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    Ottoman Taverna

    4.2 (896 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Ottoman Taverna Takeout or Delivery

    Ottoman Taverna Photos

    OTTOMAN TAVERNA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ottoman Taverna

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    Nigel M.

    Ottoman Taverna is a cool spot for a quick happy hour. While waiting for friends, we stopped in for drinks; I had a well-crafted whiskey sour, and my companion enjoyed a refreshing Turkish Raki berry with a lovely presentation. I also ordered some falafels from the happy hour menu, which were delicious-crispy and well-seasoned. The only knock was that the bartender needed a bit more personality.

    hummus and tzatziki
    Carly S.

    I've heard a lot of good things about Ottoman Taverna, so a friend and I decided to give it a try for dinner. Overall, it's a solid spot for Mediterranean food, but there are definitely some trade-offs. We both started with martinis, which we enjoyed, and opted for the "A Trip to Turkey" set menu, which felt like a good value and let us try a variety of dishes. We shared everything. To start, the tzatziki and hummus were both fresh and flavorful. The sigara böreği and falafel were also very tasty and well-prepared. For mains, we split the salmon, which was fine but nothing memorable, and the Adana kebap, which was the standout--really well-seasoned and delicious. Dessert was a bit of a letdown. The tahini tiramisu and baklava were just okay and didn't quite live up to the rest of the meal. The biggest downside was the overall experience. The space is huge and very brightly lit, which takes away from the ambiance--it doesn't feel particularly warm or inviting. Service was also inconsistent. We were moved three times throughout the meal, and everything took quite a while to come out. That said, our server was on her first shift and genuinely did a great job under the circumstances. One thing to note: there's an automatic 20% service charge added to the bill, and it's not a tip. All in all, Ottoman Taverna is a decent choice with some strong dishes, but given the options, I'd be more inclined to return to Rumi's Kitchen or Zaytinya.

    Hummus
    Kim T.

    On a trip to Washington DC, we decided to eat at a Turkish restaurant. It seems to be family run- but I didn't ask. It's a very large dining room with comfortable seating for small groups and large groups as well as a beautiful bar. Can I tell you I had the best Old Fashioned I e had in my thirty plus years of drinking it? The staff who made my drink and sat us and took our order -which is why I think it's family run- said he was told it was too sweet because he bought a brown sugar infused bourbon but he also used cinnamon which set it off! I will always dream about that drink. Anyway, we decided on the fresh hummus with to die for fresh hot fragrant pita- and we also got halloumi cheese they made with tomato that was sooooo good!!! I'll think about that dish forever! We then shared all the meats! See the name under the photo. Don't sleep on this restaurant. We did t want to leave!

    Baklava
    Jimmy S.

    This place is great for Turkish food. We got the lunch specials with an appetizer, main entree and dessert. We got the pembe sultan, which was a very rich good beet mixture. The muhammara red pepper spread was also excellent along with the fresh hummus. I ended up with getting the Adana kebap. The beef was very tender and delicious and seasoned very well. It went very well with the pilav and carrot red cabbage slaw. Overall the flavors were excellent. The staff was very nice and attentive to us. The space is very beautiful and can be partitioned for private parties or intimate dinners. Highly recommend.

    Yogurt
    Leese H.

    Ottoman Taverna has always been on my radar and when restaurant week presented itself this past August, we finally went with some friends to try it out. While I understand that restaurant week gave us a taste of what the restaurant has to offer, I felt that the food was mediocre and I wouldn't necessarily come back unless someone asked me to meet up there. I ordered the beyti kebap as my main and a yogurt for dessert. The wrapping around the kebap was a bit too heavy, which distracted me from the actual taste of the meat. The food tasted simple, and the plating felt cheap. In terms of ambiance - the restaurant is very airy, spacious, and welcoming. Friends also felt the same way about their food and restaurant atmosphere.

    Samuel K.

    One of the best meals I've had in DC. Not sure why people feel otherwise. The flavor profile was amazing and the portions were perfect. A little bit expensive but that was to be expected. The Adana Kebap tasted wonderful, perfectly cooked. Also service was great. No complaints besides price and what can I do about that in this economy.

    Bread
    Mark H.

    A short walk from my hotel. A variety of Turkish and Middle Eastern dishes. Good selection of non-alcoholic drinks. Enjoyed the Mocktail Mule and Lamb Shank

    Adana Kebap
    Ileene L.

