Delicious Indian food, kind service, and cute decor. There's a non-alcoholic bar, and it looks…read moreexactly like a regular bar with rows and rows of bottles of liquor, except that everything is non-alcoholic. That is really cool--and great for people who don't drink much, like me! There's also a quite large menu of mocktails, which look very intriguing, but tonight I opted for a lassi drink because I needed to get some nutrients in after a very sweaty hot yoga workout... I tried the following: - Mango lassi - thick, sweet, and very refreshing after a sweaty workout! It was my first time to try a lassi, and I thought it was great. The texture was very thick and creamy and smooth, and you can definitely taste the mango. - Veggie samosa - texture was perfect, very crispy. The sauces were outstanding and very flavorful. Possibly the best veggie samosas I've had! - Butter chicken - not the best butter chicken I've had but still a solid dish. The sauce seemed to be less creamy and less sweet than other places, yet a bit more flavorful. My partner was a bit disappointed in this dish, but I still thought it was good (I'm more about flavors, while my partner is more about creaminess). I did find the chicken meat to be a tad dry though. - Lamb & spinach - lamb meat was excellent and very tender. While the butter chicken (see above) might've been a bit dry, this lamb was cooked perfectly. And it was packed with tonsssss of flavors. - Garlic naan - texture was not as thick/soft as I would've liked, but the flavor was veryyyy garlicky, which I liked. Heads-up: It takes a while for the food to get ready. The place seems to make everything from scratch. So, order some appetizers if you're hungry while you wait for the main dishes!

On H street, lots of seating inside and nicely decorated. The food was delicious- it will take a…read moresmall while to be prepared but it's really a decent portion size even for the individual meals. They have a full mocktail bar with various cocktail options. I got sweater weather which was delicious and I also got the lamb chops which were what you consider standard lamp chops to look like but it was very yummy. Service workers were very pleasant and nice.

We went here for a special celebration and it was lovely !…read more The ambience, service and food are all top notch. I usually take pictures but this time we just started eating straight away . some highlights: Fattoush salad - deliciously crisp and fresh, Sea bass - absolute phenomena! everyone in the table loved this dish and couldn't get more, literally melt in your mouth. The kebabs, chicken and beef were also good. Would definitely recommend this for a nice meal out.

Unfortunately, this was not a very good experience compared to the Atlanta and Texas locations…read more I arrived around 5:00 PM as a solo diner and was greeted by two latino ladies who informed me that they would need my table back by 6:15 PM. The restaurant was only about half full, with many empty tables available, so this was surprising and did not make me feel particularly welcome. Throughout my visit, many staff members were speaking loudly to each other in Spanish, making it difficult to enjoy the atmosphere or even hear the background music. My server, however, was courteous and provided good service. As for the food, the ground beef in the Soltani was very good, but the Barg was slightly burnt and chewy. Since the meal took some time to arrive, I felt rushed to finish eating before the stated 6:15 PM deadline. For a restaurant where customers are paying premium prices, being pressured to eat quickly is not an experience I would expect or appreciate. I hope this location can improve its customer experience, as I have had much better visits at other locations.

Maydan was one of the most anticipated dining experiences for my partner and I on our DC trip and…read moreit was even better than I expected. Gorgeous restaurant centered around a giant hearth, the heart and soul of the space where much of the food is cooked. We went with two friends and opted to do ala carte, and ordered a bunch of items to share. - Muhammara & hummus spreads were both phenomenal - creamy, delicious goodness served with piping hot, generous portions of freshly made pita bread. - Halloumi with a nutty honey glaze - perfection - Sweet Potato - soft and just melts in your mouth - Mushrooms - super unique preparation, definitely worth a try. Very delicious. We also ordered every kabob on the menu (shrimp, scallop, chicken and lamb). The shrimp and chicken kabobs were excellent - charred to perfection and bursting with flavor. Paired with zhoug sauce, I was in heaven. Do not miss these! Scallop and lamb kabobs were just okay. Incredible service, beautiful ambiance, and a memorable meal that will stay with me. Grateful to have experienced Maydan!

