Cafe Ivy was decent overall. The views were really nice and definitely the best part of the…read moreexperience. The food and vibe were okay, but the setting makes it worth checking out at least once.

After looking at Ivy By The Lake's menu online, we decided to give them a try. They open for…read moredinner at 4 p.m., and we showed up shortly after. While there are some good things about the place, which I will list first, there are some not-so-good things. The good --- When we arrived, the place wasn't busy at all. There were a few people sitting outside. The dining room was empty. Throughout our meal, we had the place to ourselves. Our server greeted us and seated us. Masha was very friendly, polite, and efficient. The dining room was decorated with artificial hanging plants. Also, there was a large mural of Eve holding the apple with the serpent coaxing her to eat it. Now for the not-so-good things --- getting to the entrance wasn't easy, especially for my husband, who is waiting to get his knee replaced. To reach the entrance, you had to walk down a paved path with descending steps after parking the car. Upon entry, we had to climb a somewhat long staircase. On the way out, Masha stated that there was a ramp and pointed to a door leading to the kitchen and said we could go out that way. We chose to exit the way we entered. Also, they don't have any printed menus -- just a QR code to scan for the menu. We found that to be off-putting. Fortunately, we had already decided what to order before coming here. We chose to start with "Zaytoun", which consists of "Mixed Pitted Olives Tossed In Extra Virgin Oil. GF". This was a tasty starter. There were a few different types of pitted olives. However, we didn't think that there was any olive oil in the small bowl; rather, it appeared to be brine. For our main course, we both chose "Beef Kofta" which consists of: "Beef rolls served with Lebanese Couscous, Refreshing Tomatoes, Cucumber, & Labneh". The beef kofta was very dry. Growing up, I sometimes had Kofta, and it often turned out quite dry. The kofta did have some kick, and the small amount of very tasty labneh helped mute the spiciness. The Lebanese couscous portion was huge. That, too, helped give moisture to the kofta. This was a filling meal, and we ended up taking some home. Weighing the pros and cons, the cons, alas, outweighed the pros for us.

Six of us went to Clove Restaurant in Sterling for dinner around 8 PM. The restaurant was…read morecompletely empty, which was already concerning. Sadly, we soon found out why. We ordered biryani, karahi chicken, chicken corn soup, and a few other dishes. The food was terrible. The chicken was cold, dry, and tasted like it had been reheated or left over. The chicken corn soup was especially bad, with a strong unpleasant chicken smell that made it hard to eat. It was very embarrassing because we had guests with us. We spent nearly $200, and the quality of the food was unacceptable. A refund would honestly be more appropriate than charging full price for food like this. The restaurant's website looks flashy with nice pictures, but the actual food does not match at all. Even the service felt unprofessional--the waiter did not appear properly dressed. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Please avoid it if you can. This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. I don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, but this experience deserves honesty.

Went back here during Ramadan, the food was really good. restaurant has nice dining and clean. The…read moremanager was very friendly. I definitely need to come again and try more of the food!

Let me be clear: This place is a complete money trap…read more I visited this restaurant on July 20, 2025 with a friend, and it turned out to be one of the most dishonest and shady dining experiences I've ever had. On the receipt, the pizzas are listed as $0.00, but then the cost is broken up into "pizza size" and "toppings" in small print. This is clearly a tactic to hide the actual price and confuse customers. To make things worse, they automatically added an 18% service charge without telling us -- it wasn't on the menu, and nobody mentioned it when we ordered. In the end, we were charged nearly $100 for a mediocre meal and hookah that was absolutely not worth the price. This kind of pricing system feels deliberately misleading, and the staff made no effort to explain anything. Transparency? Zero. Customer respect? Zero. It honestly feels like a scam wrapped in a lounge. My warning: Stay away. Don't waste your time or money here -- there are far better, more honest places around.

Went here after it rained on my birthday and the manager/host was so accommodating and attentive…read more Me and my large group had a good time and enjoyed their shawarmas, falafel, and hookah. Would definitely come again.

I think we tried to go to 2 other pool halls without success before we stumbled into First Break,…read moreat alas, a table to play! Great affordable drinks and friendly bartenders, and seating for the girlies. :') no complaints from me.

I found this place though Yelp and decided to give it a try…read more The employees were extremely welcoming and quickly sat out group down. They gave us a lot of options and recommendations to pick from. They do have a wide variety of drinks including alcohol. There's plenty of games to play like pool, darts, poker. I liked how clean it was inside, the bathrooms were spotless, the finger food and drinks were good. I had a great time here. Thank you!

BEST HOOKAH IN DMV!! Jose is a master hookah maker! Perfect for smoking and relaxing or working. No…read moreloud music!

Very nice new place with a lot if variety of flavors. I was amazed at the wonderful decor and…read morecleanliness.

Very fun place, great instruction too! Food and drinks were also good! Definitely worth it, so give…read moreit a try.

My company booked this spot for our Xmas get together with around 2 full hours of unlimited axe…read morethrowing and food. It was my first time trying this out and I've enjoyed it. Some of my colleagues were new to axe throwing too and picked it up really fast. For the catered food, I really like the pizza and beer pretzels. I learned that it's a women owned business and I'd love to support more of such entities in the future.

This is the perfect spot to unwind with friends--great for good conversation, relaxing vibes, and…read moreenjoying music together. The building is a bit on the older side, but it honestly adds to the charm. Every visit has been consistently enjoyable, and I always leave having had a great time. Easy 5/5 experience! DJ is always great! You cannot leave without trying their amazing Kabobs!

Sahara Restaurant and Lounge has some positives, but it also comes with major drawbacks. The food…read moreis good, and when everything is fresh it's enjoyable. Hookahs, on the other hand, are inconsistent -- sometimes smooth, sometimes harsh, and not always worth the price. The environment is decent before 9pm, when it feels like a casual spot to grab a bite and relax. Unfortunately, after 9pm, the atmosphere changes drastically. The crowd and overall vibe make it feel more unsafe than enjoyable, which takes away from what could otherwise be a great night out. If you're just here for food and an early evening, you'll probably be fine. Anything later than that, I can't recommend this place as a safe or relaxing option.

Hands down the best food we have ever had! 10/10 service while we were dining. Daniel is highly…read morerecommended! Great portions and great flavors! They do a great job making you feel special when celebrating any occasion. Fast service also! Both appetizers and desserts were delicious. We had the crab cakes and lobster dishes as well as the New York cheesecake. Best cheesecake we've ever tried! Very wonderful experience!

The quiet, laid-back vibe of the lounge is exactly what keeps us coming back for a cocktail…read more One thing that still makes us chuckle? On Fridays there's no Happy Hour, yet we're handed a small library of menus--dinner, lounge snacks, drinks, and a Happy Hour menu. If there's no Happy Hour, why tease us with the menu? The handcrafted cocktails, however, make up for it. The Blueberry Mojito is my go-to. It's so refreshing with just the right hint of blueberry that it practically disguises the liquor. Fair warning: it's the kind of drink that convinces you one is enough... until you somehow find yourself ordering a second.