WOW! I absolutely loved Namak. Namak is a combination of Iranian, Greek, and Turkish cuisines with an interior that matches it exactly. We were warmly greeted by the host and were seated early for our reservation. The lighting and ambiance was a perfect addition to this quaint restaurant with Middle Eastern tiling to add a pop of color. I really enjoyed how the menu was labeled very clearly for allergies and dietary preferences. They had several options for vegans which I was pleasantly delighted by. We first ordered the red wine for Naoussa and it was so flagrant and perfectly paired well with our meals. For starter we ordered the Greek potatos and the kisir. I wish I could make potato's like that. They were golden to perfection with great texture that melted in your mouth. The kisir was a small bulgur salad that was bursting in flavor. My friend and I both looked at each other and we were like oh boy this is really delicious! For my main dish, I ordered the roasted cauliflower. I absolutely loved it! It was covered in za'atar and balanced with tahini and lemon. The za'atar was very aromatic and the portions was great for me. It's safe to say that I'll be back here! We had such a lovely evening and there is so much more on the menu I'd love to try! read more

See all

We had an excellent first meal at this new place in the neighborhood. It's been hard to get a reservation and now we know why, We sat inside by the window because it was not so cold as in the rest of the indoor spaces and we were afraid it was going to rain. Outside is covered and might well have been a good choice too My wife had the Efes beer while I chose the Harissarita - a great spicy choice. (The third diner doesn't drink). Appetizers were the zucchini fritters, which were fine, and the sesame crusted fried feta which was unusually good. Our mains were the beef kebab (both tender and super flavorful) and the roasted cauliflower (I tasted that, also nice). We shared the roasted potato side. Our third eater had the shrimp kebab which looked good but she was not sharing, so I will have to try it next time Too full for dessert I look forward to coming back and deciding whether the place merits that fifth star. It was close read more

Came here on a Thursday night based on a recommendation by a neighbor. The setting is pretty and the service is friendly. However I wasn't blown away by the food. The olive salad was pretty good and I liked the molasses dressing. The chicken shish kabob was tasty, the fish was decent. I can't remember what dip and bread we got, but it was good. The piyaz was the biggest disappointment. Undercooked beans with flavors that didn't work. Overall I didn't think the food was all that memorable but I might go back since it is in my neighborhood. read more

Namak - Bar area - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My husband has Celiacs and ii makes eating out a nightmare. We were thrilled that we could have a fantastic dinner that was safe and gluten free at Namak! The General Manager, Dhiandra, came and personally worked with us to adjust and advise us of a fabulous dinner that was safe and delicious. The restaurant is gorgeous, the food is fantastic and the care and concern we received felt like a visit to family. We will be back often and promise you will love your dining experience as much as we did! read more

I was very excited to try this place. But it was hands down one of the most disappointing culinary experiences I've ever had to endure. The place tries to be a Mediterranean fusion of Persian, Turkish, Levantine, and Greek cuisine, yet fails miserably at representing any of them well. I honestly feel bad for anyone gullible enough to think any of these dishes are authentic and won't blame them for hating Mediterranean food after. We ordered Kabab Torsh which is a sour paste/pomegranate marinated lamb or beef kabab. What we were served was a random kabab that clearly was the wrong dish lacking ANY marinade/or listed ingredients what-so-ever. We told our waiter and, after apologizing profusely, the poor girl told us, 'sorry but our served dishes don't reflect the Menu and that the Torsh is actually not served'. She said she has heard the same complaint before. Excuse me!? We had driven 30 mins just to try this dish. Unacceptable. We had also ordered the Ghalyeh Mahi which is a sweet & sour fish dish using tamarind paste. Again, this was no Ghalyeh. It was like an Indian green curry with a white fish in the middle. Bland and tasteless it was, but again the frustrating fact was that this was not ghalyeh or an interpretation of it; it was a totally different dish without any of the ingredients and spices listed on the menu. At this point, we were Hangry and thought that maybe since the chef is Turkish, the kitchen is not capable or lacks the proper training for Persian food. So we ordered a Tukish Adana Kabab. And Oh My God. It was an absolute disaster. The "kabab" was so spicy and filled with shredded red peppers that you couldn't feel your mouth let alone taste the beef. Even their ayran/Doogh which is yogurt-based refreshing drink was undrinkable. Apparently they made it in house by mixing milk with copious amounts of salt. It was so salty that the concoction was as acrid and unpleasant as Salt water gargle but with milk instead of water. The check came to $85 per person for this painful experience (they had already added a 20% tip for our party of 3!). Again, very unprofessional. The manager didn't even come to check on us once. This chef and the manager needed to be fired, like yesterday. Namak means Salt in Persian, which is fitting as the entire ordeal felt like being slowly tortured by a 1000 cuts and then rubbing salt all over the wounds. A total disgrace. read more

