Came here with friends to try the Yemeni food since I've never had Yemeni food before... and I was simply amazed at how good the food here is to the point where I've been questioning how I've never eaten this sort of cuisine before in my entire life. It was pretty empty on a Saturday surprisingly, but seems like most people tend to order to go. Our table got to share shafout, lamb hummus, foul, and salteh + fahsa along with bread that was given to us for mostly the hummus and the dips (foul and salteh + fahsa). We got multiple pieces of bread for free too. Everything was great: the lamb hummus was good, traditional hummus, the foul had a nice flavour that came with some spicy sauce we could add in (I could tell it was spicy, similar to Japanese wasabi) and the dish itself reminded me of a sort of chili, and the salteh + fahsa was delicious with the spices, lamb flavour, and veggies that were in it. Bread is definitely necessary with these dips so get ready to use your hands. My favourite was the shafout; it tasted minty and milky at the same time along with the spices and fresh scent it had. It was tangy but also had a nice level of saltiness and sweetness to it. It was very distinctive and noteworthy so it's burned into my memory forever. I individually got the lamb mandi. The lamb was good, although a little dry and could have used more salt. Fried onions were also a great part of the dish - adding crunch and a good saltiness to the rice. The rice was tasty too, but it was a TON surprisingly, so I brought the food home - it can definitely be two meals instead of one. The portions are definitely generous for the mandi. I would recommend this place if you've never had Yemeni food before or looking for good Yemeni food! It's a little far from me, but I would come back or order delivery since it's so delicious. It's a bit on the pricier side but I think it's worth it. The staff are very nice and willing to teach you what the dishes are. They were pretty quick with serving us and refilling waters too. Parking is pretty okay too since it's in a strip mall area. There were some small bugs here and there flying around us but I don't care about bugs so it didn't negatively impact me. read more

Marib Restaurant - Lamb Mandi - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

I had never had Yemeni cuisine before, but I was very happy with the quality and friendliness of the restaurant. (B).

Our family recently celebrated a special family occasion at home with amazing food provided by Marib. As long-time lovers of Middle Eastern food and having just read in Washingtonian Magazine about this gem in Springfield, we were anxious to try it out. The owner Mr. Khan was very gracious in responding to questions and making recommendations, and we ended up with a delicious spread of chicken, lamb, and vegetable main dishes (all different, each delicious, with the meats mouthwateringly tender). We also had a lovely spread of appetizers (the shafout was everyone's favorite), salads (excellent!), and fresh bread. The portions were generous, and we enjoyed leftovers the next day. We enjoyed our first experience with this restaurant and look forward to going in person soon. read more

My first time trying Yemeni food was at Marib, and let's say it got me hooked! Some of my favorite dishes there are the safha and the lamb haneeth! Also their bread is baked fresh and is so delicious! It complements the food very well. If you're craving authentic Yemeni food in NOVA, this place will not disappoint. read more

Marib Restaurant - Fahsa (lamb stew), Lamb Haneeth, and Chicken Mandi - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

I didn't want to leave a subpar review, but my meal at Marib was really disappointing. My bf & I tried Yemeni food in Fairfax, loved it, and were excited to try this place... I ordered the chicken kebab dish, which was recommended to me by the waitress. The chicken is a large bone-in piece that came with okra & fried onions mixed into the rice. Unfortunately, I found the dish to be underwhelming & flavorless. I was also curious and ordered the shafout. It is interesting! It's not as light as I imagined and a little iheavy. It is a little thicker than a soup and reminds me of eating a sauce. This is definitely an appetizer to share with a few people. I'm glad I tried it out. The Yemeni tea was comforting and quite good. When we got our bill, we noticed that the price was off- the chicken saltah was $3 more than what is listed on the menu. So this on top of our lackluster meal made it really disappointing & pricey experience overall. read more

My friends were raving about this restaurant and I had to try it myself. It's buried in the middle of the shopping center. You can miss it easily. I am SUPER glad I came to this restaurant. Every single dish I tried was full of deliciousness. We had Hummus, Sambousick, Zahawiq with cheese, Saltah, Fasolia and Lamb Haneeth. On top of that, even the bread was irresistibly delicious. Zahawiq is unique but it's just a different combination of ingredients. I wanted to recreate Fasolia at home and looked up its recipe but I could only find soup like dish. Marib's Fasolia is relatively dry but no mushy. Very unique recipe. Oh and their tea is out of this world! I can see myself coming back here often now. read more

