Genuinely beautiful. The food was amazing. Service was attentive and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed…read morethis. Star of the show was definitely the lamb tagine. However, the halloumi and scallop were impeccable as well I will be back for Many more visits as my wallet allows.

Went to Maydan in DC and had such a lovely time. The ambiance is amazing -- such a fun, warm,…read morebeautiful place, and our server, Haley, was so wonderful and attentive. We always had pita, they were quick to check in on us, and overall the service was great! Food-wise, there were some HUGE standouts. The red pepper walnut dip is a MUST. It's a little sweet, a little tangy, and super flavorful overall. The hummus was also delicious, with a sorta woodsy, smoky depth of flavor. The oyster mushrooms, though, were an absolute standout. SO much umami, really well seasoned, and perfectly cooked -- they genuinely tasted like steak. Amazing, amazing dish. The vegetables were also really well done overall. The fire-roasted asparagus was great, and the sweet potato was perfect. The cauliflower was also amazing, although we ordered so much food that we weren't able to finish everything and had to take some home. If you're choosing vegetables, do the sweet potato and the mushrooms, hands down. The carrot havuc was yummy as well, more mild and yogurt-y, and the pickled veggies were really interesting. I had never had a pickled tomato before! The pomegranate mocktail was also delicious. Gingery, well balanced, and very refreshing. HIGHLY recommend. There were a couple dishes that fell a little short for me. The halloumi comes out VERY hot, so be careful lol, but it was veryyy sesame-forward and ultimately wasn't my favorite. It was good, just not something I'd necessarily reorder. The saffron couscous was also not a huge hit around the table. It wasn't bad, just a little too sweet with the raisins and not 100% there for me. My mom liked it more than I did! Overall, you can tell everyone at Maydan believes in the food and really cares about the experience. We were celebrating my brother's birthday, and Haley even brought out a little champagne toast :,). I will absolutely be back!

We really liked this place. We shared a sampler which included humus, babaganoush and other dips…read more It came with pita bread. Excellent preparation and the service was amazing

this had to be one of my most disappointing meals in DC all year. and its a shame b/c i love to…read moreuplift Palestinian cuisine and celebrate the culture (and the cause), but i think a love for the cause has given this place such loving reviews. the disappointment began before we even ordered, i was excited to eat here for the Kafta bel Tahina and was told they dont serve it anymore. ok fine. how about Kousa Mashi. nope out of that at 6pm on a sunday, ok ok... the grilled fish, they didnt have it today.. fine fine, we can pivot.. I used to live in Gaza and love damsat addas (another item that rarely makes its way to levantine menus stateside).. we ended up ordering the ghmous sampler so that all the major mezze (hummus, labne, baba ghanoush, and damsat addas) would all be available to us. Let's just say, i was so disappointed i ended up making damsat addas myself the next day just to fix the bad taste left in my mouth from the one i had there. in a word, everything we had from the Palestinian side of the menu was underwhelming (including the muskkhan i had been so excited for and then deeply disappointed when something looking like a small hot pocket arrived). the only bright spot: toum, that was great.

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!

I went with a friend to try the restaurant week lunch menu…read more The good: I loved the flavor of the shrimp for the third course, the scallops (non restaurant week dish) , the falafel, and the garlic sauce from the chicken dish of the third course. The restaurant is pretty and spacious. The bad: Most of the dishes unfortunately were pretty bland. The chilli oil did nothing for the hummus, the chicken with orzo (?) lacked salt, and the cake was extremely small with little flavor as well. Regarding service: they were kind, but it was a long while before we received bread and had to flag someone down. The lack of flavors and minuscule portions are what prevents me from returning

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.

The place does not disappoint, I would fix that citrus shrimp thou. The staff is really welcoming…read moreand the wait isn't that long for food and drinks. The night time really opens up ... Reggae on the Roof is something to experience on a Sunday

Yalla to Yalla!…read more This place is immaculate! We walked in right when it opened since it opens around 5pm. We were the first people there and honestly felt like we were treated like royalty! We got to decide where we wanted to sit since there was about 7 of us! I didn't think my party was hungry, but the second we saw the menu our mouths began to drool. We ordered - Fries: 5/5 - honestly, you can never go wrong with fries, but these were hot, crispy and seasoned well! Hummus: 4/5 - nothing to rave about here, just your typical hummus Falafel: 3.5/5 - I've definitely had better falafels Halloumi: 10/5 - this was the best item on the menu! So good, we ordered a second plate! It was seasoned and cooked to perfection! They didn't have our usual flavors for hookah so we ended up with Double Apple and Watermelon mint. Not my favorite flavors, but this was probably the smoothest hookah I've ever had in the DMV! I was genuinely so shocked! Besides all the above, the place is super aesthetic and fun cute post brunch vibes. I'll definitely be making myself back here for the halloumi and smooth hookah!!

