasted a bit sweet. The ayran was also a letdown. Usually, I love ayran, but this one just tasted like milk. At least it was served in a cool metal container. They served some complimentary bread too, which was nice, but even that seemed a bit industrial. For dessert, I got to try the baklava with ice cream. It's nothing to write home about, in full honesty. Bit dry, not much flavor. All in all, I was a bit disappointed. It s a gorgeous spot, but the food just fell a bit short for me. Maybe I'll come back to try some kebabs.

Brunch review ahead!!!!!…read more Ambiance- perfect for a cute date, time with friends, family members, or coworkers. The ambiance welcomes it all. Hospitality- The hostess was incredibly friendly and seated us upon arrival. Waiter- Eric was an AMAZING waiter. Bubbly personality, very polite and personable. His service was definitely a 10/10 Brunch- My friend and I decided to try their Easter Sunday brunch and my only regret was not visiting here sooner and not selecting an earlier time to dine, LOL! The entire experience was phenomenal! Bottomless mimosas- SO worth the extra $ Standout dishes: Adana meatballs Braised lamb Chicken Golden cauliflower Crispy Falafel Desserts: Baklava Brownie Kadayıf Sadly we did not get to experience all of the brunch menu items because brunch ends at 3pm and our reservations were at the heel of this time. Nonetheless, the standout dishes and desserts were enough for me to come back. I've enjoyed their happy hour, cafe area, and now their brunch. Can't wait to return.

Three stars isn't the actual rating; I'd say more 3.5. Stopped by after visiting the Dupont…read moreCircle's weekly farmer's market to try their Sunday brunch buffet. Was warmly greeted, seated, and given an overview of the menu and brunch package options; decided to opt-out of the bottomless drinks, which had an alcoholic (mimosas and Bloody Marys) and NA (juices, sodas, drip coffee and black tea), as I wanted to try their more speciality coffee and tea. The drinks I ordered were the Turkish coffee, Levantine-style tea and digestive tea. All were quite solid. The Turkish coffee was as robust as espresso, yet not overwhelmingly bitter and slightly sweetened. The Levantine tea was a smooth black tea with natural sweetness and layered with a mint steep and floral notes of hibiscus, and rose petal. The digestive was more herbaceous with fennel and pomegranate zest, in addition to a steep of spearmint. The food was more hit-or-miss. On one hand, the meat and seafood was all very delicious and well-made. The braised lamb shank is their speciality, and well-deserved, as it's moist, savory and tender. The short rib similarly so, and the chicken casserole, lamb biajeen, Adana kebab and steamed lavraki (sea bass) were all similarly flavorful. On the other hand, the sides and mezze options were more mixed; the dolmas and fresh bites cheese with za'atar/nuts were delightful, however, the borek, cheeses, and some of the dips tasted reheated and/or not super fresh, the Brussels sprouts were quite scorched, and the savory salmon waffles were bone dry and flavorless. The French onion soup had the right flavor profile, but not the intensity; it tasted watered-down and even looked it, due to the noticeable oil blebs on the surface. Dessert was similar; the melon and fruits were fresh enough, the yogurt bar was quality, the kadayif nutty with the sweetness balanced, and the layali lubnan was intoxicatingly tasty, but many of the baked goods looked rather packaged and the fondue station was mediocre. The staff, however, were extremely friendly (my special regards to Mia, she's a great conversationalist and a sweetheart!). They answered all my questions, and one of the bartenders even gave me half a lemon to zuzh up my tea with. As I said at the start, more 3.5 stars than 3 stars. The core of their offerings are all quality, so I can't quite dock them a full two stars for the food quality because they had buffets aren't usually renown for said quality. You really can't expect perfection from AYCE, even though I naturally encourage the management to avoid sourcing pre-made items from Sysco if possible. The friendly staff and eloquent Eastern Mediterranean ambiance allows me to still say I enjoyed this experience, and may be back for dinner in the future.