Namak has a lot of online buzz and I wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype. But it exceeded it. The decor is gorgeous and I especially loved the window booths. Great people watching spot and comfortable too. Service was friendly, prompt, and helpful. And the food. Wow. Really classic menu items done so so well. I'm still thinking about the crispy chicken skin, the lemony potatoes, the fall off the bone lamb, the smoky eggplant dip. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back and try the kebabs which looked delicious from afar! read more

See all

Excellent array of Mediterranean fare with delicious dips served w house made pita (fluffy and delish) and crudite. Tiny beef dumplings. Excellent salad with greens and tomato's and feta. Shrimp kebabs - flavorful and well-cooked. Colleague had trout which was delicious. Sides of Brussels sprouts ( crispy and flavorful ) plus spinach were terrific. Chocolate pot de creme topped with almond halvah crumble was a great end to dinner. Highly recommend. Service was friendly and welcoming. read more

My partner made a reservation, on Resy, for NYEs for the four course tasting menu. We were really bummed when we arrived and were seated and realized that menu wasn't there. We asked for it and we were told it just wasn't happening and this would be better for us anyway. I pulled up Resy and it still showed the option. Strange and slightly false advertising but whatever. I was like ok no big deal- they had their NYE specials available, which I saw earlier in the day on Instagram (and I had been lusting after this one dessert). After a mix up, where they brought me fish (which in1000% did not ask for, since I recently had food poisoning and the smell alone makes me want to die) we eventually got our dishes. As everyone has said- food is totally mid. I had a Namak 75- it was fabulous. The server, Jamie was kind and lovely.i was so thrilled for the dessert menu to arrive... only to find out, they didn't even have the dessert menu they advertised! We went to settle for another dessert and they didn't have that! Also the random Farsi on the wall gives off a "cultural appropriation vibe" when there is barely any Persian food in sight. If you want Persian food, there are many many many other options. Like Rumi's! read more

Our evening at Namak was lovely! When you walk in you're transported to a cute mediterranean ambiance. Our waitress Jamie was top notch ALL NIGHT. She gave us great recommendations on literally everything we ordered. From the zucchini fritters to the oysters to the entires, everything was a 10/10. Once we got our bill, Jamie sent us over a round of free shots, which we definitely appreciated. We will definitely be back to Namak and hope Jamie will serve us again! read more

See all

A thoroughly deligtful dining experience in Adams Morgan. The ambience is delightful and you're greeted by thoroughly courteous and helpful servers. But the food steals the show. We particularly enjoyed the hanger steak kabob and the braised lamb shoulder, but every course was outstanding (highly recommend finishing your meal with the knafeh, it's wonderful) Absolutely worth checking out if you're in the area. I'll definitely be back. read more

Namak is a great new Mediterranean spot! The ambiance is nice and the service was good. Highly recommend the beef tenderloin kebab and the roasted half-chicken entree. Both were cooked to perfection with delicious flavors! read more

Namak - Mediterranean chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

All the food we ordered was mid and a bit lackluster. I also felt it was expensive for the size and quality of the dishes. The service was a bit stand off ish too. I won't be rushing back unfortunately read more

Namak came highly recommended from a friend, and it lived up to expectations for me! We ordered tapas style, and it was a great way to experience a bunch of dishes. I especially loved the butternut squash hummus and the sesame-crusted feta! The dolmades were tasty, though I would have loved even more sour cherry for some extra tartness, and I would definitely get the zucchini fritters again as well. The giant beans were delicious and well-seasoned. The feta cheesecake had a lovely, rich flavor (in fact, I would have loved even more feta, but I know I'm an outlier!), and the revani had a lovely flavor but wasn't quite as moist and citrusy as I had hoped. All in all, I was extremely happy! I'm curious to come back and try some more dishes (especially their dips and a few meat options to see how those are!). The cocktails really caught my eye - they're beautiful and the sip I had of my friend's AM/PM was delicious. I love the care that went into everything and I can see this being a place I bring people a lot! read more

