On a Sunday evening just before 8pm, a friend brought me to King of Koshary to introduce me the…read moreeponymous Egyptian dish. At that time, the establishment only had a one other table occupied so seating occurred immediately. As I perused the menu, my focus landed on the tajins / stews. The ox tail, okra lamb, and cow feet tajins all looked delectable. I settled on the cow feet tajin ($20), served with rice. That arrived after about 10 minutes, piping hot in an earthenware bowl. Just looking at the glisten and the viscosity while spooning the stew, I could tell that the cow hocks had simmered long enough to melt and release collagen into the stew. The tendons came off the bone like the proverbial hot knife through butter. The stock proved rich in texture and flavor without overwhelming the palate. Whatever additional seasonings went into it enhanced the clear stock's savoriness without imparting a different direction to the palate. This epitomized the ostensible simplicity of a dish belying sheer time and effort to perfect a dish. As an aside, this sort of laborious effort resembled long simmered Cantonese stews that I grew up with. Hilariously enough, the only other occupied table was also an Arabic guy bringing his Asian friend along. Speaking of Arabic friends, my friend ordered the king koshary ($12) and had me try a bite. The texture contrasts of the varied grains, the crispy onions, and the savory tomato-based koshary sauce, seemed irresitible. I understood why it became a signature national dish.

Two Haiku Review:…read more Came here to try the Best koshary in NoVA. Wow, it was good. So Many other good Egyptian dishes too. The Owner is so nice!

This is a solid little place in an unassuming spot, a quiet little oasis in a busy downtown…read moreneighborhood. It's a welcome alternative to the standard fare nearby. The ordering is quick, off of digital pads or the cashier and they bring the food out fast but also freshly prepared. A few small tables and two tables for larger parties fill the small space, but it feels comfortable rather than cramped. The staff is very nice, and routinely checked with all the tables. The falafel was great, small balls crispy on the outside but not still soft, and the hummus is nice and light. The homemade hot sauce isn't very hot, but it adds a nice flavor. This was a random stop-in for me, and I'm very glad to have found it!

Decent spot. I believe this was my first time trying Egyptian food and I got to try a wide array of…read moredifferent items. These included the chicken kabob bowl with tum, apricot juice, and the Om Ali pudding. The vibe of this place is a bit like a to go spot. It's quite small. If you are paying with a credit card, they have you order on a separate touchscreen. Ambiance was just standard, and we didn't really interact much with the people (I don't think they really have servers). The food was okay. The chicken kabob meal was honesty a bit of a let down. The rice is was served was was far too oily/buttery to the point of being overpowered. The chicken was also rubbery. Other than that, pretty good spices and I did like the garlic sauce. The apricot drink was nice. Tasted very fresh and a decent portion. Seems like they might make it in house? The om Ali pudding was also quite unique and good. It's similar to a bread pudding, and they have tons of little additions like raisins, nuts, etc. It is a traditional Egyptian dessert that I liked.

I felt the host really tried to talk up the fact that they one best something.... I can't even…read moreremember.... Long explanation on the menu. It was like someone was trying to convince me that the place was great. Beet salad was incredibly underwhelming, and even looked unappetizing upon arrival. Nice musical playlist though, and overall space. I wouldn't go back to dine though...

If you're looking for a dining experience that feels like a warm hug from someone's grandmother,…read morelook no further. This Mediterranean treasure sitting along the Alexandria waterfront is everything a great restaurant should be. The concept here is simple and beautiful: recipes passed down and made completely from scratch. Don't skip the traditional hummus. I was skeptical about the halloumi goulash because of the fruit but somehow... it works! Both entrees: salmon and lamb chops were delicious. Allie was both the perfect server and drink (ask for her signature punch). They also create award-winning martinis; ask for one!