Stopped in while passing through the area. Will definitely be back. Best lamb ever! The Yemeni tea was also delicious. read more

Marib Restaurant - Lamb Haneeth and Shafout - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Have been wanting to try this spot for a while. Walked in and were waved over to a table with a very noticeably dirty tablecloth. When the waiter/host (was the only one working on the floor), he said, "Oh, that's dirty." Then directed us to a second table. That was dirty, too. Third time was the charm. We ordered without any recommendations (which was fine with me), and our appetizers came out quickly. No water was served. Apps were good, interesting. Main courses came out quickly. Lamb Haneeth, Saltah, and Chicken Mandi. The lamb and chicken dishes were quite similar and didn't have any sauce. They were moist, but I expected more flavorful dishes. Nothing was very spicy or exotic. Really, all of the dishes just tasted like comfort food, but not unlike something I could cook at home. I really didn't like that water was not offered. When I asked for water, we were brought bottles and weren't told how much they would cost. Still don't know. If you are hoping for something akin to Pakistani, Ethiopian, Afghani, etc. this might be less flavor than you were expecting. read more

We ordered carryout during COVID. The bread is amazing. Most cuisine has a traditional type of bread, and this one is soooo tasty. We ordered saltah, shafout, tandoori shrimp, bin as-sahn, and fasolia. We really liked the saltah and fasolia. The shafout was not at all what we expected, but we aren't regretting the decision to try it. :) We ordered to serve everything family-style and we ended up with enough leftovers for an entire second meal - so, a good deal price wise too. read more

Delicious and flavorful! Excellent customer service. Clean restaurant and good portion sizes.

My wife stumbled upon this restaurant on our way home from Florida. It was conveniently located a short walk from our hotel. First off the staff went above and beyond to explain every dish to us as we've never experienced middle eastern food. Every dish we experienced was full of flavor and unique to our palate. It was so enjoyable that we could hardly stop eating. The owner made it a point to bring over a soup we hadn't tried as he was quite proud of. We were not disappointed with it's taste. This was a buffet offered during Ramadan and we had the opportunity to engage with Muslims during the meal. Everything about this restaurant was wonderful and we plan to surely visit again when we come through the area. read more

Terrible customer service , slow .. we sat from 11:30 till the guy came ask for order at 12, no water or plate served till we asked for it . then someone else come back at 12:15 saying the breakfast after 12 ... While what we ordered is what we eat there before by 4pm .. We going up sabaa now . A Better choice for sure . read more

I used to come to this area a lot but never knew there was a Yemeni restaurant until recently. Curious as to what the cuisine was like, I just had to check it out. Because I was unfamiliar, I didn't know what to expect. I assumed it'd be like similar Arabic cuisines. We started out with the shafout and lamb liver hummus. The shafout was very good and even though it had bread in it, I also dipped the bread that came with the hummus in it. I'm not the biggest fan of liver but this liver didn't taste very liver-y which I was happy about. The hummus was smooth too. I ordered the lamb haneeth and boy was it juicy and tender. It came right of the bone with ease and was packed with flavor. The portion is quite large, considering they give a lot of rice. I actually combined it with some of the shafout too. For dessert, we got the kanafeh and ma'soob. The kanefeh was not the best I've had but the ma'soob I really enjoyed. It was like a banana bread pudding. I would order than again. This place was a pleasant surprise and I wish I had known about it before. But now I'll have to come again to check out their other yummy-sounding dishes! read more

I'd never had Yemeni food before but I will definitely be having it again. The food was excellent. We got motabak beef and it was crisp and herby and delicious. We also got lamp fahsa and salta which was so savory and delicious and was served with a big warm pita. For dessert we had Bint As-Sahn, which was simple compared to the other stuff but not bad. The prices were good but I would caution you not to go if you're in a hurry because service was a little slow. We came in a little early and I suspect they get a little busier as the evening progresses, but they had a video of an oud player for music and ambiance which was nice. read more

