Went to this restaurant because I was interested in their manti (dumplings) and Tabbouleh salad. So…read moreI made a reservation for lunch, but these items were not on the lunch menu -- note that on their website there was only main menu and weekend brunch menu. Luckily, the manager asked the kitchen to do a special order for me, so I was able to try both of them! Moreover, when he learned that I wanted to make the manti, he even carefully explained to me how it was cooked! Thanks a lot!!! The Yara's Manti was basically small, boat shaped, half-covered dumplings baked in oil, then topped with yogurt and pine nuts. This is completely different from how Turkish or Afghan manti is made, thus having a different flavor as well. The baking procedure gave some crispiness to the dumplings, while the oil helped them to maintain sufficient moisture. These dumplings went well with the yogurt; I also tried sprinkling some sumac on them and it was great. However, the yogurt tend to get mixed with the oil when you move the dumplings. it would be better if they serve the dumplings (and toppings) in a separate, heated container. Yara's Tabbouleh is a creative twist to the traditional Tabbouleh. Besides the usual ingredients, there were diced beets and pomegranate arils. Both added some refreshing sweetness to the salad, and the beets also some hint of earthiness. The freshly baked pita was also delicious. Each piece weighed ~55-65g and was topped with sumac. Paired well with the other two dishes. The restaurant had a beautiful decor. At lunchtime there were not many people so it was relatively quiet. I will go there again the next time I visit DC! And I want to thank the resturant again for offering me the opportunity to try these dishes!

Villa Yara is my family's go to spot when we visit DC. It genuinely never disappoints!! Every…read moresingle thing from the fattoush to the dips to the lam chops is absolutely incredible. The service is lovely and food comes out quickly. I love that everything is made freshly in the restaurant. As someone that is Middle Eastern, this place is incredible and authentic

The place was bustling on a Saturday afternoon. I stopped by for a falafel sandwich, falafel bowl,…read moreand fries...and I was blown away. Here's why: - Quality: every item was fresh, and the falafel was not dry! I usually don't opt for falafel bc of how dry it is, but this one really wasn't! It was filling but moist and delicious. Also, the veggies and sauces paired well to give it flavor and texture. Again, usually not a fan of falafel, but I was this time. - Service: Food was pretty quick and the staff were really kind considering how busy the shop was. It took about 10 minutes to get the food. - Ambiance: This is a grab and go place. They have some high tables to quickly scarf down your meal or package your to go bag, but I suggest walking around Georgetown area to eat your food elsewhere. I will absolutely visit again and bring vegetarian friends. Such a bang for your buck!

I arrived just before closing, and the owner was gracious enough to accommodate me, which I…read moreappreciated. I feel bad writing this but I believe Writing Authentic and honest review may inspire the owner to level up his food . That said, the food quality did not meet expectations. The falafel was overly firm and dry. The Greek salad lacked freshness--the lettuce appeared past its prime, and the tomatoes were soft and aging. Overall, it felt like a basic tossed salad with feta rather than a well-composed dish. The hummus had a smooth texture, but the flavor suggested a blended oil rather than a clean extra virgin olive oil profile. The pita was the strongest element of the meal--fresh and well prepared. Additionally, the use of styrofoam containers detracted from the overall experience. In summary, while the service at closing was considerate, the food did not reflect what I would consider high-quality or authentic Greek cuisine. .

We were looking for a place to eat for a quick late night bite in Georgetown and I found Muncheez…read moreon Yelp. We walked in and they have ordering kiosks at the front to punch in your order. There's also a register around the counter, if you want to order in-person. The space was tight, but this is Georgetown and the restaurant is in a rowhouse (Note: you do have to climb a few stairs to get in). They have a self-serve water station and a designated crepe station for their workers in a nook by the front. There's narrow counter seating and some extra seating in the back of the restaurant. I'm always on the hunt for some good falafel, so I ordered the Falafel Sandwich ($10.50). They call it a sandwich but it's more of a wrap. It wasn't busy when we arrived after 10pm on a weeknight. Food was made in less than 10 minutes, but service was a bit taciturn. We ordered two sandwiches: the falafel ($10.50) and beef shawarma ($12.75). I do wish they labeled the items so that we could have easily identified whose was whose. A sticker, a marking, or any kind of indication would've been helpful so that we weren't stuck playing wrap roulette. The falafel was made to order (four pieces). The sandwiches were served nice and hot. I enjoyed the falafel, but the whole sandwich ate dry. You definitely need to get some sauce to top it off with. This was my first time trying Muncheez, so I didn't order any sauces because I didn't know any better. I didn't try the beef shawarma, but just unwrapping it, it was super, off-puttingly greasy. I'll admit that I've been spoiled by Falafel Inc.'s cheap and delicious sandwiches, sauces included. While Muncheez's sandwich is bigger, sturdier, and heartier than Falafel Inc.'s pita sandwich, it is also 2.5x more expensive, and I wouldn't go as far to say 2.5x better. While the menu selection at Muncheez's is more extensive and the late night hours make it convenient to grab a quick bite, Muncheez didn't fully dazzle.