    Love the ambiance of the restaurant. Cosy and comfortable seats. Food was excellent. The only thing I have taken a star off was because of the service. It took a long time for them to serve the next course meal. We waited a while for every course and for the bill. Other than these it was an excellent night to celebrate with friends. Prices were reasonable.

    Beet and eggplant dip were amazing !
    Jose A.

    The food was amazing I had the beet dip and also the vegetarian moussaka and they were both delicious and also their baklava and I loved it! Top it off with some Turkish tea! Our waitress Burte was great and her service was outstanding, she recommended me and my friend some dishes and we appreciated her and the staff being so nice as we got there late. Loved the ambience of the place and their decor . I will definetely come back to this place!

    grape leaves
    Zack B.

    4.5 stars. Definitely a recommended place. Heads up: 20% service fee is included and they say you can tip on top of that, optionally, if you want to. Service: attentive and lovely. Ambiance: Lovely and quaint. Feels upscale, but you can roll up in a nicer t-shirt and jeans, or like 'casual friday' attire and be fine. Food: Everything is incredibly well spice and flavorful. both of us and our friend (I didnt get a photo of his main) really liked what we got. I wanted a slight bigger portion of mine, like 1-2 more pieces of chicken, but maybe that's because i'm greedy. Maybe I just eat too fast. but, given all the bread etc. i'd had it was a great main. The grape leaves were lovely.

    Baklava and tiramisu
    Mary C.

    My husband and I came here for restaurant week 2025. The food is very authentic and flavorful. We loved the falafel and beef kabob the best. They are offering a free $25 gift card on their website too so you can use that alongside the restaurant week menu. My only complaint was the service. I had to flag the server down multiple times and my husband sat with an empty drink the entire time until I asked the server for another. The restaurant places an automatic 20% service fee which explicitly says it's not a tip. I dine in all the major US cities and I've never seen something like this as it's usually 3%-11%. My personal opinion if you place a 20% service fee that should be the automatic gratuity. Regardless this place has great Turkish food.

    Mike R.

    Love the motifs and the dining ambiance. Beautiful, welcoming, well lit space with lots a color. Persian rugs on the wall. I think I liked the space better than the food. Service was warm and attentive. The area is definitely challenged for parking so be mindful. Work colleague and myself wanted some Turkish food so we checked this place out. I had the lamb shank and he had the rib chops. Some apps and a couple of drinks later and the bill was $170. The red lentil soup was very lovely. I wasn't expecting to legumes to be pureed. That was a nice touch and the soup was super duper flavorful and well seasoned. That might have been the star of the show for me. The lamb shank was tender and flavorful. The rib chops were overcooked, yet still flavorful. That was his fault because he didn't specify the proper cook temperature. 20% service fee and $30 tip. I didn't feel $200 worth of enjoyment. That's DC dining for you these days in general. *shrugs* The experience was okay, nothing fantastic though. I guess I was just left with kind of a "meh" feeling overall for the money. I might come back for a drink in the future, who knows.

    Brunch menu
    Mila F.

    Came for brunch on a Saturday, and it was okay. It says bottomless 45 per person but then there's gratuity included so it comes up to like 60. Large beautiful restaurant, good for large groups but the bathroom is Really dark. I don't know if it's for ambience but I can't see if there's something in my teeth or not lol Service was good, for brunch they just bring one of everything. They are fast to clean up as well! I may be biased but there was only so much styles of hummus I could enjoy and would probably opt to order a couple select small plates myself next time. The bottomless mimosa is a good deal !

    Menu

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    Food is good. Service is crap. They tried to fix the bad service after we complained. Too late.

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    Ottoman Taverna Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ottoman Taverna

    Is this restaurant wheelchair accessible? It looks like there are stairs at the entrance. Is there another entrance that will work for wheelchair users? Thank you!

    Yes it is accessible, we have a lift for wheelchairs.

    Is the food halal?

    Yes

    Bottomless Brunch for $39.50 but no Turkish dessert included?

    There is, is actually the yogurt strawberry parfait 😋 so tasty, I highly recommend.

    Hi there! Last time I was there, I noticed a different time for happy hour on weekdays. What time does it end on Mondays?

    There is happy hour every day from 3pm to 6pm.

    Are there any halal options here?

    Yes All foods are helal in menu

    View All 8 Questions

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