See all

I came here for the food as I am always looking for Turkish or Mediterranean dishes in the area. Although much of the best Turkish food seems to be on the VA side, these dishes held up to my expectations. We started with the white beans cold meze dish (Piyaz), along with the pide flatbread (lahmacun) which is a warm dish. Both were flavorful and exactly what I was craving. For the our main dish we shared a very large portion of the Greek chicken and the Adana kabob. The Adana had just the right amount of spice, but if you're looking to help cool your pallet, you will want to order pilaf rice on the side, as it does not come with any. The Greek chicken dish could easily feed a table of 4 people, we had to take it home to finish. We also enjoyed 2 of their cocktails which were unique in flavor & balance. I had the Namak 75 which has a burst of apricot flavoring & garnish. My husband had the Harissarita which was delicious as well. We didn't have dessert because we had no space left, but they did serve us some delicious Turkish delight that had rose water and saffron on the exterior which was both yummy & unique (you usually don't find that combination at the store). It was a sweet ending to a great dinner overall. The decor and space is lovely & open. The service was friendly and helpful in food & drink selections. It is best for groups of 4 or smaller, but if you make reservations you could accommodate a party of 9-10 people maximum. It isn't a huge space for multiple large parties so they may not be able to accommodate at all times. The bar area was full and looked great for any walk ins. read more

Loved the lamb pomegranate meatballs and the Greek half chicken. Wouldn't get the shrimp skewers again. Indoor and outdoor seating, and lovely ambiance. Look forward to coming back! read more

When I discovered this spot was a mashup of different countries, I was eager to try it out. I really appreciated the restaurant's decor and how it showcased various cultures. The server was kind and helpful, and the food was also good--you could really see the cultural influences in each dish. read more

See all

Had a really lovely experience. We waited at the bar for our table and the bartender made us some fun drinks. I'm normally an old fashioned girly, which wasn't on the menu so the bartender offered to whip up his own riff on it which had a bit of absinthe and cardamom which I loved! When our party was complete we were seated and we were pleased by the many vegetarian options. We got the roasted cauliflower which was perfectly seasoned with turmeric and other spices and a nice sauce. We also got the spinach pide, the dill was a little heavy but the bread was the perfect texture and we enjoyed it. They were doing a summer version of the Keci Peyniri which was served with watermelon which was a nice combination with the goat cheese which had some sort of breading on it. My parents ended up bringing a birthday cake for me and they were very accommodating and lit the candles as a nice surprise and cut the cake nicely. The servers were super attentive and made my birthday really pleasant. read more

Near-Eastern cuisine always does it for me, Namak was no different! Michelin in its quality, the staff who greeted us were no other than the owner and his acolytes. The food captures the best qualities of Turkish, Persian, and Greek pallets. If you find yourself looking for a really nice bang for your buck at a finer sit down, you will be pleased with Namak. read more

Namak was an absolute delight! My husband and I were greeted warmly by the staff and promptly seated. The restaurant's beautiful decor, evident in every detail, reflected the thought and care that went into its creation. We chose a table outside, which was a wonderful choice. We'll definitely be returning and booking a table in the gorgeous dining room. From the moment we arrived, we felt relaxed and at ease. The staff answered all our questions about the menu without rushing us. We decided to share the grilled branzino and lamb dish, as well as the Greek potatoes and the piyaz. The branzino was grilled to perfection, and the lamb was outstanding. All the sides were absolutely delicious. I must admit, I had a hard time sharing the branzino and potatoes with my husband. They were so incredibly tasty! The service and timing of the staff were spot-on. The portions were generous, so we didn't feel rushed to finish our meal. Overall, it was a fantastic and delicious evening at Namak. Sent from my iPad read more