Everything was yummy. Its a nice and clean restaurant. I really love their lamp soup. read more

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Such a great place. We had some wonderful traditional Yemeni meal. Anything lamb is a must. I'm not a super fan of lamb as it normally has a after taste, but not here. Soo good, soo tender. We got the lamb haneeth. The rice!!! The rice is cooked in broth and is super flavorful. I'm Pakistani na see have something called plao (probably spelled wrong lol, but it's broth based rice) this is similar but done it's is own way. Sooo good. Must have. The falsa and salta was yummy also. We got that with lamb also. I would try something different next time. Not because we didn't like it, but they had so many other items that sounded yummy also. Again, to reiterate, falsa and salta was very good and def get. I personally would next time try some of the other options. Had the shai adeni (tea with milk) yummmmmm and the bread dessert was yummy also. That I feel was a little pricey for what it was but it's made super fresh. Dip it into the shai lol. Server was super helpful and pleasant. Great lunch. read more

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This place deserves all the accolades it's earned! Located in the strip mall of an unsuspecting neighborhood, don't let the surroundings deter you from trying this place. As a Colombian-American I frequent Aroma Cafe, just a couple doors down, often. I love middle eastern food and this Place has excellent ratings so I tried my luck here exactly a year ago. Then, I ordered the Saltah that came with bread and absolutely loved it. The Saltah was packed with fresh vegetables and wonderfully seasoned in a thick broth. I fell in love with the place. I've always wanted to come back. Today we finally did! I came with my mother and ate indoors this time. The service was friendly and quick. We ordered a cup of lentil soup (not pictured) that was served with a lime. It was delicious. My mother was surprised to see there were no actual lentils. It was more like a purée. The Mathloothah with lamb was brought out. It wasn't too hot which we didn't enjoy. The sauces were fresh and gave us the hint of fresh veggies we desired. We probably misunderstood the description of the mathloothah because we believed it would be more veggie-rich with actual pieces of vegetable. But it was more of a purée again -- could be a cultural misunderstanding! We also didn't care for the pudding consistency part of the dish. Nonetheless we ate it. I'll come back and try more of the menu but wouldn't order this again. We ordered the Saltah to-go for my sister who has the flu right now. This I would come back for! It's so rich, flavorful and just perfect for a rainy or sick day. I absolutely love it and want her to give me a bite right now! Quick service. Good food. Nice interior. read more

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Marib is easily the best Yemeni cuisine restaurant in Northern Virginia. Their service is top notch, and their food is simply delicious. Highly recommend catering from them for your next event. read more

Marib Restaurant - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

The only thing I liked was the soup the rest of the food a waste of money. I ordered Mandi chicken and that was the worst chicken that I ever tasted It tasted like it been in the fridge for 1 year read more

Excellent food, very polite service. The lamb was cooked very well and the ful was fantastic.

My first experience with Yemeni cuisine was a great one! The staff at Marib Restaurant is very friendly and great at giving recommendations to a noob like me. The restaurant had lots of tables and is very spacious. We were a table of 9, including 2 children, and made reservations ahead of time. Everything I had was delicious! Although I ate a lot, I didn't feel super heavy and sluggish afterwards. Everything was fresh and not at all greasy or overly salty. For appetizers, I tried: -hummus and (lamb) meat: the hummus was so creamy and the lamb was tender and flavorful, and not at all games. It's served with fresh bread, perfect for dipping! -babaganoush: very creamy and fresh tasting -Yemeni salad: this was a pretty standard salad with lettuce, carrots, parsley, tomatoes, and onions with a vinegrette. This was really simple and refreshing. -bone broth soup: this was complimentary and only broth, but so flavorful! Perfect for a cold winter day. -haneeth: the tender lamb and flavorful rice is a must try. The portion is large and easily shared amongst multiple people. -chicken mandi: roasted chicken and rice. This also tasty, but found the white meat part of the chicken to be a little dry -Mathloothah: this seemed similar to the chicken maandi, but a lot more tender and in general more saucey. -fahsah: beef stew served piping hot! This was really hearty and homey tasting, and is served with bread. -shakshouka: unlike the Egyptian style shakshouka I've tried in the past, this is scrambled with tomatoes, onions, and spices. I'm not sure what spices were used, but it's flavorful! -bint al sahn: a giant round layered pastry dessert drizzled in honey and sesame seeds. It's warm, buttery and mildly sweet. Very good! -ma'soob: banana and bread dessert with honey and cream. Although the appearance of this dessert may be different from what most people are familiar with, it's a perfect balance of sweet and creamy. All and all I am incredibly satisfied with my experience with Marib Restaurant and Yemeni food. I will definitely return! read more

