A complete vibe! I…read morecame here with a coworker of mine the day before 4th of July for lunch and drinks, and I left full and happy. There is a parking garage around the corner of the restaurant so that makes things very convenient. The inside decor is gorgeous and is chic but also funky fresh. I got grilled octopus over a bed of bean salad that had pieces of pomegranate in it - 10/10. The savory taste of the octopus paired against the sweetness of the salad was really delicious. For desert I got the baklava option that comes with ice cream - INCREDIBLE. You have to order it if you come here.

The food is good with lots of options. I was just there this evening as I need a quick place to…read morework before an event. My Tito's and soda water, with a lime, was nearly $18. I double checked to make sure I was charge for two drinks or a double and it was confirmed the amount was correct. The bill included a $2 mixer, which again was soda water. Mind you this was on Wednesday at 6:45 PM. Just giving everyone a heads up so if you go. I definitely won't be going back.

Gypsy Kitchen was on my must try list for DC. I am so glad we did try it. Loved the ambiance of the…read morerestaurant- we were seated early for our reservation which as a nice surprise and when we asked to sit upstairs outside because the weather was amazing, it was no problem to accommodate. We chose to do tapas and share the dishes. We each ordered 3 items Mussels chorizo cantimpalo, shallots, red peppers, white wine, bread 16 - large portion of mussels - hubby was happy with that Crispy Cauliflower lemon tahini, dried fruit relish, caper berry, pistachio 15 - VERY good - I really enjoyed this dish Kefta Lamb Skewer piquillo tahini, sumac onions, parsley 17 - hubby loves lamb and this was pretty tasty Arroz Caldoso sepia sofrito, shrimp, bomba rice, scallions, lavash chips, lemon oil 16 - this was hands down our collective favorite Baby Octopus cherry peppers, green harissa, fennel, cilantro 22 - hubby loved this one, I though they were a little squishy and kind of weird but that's me and I don't normally eat octopus. Croquetas creamy chorizo fritters, saffron aioli 16 - least favorite, couldn't really identify the chorizo very strongly - it was just a creamy croqueta - just ok. We ended with the labneh pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. It was ok. Not my favorite but pumpkin seeds on top were tasty and crunchy!

Lots to enjoy here…read more Food is excellent and for tapas style the portion sizes lean in the large direction. Prices are very reasonable for DC and the quality. Loved the kefta lamb skewer. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. The piquillo tahini and sumac onions added more flavor punch. The hummus was exceptional. Strong tasty chickpea and garlic flavors balanced by lemon and dill. The pickled turnips presented in a flower shape was a nice touch. Service was excellent. Reservations via Open Table.

Stopped by ala on Friday afternoon, September 11, and discovered their All Day Happy Hour as a nice…read moreway to start the weekend. My cocktail of choice was the Khavyar, which featured gin, Portan cucumber, dill, and lemon. Refreshing, crisp, and a great start to the afternoon. For food, I tried the Hummus + Pita, Za'atar Pide, and Tawook Burger. I sat at the bar, where Isabel was gracious, welcoming, and attentive throughout my visit. There was a nice crowd, pleasant music, and a relaxed energy. I tried the Hummus + Pita, Za'atar Pide, and Tawook Burger. The standout for me was definitely the Za'atar Pide. Made with Palestinian za'atar, creamy feta, and labneh, it was flavorful, savory, creamy, and easily my favorite dish of the afternoon. I would order it again without hesitation. The Hummus + Pita was a great start, and the Tawook Burger with two breaded chicken breasts, cheese, onion, mesclun, tomato, and house-made sauce on brioche was hearty and satisfying. Good food. Pleasant atmosphere. Attentive service. And much love for that Za'atar Pide! I'll be back for it.

Was invited to try Ala through a fellow Yelper and grateful for the introduction because this place…read moredelivered-ish. The all day happy hour menu is the move and we took full advantage. The Batata Hara: fried potatoes with garlic were dangerously good. Overpowering with the garlic but in the absolute best way possible. The Karahab fried brussels sprouts and the Tawook chicken breast burger were both delicious and well executed. The only miss for me personally was the ribeye gyro but that's less about Ala and more about me finally confirming that gyros and I are just not meant to be. The food gets a solid 5 stars. The seating situation however deserves a conversation. Yelpers were directed to either the bar or outside with no other options offered. The weather cooperated and it wasn't a bad experience outdoors but when the hostess specifically stated that Yelpers sit at the bar or outside, that landed differently. The restaurant appeared beautiful from what I could see and assuming the inside was as lovely as it looked, that felt like a quiet form of segregation that the restaurant should probably revisit. Guests are guests regardless of how they found you. Our waiter was attentive and never forgot about us which is always appreciated. Overall a great experience with one note worth addressing. I'd return but hopefully at the main table next time.