We had been meaning to eat here for a while. As fans of all sorts of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Persian food we were not disappointed. The food and service was excellent. If you are a purist, maybe this restaurant isn't for you. But if you like unique dishes that stay rooted in their origins, by all means try Namak. We had: Piyaz Lamb Shoulder Whole Branzino Greek Potatoes We started with the piyaz. These beans are incredible... and a generous portion. Knowing we had entrées coming we made a concerted effort not to fill up on these giant white beans covered in a creamy flavorful tahini sauce. In the end, we had enough left over that they served as my lunch the following day (and were just a good as the day there were served). I had the lamb shoulder. The meat has been torn/cut from the bone and served with a little brown crispy sear to some of the pieces. This made the lamb very tender and avoided the awkwardness of cutting of the bone yourself. The smashed potatoes had nice texture (smashed vs mashed) and the wonderful flavor of the labneh. My wife had the branzino. The fish is served whole and expertly deboned (still be careful, it is a whole fish). The flesh is moist and perfectly seasoned. And the skin is "oh so good". My wife is not a big eater, but nothing was going to get in her way of finishing her entrée. The greek potatoes had just the right amount of lemon and garlic. We probably didn't need these with all the food we had already ordered, but they are a perfect accompaniment for most of the dishes. Some of these made it home to join the piyaz for lunch. We look forward to going back to Namak to enjoy trying some of the other incredible sounding dishes. read more

What I love about Namak is the beautiful space and that's it. The food was okay, I enjoyed the zucchini fritters, ispanakli flatbread, shepherd salad, and lamb kabob well enough, but the lamb shank on special was bland as if it hadn't been seasoned at all. But the worst part of the evening was the service. Our server was inattentive, slow and even rude at times. Like why are we getting snide remarks. We've been nothing but patient and nice. They could have turned our table over twice for how long we sat there. We were done eating at least 30 mins before we got the bill. I would have ordered an after dinner cocktail but our server was never around to take our order. We just gave up on asking for anything else except for our bill and so did the table next to us who were half way through their meal when we sat down. They never did get the dessert menu they asked for. We had to grab other staff several times. It just became comical after a while. It seems easy for some not to give a shit when gratuity is automatically added. But they're also losing money when people give up ordering additional drinks or dessert. I will not be returning. read more

Super happy this beautiful restaurant opened in Adams Morgan! The interior decoration is bright and fresh! Something about it makes you feel peaceful. The food is absolutely delicious and great for sharing and big groups. Came here for a girls night and enjoyed the ambiance and food. Our waiter was very attentive and recommended many great dishes. Loved the roasted cauliflower and the fresh pita with za'atar was incredible! Will be back soon to try more amazing dishes! read more

good food, terrible manager. I reserved a table for an engagement dinner. I informed the restaurant that is was an engagement dinner, first the restaurant didn't even acknowledge, second, the manager basically asked me to leave, because we been there 2 hours. it is ok to "gently point out that you need the table' (yet do it with a smile) btw, I did spend 300$, its not that, I was just drinking tap water ... read more

We had an amazing dinner at Namak. Reservation was easy through Resy. We were seated immediately and our server Ramzan was great! We guided us through the menu and we loved everything we ordered- from the eggplant pit with the warm pita that it came with to the lamb meat balls, to the chicken kebabs to the special lamb dish- everything was delicious. We would definitely go back. The ambience was great too. read more

Namak - Special Lamb kebab on bed of eggplant - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So amazing. Here for the inauguration and went to the best choice. A varied food but all great. Try the specials. Also 20 % added to bill so you don't have to tip. Don't know why but go with the flow read more

I absolutely loved my dinner. This was our first time eating there and I'll definitely go back. So many gluten free options. The drinks were nice. Well thought out and crafted. We were too full to get dessert but well get it on the next visit. Worth every penny read more

Wow what an awesome new restaurant in Adam's Morgan! The place was packed for a Tuesday night! Be sure to make a reservation. A pretty diverse menu of Middle Eastern fare. We had the whipped goat cheese, octopus, saganaki (a must!) beef kebabs, and both the "rip its". Everything was so delicious. Service was top notch as well. The staff goes into detail about the specials and their favorites. Will definitely be back! read more

See all

What an amazing experience! Such great flavors and ambience. The service was great as well. read more

See all

Namak was our first choice for a Middle Eastern "iranian" restaurant to celebrate my best friend's birthday with a party of 10. We had a reservation for 8:00 PM but had to wait at the bar while our table was being prepared. During the wait, we ordered drinks, and I have to say, the Dirty Martini was exceptional--one of the best I've ever had! Unfortunately, I can't recall the name of the bartender who made it, but she was incredibly generous and kind. Although the wait for our table was longer than expected, the manager, Tim, went above and beyond to make up for it. Whatever he did, it left all 10 of us feeling happy and cherished as we left the restaurant. I'd absolutely return here for future birthday celebrations! read more

The dining room and decor is nice. However, the service is not welcoming and the food had no flavor.