Finally! I've been trying to make it to this restaurant, and my gfs took me for my birthday…read more The best experience. I can't quite tell you that you'd have the same experience each time you go because it all depends. I believe it also depends where you're sitting how impactful it will be on your experience as well. Whatever you do come back each time and try something else because I will Love Amb

My favorite restaurant once again excels! I always try to visit when I'm in DC ! Had shrimp and…read morebranzino this time, fantastic!

This place is in a great corner location, the food was delicious, and the staff were friendly…read moreoverall. We had a reservation to make sure we got a table, and the restaurant was completely full when we arrived. The only downside was that after being seated outside, we felt a little forgotten for the first 30 minutes or so. No one came by with water or to check in, and it seemed like the staff may not have realized a new table had been seated until we flagged down the outside host. There were also swarm of flies hovering around the outdoor tables, which another table pointed out and then we started noticing too. Aside from that, the experience was good overall. The inside dining area definitely had a dressier vibe compared to the patio seating, and once we were helped, the food made up for the slow start.

This colorful restaurant is located near the National Building museum and it was the perfect choice…read morefor lunch. I had the spicy miso ramen which was so good that we came back the next day to have more lol they also have a kids ramen which is perfect for the junior diners with you. Another favorite on our table was the curry snow chicken which got rave reviews ! We ordered extra of the rice with chicken drippings. Please note you can ask to make your food halal. Don't miss dining Here !

The ambiance is more suited to fast casual-dining. The menu items were very interesting and the…read moreservice was very kind. Personally not to my taste. I found the food to be a little bland overall and the rice and chicken to both be dry. However people really hype it up, so who am I to say

Came for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! The lamb belly was my favorite. baba ghannouj, rosti…read moreand grandmas toast were also really good and they gave a ton of pita. It also wasn't too crowded on a Saturday

I've been to illi MULTIPLE times and I always enjoy myself!…read more The decor inside is beautiful, and the food is yummy too! Majority of the menu includes platas (small plates), so my friend and I just ordered a few plates of different things to share amongst us and it was really nice to try the various meals that way. We got: - hummus with jalapeños and crab falafel (and pita) - octopus - Brussels sprouts - Cod - Lamb filled grape leaves We had a nice time, and illi is one of those restaurants that I keep in rotation if I want a nice dinner out by the Warf.

Lapis is a restaurant I'll think about for a long time. While visiting DC, I knew this was a…read morewell-renowned, must-try restaurant. Not sure how difficult it is to attain a reservation, but my friend made one for 3 the day prior to our dinner on a Sunday evening in one of DC's busiest weekends (America's 250th birthday, UFC at the White House, etc.) We were sat outside on the patio. No one in my party had had Afghani food before, but we were all open-minded and adventurous! Together, we shared all of these dishes: STARTERS starters tasting flight: one of each starter - 24 *bolani: afghan flatbread (choose two fillings) pumpkin (v), beef, onion potato *sambosa trio: a crispy phyllo pastry trio of spinach (v, vg), shrimp & beef - 12 *shamee kebab: small patty of minced beef with potatoes, yellow split peas, eggs, spices, served with cucumber mint yogurt, pickled onions & house-cut fries - 15 (gf) *shore-nakhot: chickpea, potato salad in vinegar, garlic & cilantro (cold) - 7 (v, vg, gt) *pakowra: gram batter cauliflower, spinach & potato- 14 (v, vg) AFGHAN DUMPLINGS *mantoo beef: dumplings with ground beef, topped with a yellow split peas & carrots tomato sauce finished with strained garlic yogurt - 4 pcs --16 / 6 pcs - 22 SIGNATURE DISHES gabuli palow: rice pilaf, boneless braised lamb, carrots, & raisins - 35 (gf) veggie - 22 (v) FROM THE GRILL lamb shank: bone-in braised lamb, herbed tomato sauce, basmati rice -- 38 (gf) My favorite dish overall was the gabuli palow. There was something so novel about the sweetness of the carrots paired with raisins in the soft rice and decadent lamb. Just amazing. Overall, Lapis is a culinary adventure with attentive service, chic ambience, and masterfully crafted foods -- worth every penny.