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We had ordered catering previously, but this weekend was our first dine-in experience. The staff were very friendly and helpful describing menu items. The atmosphere is nice with tablecloths and nice lighting. We ordered shafout, baba ganoush with lamb, Yemeni Lamb Chops, chicken Mandi and lamb Fahsa which came with pillowy soft freshly baked bread, and Knafeh for dessert. Everything was delicious and we were stuffed. We will definitely return to this hidden gem in Springfield but will opt to sit at a bigger table to accommodate all the food we want to order! read more

This was a great first experience with Yemeni cuisine and like Krystal A. I have only positive things to say. If you are also new to Yemeni cuisine I would group it with middle eastern cuisine for a general idea. For example there is delicious hummus, babaganoush, and yogurt sauce. Likewise, there are several kinds of meat (mostly lamb and chicken) cut into chunks and simmered with different seasonings to easily separate from the bone and mix with juice and rice. We visited on a Friday for lunch and were fortunate to be able to try the buffet which was a great chance to try a little bit of just about everything. The staff was great about service and questions. I felt welcomed and encouraged to enjoy this new experience. I particularly enjoyed the shafout and the saltah over some wonderful rice. I also enjoyed the pita which was good with any the sauces and appetizers. This was a positive food experience with a friendly and helpful staff in a nice sit down restaurant for a very reasonable price. I am looking forward to my next visit. read more

Marib Restaurant - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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This has consistently been my favorite Yemeni restaurant in the area for at least five years. There are many options to choose from. The food is high quality and served in generous proportions. You will find a full range of Yemeni dishes that only a couple other restaurants serve. I have also had a good experience using them to cater an event. Marib has a nice and true restaurant sit-down feel to it. The ambiance is relaxed and elegant. It's a great place to take family or friends; the style and amount of food lends itself to long discussions. Service has always been great and staff friendly/helpful. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the DMV and my favorite Arab restaurant. I couldn't recommend it more. read more

The food was fabulous. My wife has been wanting to take me to a Yemeni Restaurant for the past 5 to 6 years. They were recommended. I live in. Southern MD. The food was worth the hour drive. Customer service also was on point. We will be returning soon. read more

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Came in for lunch at 11 and can't believe this place is empty. How is there not a line out the door? Everything we had was AMAZING. Neither of us has ever had Yemeni food so we ordered a lot. We started with the Shafout which was tangy and delicious. Then we got the lamb hummus (disclaimer I don't normally like lamb) and I could eat this every day. Next was the sautéed shrimp, also delicious and finally the Qulabah with beef, so dang good and so much flavor. The bread was the perfect vehicle for everything we ordered. Also I highly recommend the fresh lime juice with mint, a perfect drink for warm weather. We absolutely will be back. read more

Excellent customer service! Food was amazing, I would say best lamb Fahsa and chicken fahsa/salta I have ever had, it even tasted good after reheating the left overs at home. Highly recommend. Chicken Mandi and fresh lime juice were really good. Lentil soup and mango juice were ok. Kunefa was not the best. Can't wait to try more items. They are going to have Ramadan Buffett m read more

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Good food and good soup and stew good bread They have very good service the restaurant is very clean read more

I had lentil soup and Fahsa (shredded beef) Great food and service Music matches the food Recommended! read more

Marib Restaurant - Fahsa - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Marib is always fantastic! Our latest visit we tried Foul, which I loved. I am glad they are not close or I would be there all the time. Try the hummus with lamb. Actually all the lamb dishes are amazing and we tend to get them as we don't tend to do it at home. read more