This is my fourth visit to Namak since its opening, and each time, the service has been getting worse and worse. The food is consistently good, but this will probably be my last visit for awhile. The last time I took friends, the male server didn't know basic wine types, aperitivos, etc. He did ask for the help of a manager-type person. Last night, our female server was probably one of the worst experiences I've had in awhile, lacking basic service training. When we arrived, I ordered a glass of white wine and a hummus to start; I told my friend that the harissarita was so good. The server then said, "So, two harissaritas?" I said, "No, I'd like a glass of wine." This is where it started. Another server brought our drinks, and then, she came by later and asked if we'd like to put in anything to eat. I said, "Well, I ordered the hummus to start." She replied, "Oh, you did?" For two people, we wanted to also order the gigante bean dish, tabbouleh, swordfish kebabs and lamb shoulder entree. She told us this wasn't enough for two people and insisted we order more. We did cave and ordered the flatbread. It was way too much food for two people. She kept taking items off and putting them back on as we were ordering, so I had to verify what we ordered 3 times before she left the table. The issues then kept mounting, as when my friend went to order a glass of wine, she asked, "I'd like to order a light red wine. What would you suggest?" The server replied, "You want a white red wine?" "No, a light red wine." Server's reply: "The Chloe white wine would be good." "No, I want a red." Server: "The rose wine is my favorite." "That's not red." Finally, my friend just said a red that she wants - frustrated. Basic service things, such as just filling guests' water when they are empty, instead of interrupting each time to ask if you want more water, were overlooked. It got awkward, as she stopped by every few minutes to ask how the food was - over and over. And, when the check arrived, of course, 20% gratuity is added. I would probably have given her 18%. There are so many delightful Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurants with exceptional service, like Zaytinya, ilili, etc. that I will stick with instead of this one, as server training doesn't seem to be a hallmark. read more

The dips and salad were delicious. The Greek Kitchen are to die for! Get it -- you won't regret it.

We loved Jamie!! Best server ever. Also followed the reviews and Jamie's recs and order the goat cheese spread, the cauliflower, chicken kebabs, and zucchini fritters - and lemme tell you, that's the way to go! Great flavor, great service (gave me bug spray when I started to get bit), and good drinks! read more

We have eaten at Namak a number of times since it recently opened (we live in the neighborhood). The food is delicious across the board. I generally get one of the specials of the day which are always innovative. Lots of small plates to share, plenty of vegetarian choices (our daughter is vegetarian) and the deserts are incredible. The staff are all personable and remember us from our past visits. Food comes out very quickly, the drinks not always as fast. The redesign of the floor plan helps facilitate server flow and the acoustic design keeps the noise level very reasonable even when the restaurant is full (which it usually is). What a great dining addition to the neighborhood and to DC. I know the Chef will be winning awards for his cooking!! read more

Service was great. Love the ambiance of the new decor. Chicken entree was exquisite. read more

The service and food was amazing! Our server Xavier was the best and we had chicken kebabs, lamb shank and lamacun and it was all perfect and amazing! Definitely worth the price read more

Namak - Kuzu Incik and Lahmacun - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Food was delicious with wonderful flavor Service was also fantastic and loved the Ambiance very well done inviting warm and comfortable and beautiful taste ! read more

We had Jaime as our server and she was INCREDIBLE! One of the best -- so sweet and made us feel so at home. The food was SO good and the decor was beautiful. Overall 10/10 experience. So happy to have it in the neighborhood!! read more

Namak - Beetroot labneh and sesame-crusted honey feta - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best food and service!! Very cozy place with good drinks and appetizers. I highly recommend it

Great service for a new spot. Everything we had was very Light and refreshing. The dips and mezze had unique flavors. loved the smoky and slightly sweet flavor of the eggplant dip to stand out from classic babaganoush. Cocktail was similar to my favorite espresso martini but with more aromatics read more

See all