I was in Washington D.C. for the weekend and tried this amazing Mediterranean place for lunch. My…read morefriend who recommended this place has been obsessed with the food here and I can totally see why. We ordered mushroom kapnista, Halloumi pide, zaatar pide, htipiti and everything was so delicious. I'm not sure if I enjoyed the combination of dates and mushrooms together but really loved the smoky mushroom by itself. I was also very impressed with the Zaatar pide, it was cheesy and delicious. For desert we ordered greek yogurt with apricot and it was probably the best thing we tried here. The ambience is classy and they have ample of seating space. The overall meal didn't cost us as much as I thought it was, the prices were fairly reasonable!

Not Michelin Star but Zaytinya has The Bib Gourmand distinction which means the restaurant is…read morerecognized by inspectors for offering fantastic food at a reasonable price point. I'm getting better at this! LOL Service was great from the moment we walked in. The ambiance at Zaytinya is exactly what you want from a José Andrés restaurant: light‑filled, contemporary, and buzzing with life. High ceilings, blue‑and‑white tones, and a chic Mediterranean aesthetic make it feel like a getaway in the middle of D.C. It's vibrant, social, and perfect for lingering over mezze crafted under Chef José Andrés' vision. I met another Yelp foodie here so that was a real treat! I love my Yelpies! Let's get into it with one sentence.... Come try this place out! It's taken me months to post this because this girl eats out way too much. For my fellow Yelpers if you haven't already tried, you're missing out! Thank me later! Cheers!

Came here recently for a gf's birthday recently Saturday night--restaurant has a chic fancy vibe,…read moreloved it! French/Mediterranean style, the food was pretty good and service was great--our server Julio was helpful recommending us dishes to try and was attentive all night. Escargots was a great start, wasn't a huge fan of the Mini Tartelettes Crab & Caviar overall taste. For entrees, would recommend Loup de Mer au Fenouil (whole branzino) and La Paella de Cassoulet (confit duck leg)--both wonderful dishes, flavorful and huge portions, but note, it's more on the salty side so if you're a savory person like myself, it was delicious! For cocktails, we enjoyed the Nina Rose & Dirty Vodka Martini. The bartender also made really good White Tea shots too! Birthday girl got a complimentary birthday balloon cake with a candle which was sweet. Later in the night, they have a live DJ playing music so it gets popping here!

Well... buckle up. This one's loaded…read more We had a Saturday summer restaurant week 7:30pm reservation for 4 of us, and it was 2 of our birthdays. Upon being seated in a gorgeous booth- we realized we couldn't hear each other as a bday party of 12 people were set up in the center of the restaurant... and they were LOUD... it was so unpleasant I had to ask for a manager. Come to learn - multiple other tables had complained as well.... They offered us another table but it was not conducive for an intimate feeling... so we risked staying hoping they'd wrap it up. The manager was lovely and poured us 4 glasses of prosecco as an apology. The food is spectacular- lots of incredible seafood options included in the 3 course $65 RW menu and not one smell of fishy-ness. The sauces and execution are truly delicious- I've lived in the Mediterranean and in France and this is the real deal. Tons of gluten free dairy options which is so amazing. Service was nice and pleasant - not mind blowing. The manager also comped an additional incredible desert and I appreciated that. By the time we got our check at 9:45, another table of 10 was seated at the center of restaurant... and the noise level started to ratchet up. I looked at our check and realized the extra desert that was comped was actually charged to us ... and it was a $22 desert... obviously asked for a refund which they obliged. The establishment is a year old and I think it's having a small identity crisis still - it's stunning inside with an elegant feel and some people dressed in an impeccably classy manner ... and others ... dressed as though they're headed to the club or a pop concert... by no means should a restaurant with such elevated dining where apps are $20 plus and entrees $40 plus feel like you're having to yell at your dinner companions at 7:30pm. Perhaps they need two seatings & advertise that from 9:30pm onwards large parties and noise levels will exponentially increase .. We may still go back since it meets a lot of our dietary needs with upscale flavors- but I hope they figure out with the ambiance !

