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!

Came here on a Friday early evening with a friend, got the:…read more- soujouk pide: tasty soujouk sausage and a good amount of it, chewy pide crust - scallops: 3 scallops on the plate with yogurt, quite tasty! Scallops were cooked just right. - kebab platter with lamb, kofte, chicken and adana kebabs served with tomato, onion and garlic toum: super tasty meats, really enjoyed every single one of them. Juicy and flavorful! So much food too, and the toums were delicious too. The ongoing free hot, fresh pita was amazing as well. Great service, sat outside under heat lamps which was awesome. Really enjoyed the experience here! Quite pricey though.

I took my friend to Ilili to celebrate her birthday. The food was pretty mid, but the ambiance,…read moreaesthetics, and customer service were elite!

This is probably the best Lebanese restaurant in the DC area. It has a beautiful ambience, a very…read moreextensive and varied menu (which includes numerous classic Lebanese dishes), and the service is great. My daughter has some food allergies and our server helped guide us through the menu as to what she could safely eat and made sure that certain modifications were made. We definitely will be back.

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.

There's still technically 2 months left before 2026 ends, but I think this may be the best meal…read moreI've had this year. What an incredible spontaneous hangout and surprise by my friend that lead to this memorable meal! Thank you, again Not only was the beet borani beautiful, the sweetness of the beet mixed with the garlic and rosemary paired very well with the warm and fluffy bread. The fire kissed asparagus are the best asparagus I've ever had in my life. The char was perfect and allowed the asparagus to be the best version of itself. The bed of both cream and herb sauce it laid on top of gave it other dimensions of flavored when paired. It was good on its own or eaten with the other protein dishes we ordered. The chicken shish taouk was juicy, well seasoned and very good with the toum! The seared scallops were the biggest, sweetest and my favorite dish of the night (though I 100% would say everything we got was so so good). The natural sweetness of the scallops paired with the various sauces were delightful. The serpent drink had a sour but creamy foam texture that was fun to sip on throughout the meal. Shout out to Nari, our server sharing her love of garlic and giving us a sample of the carrot havuc which did not taste like carrots at all but more of this light almost sweet potato-like dip with a fun crunch from the crispy onions & for compting our turkish coffee gelato, which was strong and creamy and best way to end the meal.

I had a wonderful time at Villa Yara while visiting the city. Mahmoud was so excellent and gracious…read morein his care and attentiveness during my time at the restaurant. We had some food allergies at the table and he went above and BEYOND to make sure that everyone's accommodations and safety measures were met. This restaurant is beautiful and has excellent food, but the service is by the far the most exceptional part of it all. Thank you again to the staff at Villa Yara and Mahmoud for the exquisite dining experience!

Our family visited YaraVela during Eid al-Adha, and we truly had an outstanding experience…read more Everything was excellent -- the warm hospitality, the beautiful and clean atmosphere, the delicious food, and the great variety of dishes. What impressed us even more was that such high-quality service and food were still very affordable for families. Thank you to the entire team for giving our family such a memorable evening and wonderful quality time together. We sincerely appreciate your professionalism and kindness. Truly one of the best dining experiences we have had in Washington, D.C. Excellent service -- highly recommended!

Their lentil soup has to be a family secret because it is unbelievable good. I strongly recommend…read morethat you go with an apetite and enjoy the maanek (saulteed beef and lamb sausages), the batata harra and the artichokes. Sahtein!

The restaurant itself was super nice inside. Place was super clean. It was nice and quiet. I…read morethought the food was OK. It took a while to get the food. The service was OK. I think for the price and quality of the actual restaurant, I would expect the service to be slightly better. The service just felt slow. However, one of the guy waiters that wasn't really waiting on us was extremely friendly. It was a nice experience. It wasn't a bad experience. I just think it could be slightly better. There was hardly anybody in the restaurant so I was slightly confused why it took so long. I'm not sure if this is going in my staples, but this would be a nice place to take clients or have a nice a date. I also think I need to try different things on the menu.

A 10/10 dining experience! From the ambiance to the food, everything was absolutely top-notch. I…read morewas genuinely impressed by the chef's creativity and the incredible flavors in every dish. We decided to go with smaller plates so we could share and try as many dishes as possible. As a clinical nutritionist, I love choosing cocktails made with egg white for a little extra protein, so I went with "Our Lady of Lebanon," while my son chose a drink with a licorice flavor. For food, we enjoyed the wild mushroom, arayes, and dolma. For dessert, we had the brown butter knafeh with plum ice cream--such a unique and delicious combination! Every detail made this experience special. Bravo, Chef! You've truly created something amazing. Please come to LA and open a restaurant--we would be first in line!