This local, family establishment does a great job providing classic Yemeni food. When I went I got the shafout (a creamy saucey appetizer with bread) , maraq soup (a bone broth soup), and haneeth (very tender lamb) all of which were excellent. The only thing I would caution against is thinking that this will be a more generic 'middle eastern restaurant'. It is not and I suspect that may catch some people off guard. For those who have not Yemeni food, I don't think know a lot of comparable cuisines... but that is all the more reason to try it! read more

The Aden chai was super, three rest of the food wasn't. This was my second trip in a year and I was very excited. The first one last year was really nice! I remember the haneeth being juicy and really nice vs dry meat. I've also had better fahsa elsewhere. The shufut was missing a couple of ingredients. In the restaurants defense: they were serving breakfast on Sunday at 1.30pm , we had ordered of the regular menu. read more

Marib Restaurant - Shafout - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Shafout for the appetizer and Mathloothah for the main meal were as good as I remembered them. Shafout has hidden bread underneath the creamy and refreshing sauce. The lamb in the main meal was perfect. It was like meeting an old friend - a time has passed but it felt like I left yesterday. The portions were impossible to finish so ideally you would have 3 people for this tasty appetizer and main meal. I was happy to support Yemeni-American small business. read more

Marib Restaurant - Shafout - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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Didn't know what to expect but this place was outstanding! Went here for lunch on a weekday and ordered a few different things on the menu to try. We had mint tea, lentil soup, Shafout, sautéed shrimp, hummus, lamb Haneeth, and the Fahsa and Saltah with beef. Everything was delicious. The Fahsa and Saltah came out bubbling in a clay pot that ended up caramelizing the potatoes to perfection. The bread was mouth watering. The hummus was the best I've ever had. The service was very pleasant and fast. Run do not walk to this place for a hearty and comforting meal! read more

Incredible! I was thoroughly impressed with the food, atmosphere, service, and just about everything at Marib in Springfield, VA! We visited for lunch on a Saturday in May and truly loved the experience, from start to finish. Though I am Middle Eastern by ancestry, I had never eaten traditional Yemeni cuisine and I absolutely loved all of the food!! Between the two of us, we ordered the following: -Shafout, a chilled appetizer with layers of buttermilk, chopped almonds and walnuts, spring onions mint leaves, and Labneh, a spongy flatbread. It was topped with pomegranates. This dish was incredibly refreshing and tasted positively ambrosial! All of the flavors melded together perfectly. The dish was also a very generous portion and could easily be shared by two as an appetizer. No wonder it's been rated one of the top dishes by the Washington Post! -Chicken with Hummus, which came with cooked garbanzo beans blended with lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and olive oil with small pieces of flash-fried chicken with tomatoes, onion, and Marib's special seasoning. This was one of the most amazing hummus dishes I'd ever tasted! Who would have thought that hummus would be even better topped with chicken and vegetables? I finished every last bite of this! -Sauteed shrimp (with onions, tomatoes, and Marib's special sauce). This was great and such a generous serving of shrimp! We definitely had leftovers. -Chicken Mandi (traditional Arabian seasoned rice made with roasted chicken). This was so amazing and I loved the fried onion topping on this dish. The chicken was so tender and tasty. I definitely had plenty of leftovers, as the portion size was very generous. Everything about this experience was phenomenal. We loved the traditional, classy, elegant decor, the descriptive and illustrated menus (with photos of Yemen and descriptions / backstories for all the dishes and the cuisine generally), the wonderful hospitable service was which so warm and welcoming, and how delicious all the food was! The portion sizes were so generous - we definitely had leftovers! Parking is very easy, too, as it's located in a strip mall with plenty of parking in Springfield, VA. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Marib - I would certainly love to return! It's completely worth it and was such a great experience. read more

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Today the food is was ok but the service is not good need improvement on there service. Never asked for the water we Oder the food two people didn't get food if u are looking to have good service and food then is not recommended this place read more