This review is on the happy hour only: It's definitely one of the places to go for happy hour at…read moreMosaic. My friends and I sat at the bar, and the bartender was sweet, and very attentive. Their happy hour is called "golden hour" and it's Mon-Fri from 3-7pm, and also have daily specials. I loved their dip + drink for $10 as you get to pick one of any of the dips with unlimited bread. I enjoyed the three dips I tried: minty labneh, grilled red pepper dip and havuc. Only their house wines and draft beers are the drink specials on the happy hour menu, however they have cocktail specials depending on the daily special. I definitely will come back for happy hour again, or try a meal next time.

We sat on the patio on nice day. The servers were very attentive and nice, providing…read morerecommendations on our first visit. I was really craving baba ganoush but unfortunately they didn't have any eggplant based dip. We ordered the red pepper dip and the meat shindig. Red pepper dip - came with warm pita and was pretty good. A mix of savory and sweet from the pomegranate. Shindig - came with trumpet mushrooms, steak, lamb-beef kubideh and chicken. The proteins were all cooked well but unfortunately under flavored making the use of the sauces a necessity. I also wish there was more pita. The rice, although a beautiful vibrant value, lacked the aroma and flavor of rice from the Mediterranean. This dish was not a good value for what it contained. Further, the inside of the restaurant is suffering from the effects of wear and tear. Both bathrooms were out of order. This lack of care is incongruous with the intended vibe of the restaurant. I don't think I will be making a return visit.

The food at Mama Ayesha's was delicious, and packed full of flavor! The service was also…read moregreat--very attentive and kind. The restaurant itself is a bit dated, both the patio and dining room. It looks like the decor hasn't been refreshed in a few decades. Mouzat, 5/5, delicious, tender lamb with seasoned rice Maklouba, 5/5, tender chicken that fell off the bone with delicious rice and vegetables Pomtini, 2/5, somehow tasted like Hi-C or some kind of chemical citrus

This is my new favorite restaurant. It's tasty. Clean. The staff is excellent. The food is…read moreincredible. My wife loved it too. So, yes I'm looking forward to going back there.

Stopped here on a trip through the area. Very popular, talked to several 'regulars' who lov the…read moreplace& advised us on their favorite foods here. Pretty big inside, order at counter + they bring it to you. Very popular, continuous stream of carryout customers as well. Pleasant helpful staff. Hubbie got a meat& rice plate while I got a Shwarma sandwich, plus a dessert that was recommended by a friendly regular customer. It was all good, pretty reasonable cost. I would return, and like to try more of their food.

Our family has very much enjoyed the chicken kabob sandwiches and other platters here since 2023…read more Portions are great with friendly service. You can call in advance for take-out orders, or just place an order in person, walk over to H-Mart for shopping, and return in 15-20 minutes. We have not dined in the restaurant, but it has a separate section with tables that can easily accommodate families and small groups. It has a pleasant, family-owned restaurant vibe.

I love mix appetizer platter Tabouleh, fresh falafel, humus , eggplant salad , dolma and you can…read moreadd more appitizer from the menu clean, friendly and not expensive

Another visit and another amazing food and service. Forget about other places, this is the place to…read moremake you satisfied and eat yummy food.

The food is great, we like it very much, dine in service was great and the atmosphere was also very…read moregood.

The service was very friendly and they were very enthusiastic about their food. Unfortunately, I…read morejust wasn't impressed and found this truck to be below average. I ordered the chicken platter with potatoes. This also comes with a small parsley/onion salad on flatbread on top and a larger piece of flatbread on the bottom. The chicken was well seasoned but was less lean and was a smaller serving of meat than at most similar restaurants. The parsley/onion salad on flatbread was an interesting concept but tasted a bit like cilantro on stale bread to me. The roasted potatoes were also well seasoned but because they were pre-cooked and reheated, they had the consistency of leftovers from last night that were reheated in the microwave. Finally, the piece of flatbread on the bottom seemed to be I heated and right off the shelf at the grocery store. That or perhaps it was just stale? Either way I wasn't impressed. This truck was less than impressive despite the friendly service. There are too many other quality trucks in the DC area for me to recommend this one or give it another try.