I love CAVA!!! This…read morelocation can be super busy depending when you come. I order online and pick up for faster service. Customer service always nice , food is great. Reasonably priced. I just wish they give you a bigger serving. Chipotle I get more but hey that's jus me being picky lol

Very nice atmosphere and the staff here were top notch. It was recommended that this location is…read morebetter than others. The food is prepared directly in front of you where all can see similar to Chipotle. The fried pita chips are worth it. *** Be aware adding extra meat on your order is $7.

Went here with my husband for our anniversary, and had a gift card. We chose outdoor seating…read morewithout seeing it, I had previously seen pictures of the inside and assumed the outdoor vibes would be just as fun and vibey. I was very wrong. It was literally in the alley, and was giving Covid setup. Definitely would not recommend the outdoor area to anyone. There was no music, the decor was fine but again, looked very subpar and you could tell everyone else that arrived and sat outside after us had the same thoughts. Now to the food. I will say all of it was good, but for the price? I could find another Middle Eastern adjacent restaurant in DC for less money. It was a little outrageous in my opinion. We did choose the tawle experience. The dips with good, and came with endless flatbread. But it was interesting how some of the portions were huge and then others felt like they were skimping. We got huge portions of pickled vegetables and a giant salad, but then when it came to the shrimp kabobs we ordered, we got 5 pieces of shrimp. I will say the steak portion we chose we large, but then again for dessert, it was just a half mason jar size of a chocolate mousse to split...It was just interesting. Several of the staff knew it was our anniversary and they could've given maybe an additional dessert or a glass of champagne but nothing. Again for a restaurant of this caliber, you would just expect more. I say all of this to say, we did have a gift card that covered most of our $300+ meal. But if I were going without that, I would've been even more disappointed. I know people have raved about this place for years, but the original chefs have changed, and I'm understanding more why they've lost their Michelin star. It was good/fine but was far from exceptional.

Came here for a date night and it was INCREDIBLE!…read more The aesthetic in here is gorgeous and so dim and moody, very nice for a cozy dinner. My fiancé and I got the Tawle dinner option which incorporates multiple dishes to be shared. We enjoyed it thoroughly but we had a lot of food boxed because we couldn't finish it all lols I think we would've been better off with à la carte - I do think the Tawle works best with a group of people (minimum 3/4) just because the number of dishes, but nonetheless 10/10 experience. With regards to parking, the closest garage is like ~8 min walking distance so I mean it's not bad.

My daughter, son-in-law, and I celebrated my retirement (46 years of Corporate America) at Iron…read moreGate and couldn't have picked a better place!! The historical ambiance is quintessential D.C., every bite of the 4 course "Family Table" dinner out of this world, and Annie's service impeccable! I highly recommend this restaurant and encourage you to ask to be seated in Annie's service area. She was knowledgeable, on top of every need, and just a joy to interact with. We plan on returning!

I've come to Iron Gate for several business lunches, a solo meal, and have hosted a private party…read morehere. I consistently find the food to be great, and the atmosphere is charming, while the service can be hit or miss. It's easy to miss walking down the street, and then you enter through essentially a hallway that doubles as a long slim bar. Through that hallway you'll exit into a courtyard that feels warm - literally and figuratively - year round. There is an indoor converted carriage house to dine as well. It's a surprising setting given the more corporate feeling surroundings. A Mediterranean inspired menu rotates seasonally and they have a great wine and cocktail list. When I held a private event here they were easy to work with and very accommodating to make the evening special. When I've dined with a group or by myself I have sometimes found service to be slow and it hard to get waiters attention.

Came for lunch today with a couple of friends. I ordered the Seasonal Chili Crisp Roasted Squash…read moreBowl, which was very good and very filling. The bowl came with a tasty pita. Also ordered a container of Pumpkin Spicy Hummus, which was good. The Hibiscus Lemonade was flavorful and refreshing. There's not a lot of seating in the restaurant, but we were able to grab two small tables in the corner and sit for about an hour. The restaurant is very well lit and comfortable. The Staff were helpful and friendly.

So much yum! We came in just for the ice cream - so this review is just about the soft serve. It's…read morethe perfect little sweet treat for a warm day. They have indoor seating and a cute little outdoor seating area as well. For soft serve, at the time we visited, they had vanilla tahini, cinnamon apple, or swirl. They have a few mixins. We each got a different one. The cookie seemed to be a favorite. The halva dust tasted good but the texture may not be popular for a lot of people. The service was great, very friendly and extremely fast given the lunch rush. I really enjoy their store bought dips and I can't wait to come back in and try other menu items!