I attended a Yelp Elite event here and honestly everything was a 10. The space is beautiful inside…read more Clean lines, modern decor, great lighting, and just a really polished vibe. It feels upscale without feeling stuffy, which I loved. The service was just as good as the space. Everyone was attentive, friendly, and made sure we were taken care of the entire night. Now the food... We started with the Fehleq and it was delicious. Then came the Batata Hara, which was technically for my cousin because I do NOT like white potatoes but that harissa and toum had me reaching back over to their side of the table. The Brussels sprouts were another win, but the Za'atar pide was absolutely my favorite. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself and probably should have ordered another one. And because apparently we were not done eating, we moved on to the regular menu and ordered the tuna tartare. So good. Fresh, flavorful, and definitely not your basic tuna tartare. The drinks were great too. Everything felt well balanced, creative, and matched the food perfectly. By the end of the night, I was already looking at the menu trying to figure out what I am ordering when I come back. And yes, I am definitely coming back. Great food, great drinks, beautiful space, amazing service. Ala understood the assignment. Thank you Yelp DC and Ala for such a fun night!

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.

Food was amazing. The people were so friendly and helpful. I will definitely return! Some outdoor…read moreseating as the weather gets warmer is an added bonus.

It's been in the neighborhood a while now and I finally had an opportunity to give it a try. Must…read moresay I was underwhelmed. I'll say the nice thing first, though, which is that they have a nice water dispenser with little cups between the register (where you order) and the food display (where you pick out your fixings and receive your order). So you can have a sip of water while you're waiting the two or three minutes it takes to get your food. I had the "schnitzel," which turned out to be just chunks of breaded/fried chicken breast. Real schnitzel (which this is NOT) is flattened and tenderized by pounding it thin and flat. These were just big, tough chunks, which of course have to be a little overcooked to be cooked through to the center. So that was, to this schnitzel devotee, a disappointment. I guess if you know you're just getting chicken "tenders," it might seem better. The laffa flatbread it was wrapped in had a leathery texture that I did not enjoy, and did not finish. The various fixings I tried--vegetable salads and dips--were good, though. So it was not a complete fail. But for the price there are a lot of places--even some on the very same block--that make a far better meal, and offer a real dining experience to boot. For the full experience, I ate in. And really, the place is a dump. The tabletop was sticky; I had to put down napkins to keep my elbows clean. The sound of a fan dominated the space. They don't seem to have changed the furniture since the Astor days (the service counter is the same, too), though it seems dirtier and more dilapidated and less decorated than it was then. The self-busing stand sort of makes the point that it's really not trying to be more than a takeout joint. At this price point, I expect more. It really made me miss Astor.

Green Zone has become one of my go-to spots in Adams Morgan, especially when the weather is nice…read more Do I wish they opened before 5 p.m. on weekdays, particularly on a beautiful Friday afternoon? Absolutely. Do they have to rearrange their business hours around my personal desires? Apparently not. The mint lemonade is phenomenal and honestly one of the main reasons I keep coming back. After one particularly terrible day at work, I decided to conduct what I can only describe as a tour of the mint lemonade: vodka, gin, and rum. All three were delicious, but fortunately, or unfortunately, vodka still wins. I'm a vodka girl, so perhaps the competition was rigged from the beginning. I don't drink tequila, so that contestant remains untested. Food-wise, I love the labneh with garlic and cucumbers, and the za'atar fries are SO good. It's the perfect combination of snacks and drinks when I want to settle in for a bit. And the service has consistently been phenomenal every time I've been here. Great drinks, great food, wonderful people, and an all-around easy neighborhood spot that I'm very happy to have nearby. Now, about that Friday afternoon opening time...

- great vibe, live music / dj - DELICIOUS mint lemonade…read more10/10! - loved the art put up - hard to get ahold of waiter for drink since people stay sat at the bar and block - drinks made quickly after ordering

This is the best Afghan/Middle Eastern fast food restaurant in Washington, DC. The restaurant is…read morevery clean, respectful, and welcoming. The staff are incredibly kind and friendly, and the food is absolutely delicious and mind-blowing. If you're looking for a great place to enjoy a meal with family or friends, you must visit this restaurant. Highly recommended!

This spot was a pleasant surprise. Most late-night spots are loud and overcrowded, but this one had…read moreplenty of space and a relaxed vibe. The staff were amazing and made the experience even better. I had the gyro and fries, and both were outstanding. The fries had a seasoned coating that made them next level, and the gyro was packed with flavor. For a meal at 2 a.m., it exceeded all expectations. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in DC.

Meze Restaurant was a pleasant surprise. I went during off hours, so it was pretty quiet, but the…read morefood was better than I expected. I had the chicken sis kebab, and it was really good. The service was also good, and overall it ended up being a nice experience.

We stopped in here in May while in town for a conference and we enjoyed our visit. We had a late…read morelunch that day, so just wanted a small nosh and a drink and this was perfect. The mojitos were flavorful and tasty and we really enjoyed our katmar dessert (a phyllo pastry filled dessert with pistachios, cream, and honey). I also had some raki, which was delicious and was a nice way to end the meal. Service was pretty good and we'd recommend stopping in here if you're in the area.