Marib Restaurant is a pleasant surprise. Yemeni restaurants are rare to find, but I'm thrilled I finally had a chance to dine at one with family for lunch today. It's in a strip mall surrounded predominately by Latin American restaurants and markets. The interior is well kept, has a great ambiance, but retains a casual feel to it. FOOD: Lamb Mandi: On a generous serving of rice is a lamb leg cooked with a blend of spices and served with a mild red hot "sauce" made of peppers. The marinade on its own is pretty light, but the red pepper condiment adds flavor and a kick to it. As for the lamb itself, meat was so tender that it literally fell of the bone. The mandi is also served with a Yemeni salad, which goes great with the dish. Chicken Mathlootha: Pretty good! The leg quarter is marinated but not overblown with flavor and was very tender. Beneath the chicken is seasoned rice with a creamy, curdled, yogurt-like base that added even more flavor to it. Like the mandi, I recommend using some of the red pepper sauce for some spiciness. Haneeth: Flavorful and tender pieces of lamb over a fragrant seasoned bed of rice. You don't need sauce for this dish, but if you enjoy spicy food like I do, that added kick always brings more flavor. The main issue I had, however, was that it only came with 3 relatively small chunks of lamb; it left me craving for more! Areeka: One of the more unique desserts I've tried in a while. It's a hot bread and banana mixture topped with a thick cream, cheese, and nigella seeds among other ingredients. While some may find it to be an odd combination, it actually works very well; it's sweet, rich, and salty. The large bowl it's served in makes for a fun dessert to share with 3 to 4 people. Complementary Dates: Unexpected and kind of them! The dates were sweet and tasty. It was a great end to *the* end of our filling and delicious lunch! SERVICE: Fantastic. We were constantly checked on and asked how the food was. Everything ordered was served fresh and in a reasonable amount of time. Note that gratuity is automatically added to your check. Middle Eastern food is so much more than the typical kebabs and hummus, so if you haven't tried Yemeni food before, consider Marib as an option when picking a place to eat. read more

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My wife and I have been here two times. Both times the food was excellent. We are both of Yemeni origin, with my wife being born and raised in Yemen. I happened to be born in Brooklyn, NY but had the distinct pleasure of being fed Yemeni cuisine all my life. The food here does not disappoint. It honestly brings back the good memories that I had when I would visit Yemen, the food, the aromas, the ambience. It really felt like I was transported, and during COVID, you kind of feel like you're boxed in. It was a welcomed change for the two of us. The gentleman who served us the second time, what a wonderful man! There was not a moment that he did not come over to ask if we needed anything. It wasn't one of those annoying disturbances, but genuine concern for your comfort and enjoyment. It felt like we were visiting a friend... from Yemen (the gentleman was from Bangladesh). The food is great. Surprisingly, before coming to this restaurant, my wife had never had hummus with lamb. She was immediately hooked. It's only been two visits, but we've gotten that dish both times. The meals are also large portioned depending on your appetite, we found out the first time when we had leftovers. I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. Before Ramadan starts, my wife and I will be visiting this restaurant again. I was told by the wonderful man who served us that the restaurant will be open for Iftar, we may stop in with the children and dine there. I can only imagine the experience once COVID goes away and we go back to "normal". I look forward to it. read more

I had noticed this restaurant in a nondescript strip mall not far from my home several times and wondered what Yemeni food might be like. After making Washingtonian Mag's Cheap Eats list and the coveted 100 Best Restaurants list, I knew that I had to stop by and try it out! The food was incredible! The Shafout to start, Haneeth, and the Fahsa - a simmering beef Yemeni stew stole our hearts! It's the kind of food that leaves you craving for more the next day. I'll definitely be returning...many times for this. Dessert was memorable! I have a weakness for freshly made flaky, layered flat bread. But when drizzled with honey, it just takes it over the edge! Such is the case with Yemen's traditional layered, bread-based dish - Bint As-Sahn - made with melted purified butter, eggs, and honey, and topped with a combination of nigella and sesame seeds; served warm. So delicious! Service was friendly! I will be back! read more

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My Mom and I love this restaurant! We went there over the weekend and had the lamb haneeth and bint al-sahn layered bread. The food was AMAZING as always and more importantly, the service was EXCELLENT! The people who work there are very welcoming, warm, generous and kind. I highly recommend Marib! A+ read more

Marib Restaurant - Bint As Sahn - Arabic Near Me - Springfield, Virginia