Albi Overall Rating:…read more(4/5 Stars) Everyone loves Albi, so my expectations were sky-high for my first traditional tasting menu. While the food was very good, I actually preferred the Sofra Series dinner with Chef Brandon Jew. This menu felt a bit safe and repetitive, especially after what felt like an all-lamb tasting by the end of the night. 12 Course Tasting Menu $165 * Starter: I don't like olives or radishes, so I left this one to the table. The consensus was positive. * Course 1: Oysters with trout roe? Consider me converted. This combination needs to stay in my life. * Course 2: Lamb-stuffed bread is one of my favorite things on Earth. The dipping sauce added just enough freshness to balance the richness. * Course 3: A pea tartare was not on my bingo card, but here we are. Unique, refreshing, and unlike anything I've had before. The mint and lettuce pairing made it even more memorable. * Course 4: Pretty, cheesy, citrusy, and delicious. Sometimes that's all you need. * Course 5: Savory hummus is the superior hummus. Add seasoned pita and I'm a happy camper. * Course 6: I'm not a grape leaf person. The lamb outside of the wraps, however, was excellent. * Course 7: My favorite course of the evening. That said, I've had another version of this dumpling at Albi before, and I actually liked that one more. * Course 8: Tender, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth lamb. No complaints. * Course 9: I genuinely don't know what happened here. The flavors and textures just didn't work for me. * Course 10: Yet another lamb dish. At this point, I was experiencing lamb fatigue. The cinnamon was also more aggressive than necessary. * Course 11: Warm, comforting, and exactly what I wanted from dessert. * Course 12: Ice cream is rarely a bad decision, and it was a lovely way to end the meal. Service: The service was exceptional. If I'm being nitpicky, ordering another round of drinks took a bit longer than expected. Otherwise, the staff was attentive and knowledgeable, delivering the kind of hospitality that keeps people coming back. Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Please try these restaurants and form your own judgments--it's what I would do.

I wasn't feeling well today, so I went to Fettoosh for harira soup. It was warm, flavorful, and…read morejust the light, balanced meal I wanted. I've been here many times and have tried almost every vegetarian dish. I've enjoyed them all, especially the zalouk. I've also visited with a Moroccan friend, who says the food is authentic. The service is always excellent and personal. Every visit feels like being welcomed as a special guest. The food is great quality for the price, and the mint tea and baklava are delicious too. I'm always happy to come back.

Hole-in-the-wall Moroccan restaurant with a very gregarious owner…read more Make you buy bottle water instead of serving tap water, which I think may be illegal I came here for dinner with my wife, mom, and friend, and, while my mom enjoyed her bastilla, the rest of us were all fairly underwhelmed by our dishes. We did enjoy the mint tea however.

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.

What an amazing surprise. Came in for work, hungry, and found Mejana right next to the Residence…read moreInn. Started with Kibbeh Niyah...which is one of my favorite dishes. Followed that up with the Mejana Grill, which had samples of 3 kebabs. Waitstaff was very nice. Highly recommend giving it a try.

It's alright. I…read morereally like that there IS a Lebanese restaurant in this section of Arlington and they have a vegetarian menu. The dip sampler was small samples. We got the halloumi as well, which can't go wrong with cheese, honey, and dates. Service was good. Ambiance - there's outdoor and indoor seating and you can always find a seat. It's not loud and they have booths.

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.

This is now my 3rd dining experience at Ala and it has not gotten better. In fact, I have…read moredowngraded it to only 2 stars. Maybe 2.5. The outside seating area is nice so I give them that. We went on a Thursday night so it was not crowded. We got a table immediately. The restaurant has recently been renovated and I don't think it helped the place. The banquettes and seats are really uncomfortable. The interior decoration is overdone in some places (how many Turkish divas can you have in a room?) and underdone in others (the lighting in particular looked like a dorm room gone bad). The service was uninspired at best. Slow, uninterested and just ample to get you some food. The food was meh. We were so unhappy with the shrimp that we complained and - to be fair - it was taken off our bill. But, honestly, 3 small shrimp that were mostly shells should never have been on the menu to begin with. The other dishes were okay but - as with my initial review of this place - too much seasoning, too many herbs. The cauliflower had something on it that made the dish unpleasant; we did not finish it. Some of the sauce on top was dried out so that tells me it had sat there for some time. The food falls flat and is distracted by all the accompaniments. The dolmas were okay but the filling (rice & beef) was bland. Will I go back to Ala? Probably not although it is very close to my work. Do I recommend it? Probably not. There simply have to be better Turkish restaurants in the area.