While I love a family owned business, Lapis was underwhelming for me…read more Start with the good: Doogh Punch: 5/5 best mezcal drink! Smooth, well balanced. Atmosphere: relaxed, warm! Love the photos on the walls giving that family vibe. Candle lit as the sun went down. Nice vibe. Meh: Shrimp dumplings: 3/5 shrimp in a dumpling. No flavors stood out even with the sauce. Beet salad: 3.5/5 this was an arugula salad with maybe half a beet cut up on top. The description of ingredients were flakes of toppings. I had to request more beets as there were few. I could have had more nuts and cheese, but I just wasn't in the mood to really complain. Chopawn: 3/5 lamb chops, tender but lacking flavor. "Picked" salad on top, not pickled. Just cut up onions and peppers with sumac. Buranee Kadoo: 3/5 also ok. The garlic sour cream sauce needed more tang.

Couldn't make up my mind, so I tried the Not Your Mama's Eggplant, Crazy Fish, and Smash Cucumber…read moreSalad. Everything was delicious and came out quickly. I should've taken pictures, but it looked so good that I dove right in.

We dropped by after my wife was in the mood for ramen. I am glad we did. We arrived at 6:00 pm…read moreon a Tuesday before it got crowded. Most of the tables were taken but we were seated right away. We ordered the Edamame and House Smashed Cucumber. The Cucumber had the right amount of tanginess. The Cheng Du Spicy Wonton stood out. The spicy sauce that they came in was an excellent accompaniment. We finished off with the Reren Signature Ramen. It really hit the spot. The ambience is very casual. We were tourists but it seemed a lot of locals were eating there too. We would definitely come again.

Went in not expecting much, left feeling full and happy. Food quality was great and service was…read morequick. Fun place.

Yum! We were looking for a fast casual yet still…read moreinteresting dinner after a long day exploring the city. Rasa's veggie filled menu with Indian flavors was perfect for us. The build your own bowls were packed with flavors like saag, tikka, chickpeas and more. In my usual style, I opted for just about every veggie topping they offered (loved the crispy lentils!). The space is bright and well decorated. My only complaint was that the space needed cleaned (tables, drink area, etc) and there was a staff member eating chips behind the counter with his fingers that threw me off a bit. Easy fixes. So, so good overall- loved building my own bowl and the kids loved it all as well. We also purchased the Indian yogurt side and a mango lassi for the road!

Fresh and delicious guacamole, a sweet horchata, and great tacos. The service was very nice, and…read morethe restaurant had a great atmosphere. Be sure to check out this restaurant.

My biggest mistake was that I mistakenly ordered two fish tacos when I wanted to try a bean taco. I…read moreneed to go back!! These tacos were surprisingly very good! The tortilla was slightly crisp, but still soft and the fish was nicely fried. I say surprisingly because I think the location is rather random and unassuming. I would have never guessed that these good tacos were hiding in downtown DC. The staff is fantastic, especially Samantha! She leads the staff in being My biggest mistake was that I mistakenly ordered two fish tacos when I wanted to try a bean taco. These tacos were surprisingly very good! The tortilla was slightly crisp, but still soft and the fish was nicely fried. I say surprisingly because I think the location is rather random and unassuming. I would have never guessed that these good tacos were hiding in downtown DC. The staff is fantastic, especially Samantha! She leads the staff in being energetic, kind, and helpful. I get the sense that people enjoy working there and have a good time. That speaks volumes about the leadership! , kind, and helpful. I get the sense that people enjoy working there and have a good time. That speaks volumes about the leadership!