Came for lunch by a friend's recommendation…read more The interior is small and seating limited, but you're greeted once you walk in and the workers are friendly. The menu is largely build-your-own. I ordered a chicken shawarma bowl with the fixings. I thought the price was pretty fair. The bowl was filling and yummy with the diverse flavors from the toppings. If I'm craving shawarma in Georgetown, I'd stop by again.

I really underestimated this place…read more Mainly because I never heard anyone in my immediate circle talk about Green Almond Pantry. I found my way here because of Ramen by UZU. They are located in the same place and Green Almond is located in the back. I had the Focaccia Bread which tasted very fragrant and fresh. No protein, but it's super cheap and tastes amazing. They make everything from scratch. If you want meat then go for the Lamb Kofta. I did not expect these little morsels of grilled meat balls to be so JUICY. I was in shock. It also did not have any gamy after-taste. I was like, "Wow do not underestimate this place!" Give this place a go. Try what I tried. I can guarantee you will enjoy it! :)

Despite the high ratings about this place, I would give this place a 2/5 star rating. Inside this…read morefood hall at the back, you can find this place. I was a little disappointed by their prices as I could find similar items for cheaper at other DC eateries. You order your food then find indoor seating (which wasn't plenty). After waiting 15 minutes, my friend and I got our food. Although I was excited by the idea of eating a chicken salad sandwich, I would not order again for $15. The greens seemed a bit off for my taste and the bread was the only saving grace. My friend was also unimpressed with the food she ordered too. Sad to say, but I would not come back

Very casual place. Toilets pretty clean. ( soap was missing)…read more Food was good, it's good they make their own sauces as a professional way. Beef was soft and lamp wasn't smell! Falafel was as brown as a berry Service was not slow, it was ok. The guy who took our order, was helpful.

Had the chicken kabobs. The majority of the order was grocery store flat bread and factory sides.read more

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.

I have been a long time fan/patron of MeJana b/c of the friendly, welcoming staff, beautiful…read moreambiance, and consistent delicious dishes. I especially appreciate the thoughtful presentation, tableware and glassware. One of my favorite go-tos for lunch is the Chicken Shawarma with salad. Light, healthy and tasty, presented on a board. Now that the weather is pleasant, try dining on the patio like I did today. Enjoy!

9 years later and I am back- I have seen this place very busy on weeknights so I decided, it's time…read moreto go back. They pride themselves as a healthier spot and the food definitely reflected that. We started off with drinks (they only do happy hour at the bar) and got the Mojito and the mediteranean martini. Both were good but the purple mojito was definitely the star of the show. For appetizers we got the "fried" cauliflower and the hot appetizer platter. The cauliflower definitely felt more baked then fried and the portion was quite fair. The hot appetizer platter comes with 2 cheese rolls, 2 falafels, and two kibehs. I will say, for $17, I would love perhaps 3-4 of each item instead of just 2 each. The kibeh were super tasty and so were the cheese rolls, but the falafel were a bit dry. For our mains we got the lamb chops and the steak kabob - both were fantastic. Simple flavors but really well done on both ends, with both cuts of meat cooked to order. I will say, I would love a little bit more side veggies- especially for the $45 dollar lamb chops but I assume they expect you to order more sides like we did. Quick service, Arlington prices, a bit cold inside on a cold day. Will definitely be back to try more!

I had an incredible experience at this hookah spot. The service was top-notch--attentive, friendly,…read moreand welcoming from start to finish. Definitely will be returning. Happy to have this place in the neighborhood.

this place is terrible! i called before coming and no one picked up but it said online its open. i…read morewalked 25min from my hotel to this place and it was closed. i had to wait for someone to come open the shop. then before i ordered i asked what the price was because online its open says $20 before 8pm. the guy insisted on the price being $45 which is super expensive for that place. i negotiated with him and he agreed to $30. then he swore he was the best hookah maker mind you i smoke and im a connoisseur . the hookah was terrible the tobacco was stuck in the heat system, he kept taking forever to bring coals! i couldnt even enjoy it. when it was time to pay he charged me 40$ claiming taxes and service fee. are you kidding me a service fee for that place?? no where in the menu it says they charge a fee! and i paid and he told me to come back again i didnt even respond to him i just left! i feel cheated and i will never go there nor recommend to anyone. i rarely write bad reviews but this place needs to do better or close shop!!

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

The food here is very authentic but not reasonably priced. The service is lacking. It is as though…read morethey are doing you a favor to wait on you.

Delicious and authenic falafel in Adams Morgan. Food service was fast and everything tasted…read moreamazing. Definitely the place to hit if you're having a falafel craving in Adams Morgan. Note they are closed on Saturdays.

I have had Oh Mama Grill in Rockville and glad the DC location opened. We haven't been in person…read morebut ordered delivery and loved the food. It is great to have another location when Max's closed.