Happy Hour review Amazing happy hour with a great selection of cocktails and small bites from 3-6pm. Service: the bartender lacked personality so I wouldn't call her service good. The host however, was very friendly and warm Ambiance: this place is beautiful and everything you'd love in a restaurant that has earned its Michelin place! We only came for a quick drink and bite because we had somewhere else to go but we will return for dinner. Drinks: I had the Turkish Raki Berry which was really refreshing. Think of a smoothie, non-smoothie, with liquor in it lol I loved it. My boyfriend really enjoyed his whiskey sour Bites: The falafels were delicious! Everything you'd want in a well seasoned falafel. Again, we came here for a quick drink and bite but couldn't help but notice the extensive dinner menu, all of which sparked our desire to visit soon. read more

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Heard this spot had received some recognition from Michelin, and while I was in DC, I went out of my way to give it a try. Unfortunately, I felt pretty let down. Stopped by on my way out from DC before heading to the airport. I got to try their ayran, lahmacun, baklava with ice cream. I will first say that the interior of the place is certainly beautiful, and the staff seems to be fairly nice as well. Bit formal. But, in terms of the food, I just wasn't that impressed. The lahmacun just lacked flavor. There was very little spice; in fact, for whatever reason, it almost tasted a bit sweet. The ayran was also a letdown. Usually, I love ayran, but this one just tasted like milk. At least it was served in a cool metal container. They served some complimentary bread too, which was nice, but even that seemed a bit industrial. For dessert, I got to try the baklava with ice cream. It's nothing to write home about, in full honesty. Bit dry, not much flavor. All in all, I was a bit disappointed. It s a gorgeous spot, but the food just fell a bit short for me. Maybe I'll come back to try some kebabs. read more

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Ottoman Taverna ended up being a great choice for a Saturday night with a larger group. It was not overly busy, which created a nice sense of calm and made it easy to settle in and enjoy the meal. We ordered a spread including the cold mezze sampler, cauliflower, moussaka, lamb shank, branzino, and the combination grill platter. The food across the board was strong with no real complaints. The cauliflower was the standout for me and easily my favorite dish of the night. The meat dishes were tender and full of flavor, and everything felt well prepared. If I were to go back, I would probably explore more of the hot mezze. The cold mezze sampler was good to have, but it did not feel particularly unique, so I could see skipping or rotating that out in favor of trying something different next time. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Ottoman Taverna - hummus and tzatziki - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I think it's just me but I'm not big on Turkish food. It's not bad, and I'd even say good, but not great! I realize this joint has a Michelin star. The only thing that did not say Michelin to me was the service. It was awfully slow. All in all though we got our food and enjoyed the experience, though all 4 who attended agreed we'd not come again. read more

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! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Yogurt - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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. read more

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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 read more

Ottoman Taverna - Bread - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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. read more

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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! read more

Ottoman Taverna - Beet and eggplant dip were amazing ! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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 ! read more

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Food is ok. Very expensive place. They charge 20% service charge already included in the bill and expect tip on top of that. My bill came very high for 5 people. Expensive food 20% service charge Tip Won't be going again. read more

Very, very good food. Service was odd - nice, but not friendly. On a week night, we were one of the only groups, which was odd for a convention day (though maybe not on a shutdown day). We were seated in a comfortable location, and the ambiance was nice. For a nicer meal in DC it was fairly reasonable on the pocketbook, and we left well fed - and certain our waiter felt put out by us, though we couldn't tell why. read more

My friend and I decided to try this place for lack of any other reason that we did not know where else to go on a Wednesday night. Ottoman Taverna is the type of restaurant that I feel like you see a lot of in DC - tapas style food that seems overpriced if you order a la carte, but if you order from their set menu then it seems like a good deal. My friend and I ended up doing the shared set menu, with each person choosing their own thing from each of the categories. For my main course I had the moussaka and my friend had a kebab thing. All the food was decent and reasonable for the price point (at least for DC). The moussaka was not the best I have ever had (and clearly was reheated), but it was not bad. Where the restaurant needs serious work is with the service and the overall presentation. Exhibit a) - the food menus (see photo) were wrinkled, and covered in food stains - they were disgusting. The other problem is the service - inattentive, arrogant, and frankly downright rude. When I got to the restaurant the host (who was also our server) was having an issue with another customer, and instead of seating us or getting another staff member to seat us, he made us wait - unnecessarily while they dealt with another customer's order issue. Throughout the meal, he made us feel rushed, was condescending about our meal choices, and ruined the experience. Also, the restaurant automatically adds 20% service charge so that may explain the flippant attitude of the staff. The restaurant atmosphere is what you would expect of this type of restaurant, and while it was not busy it also somehow seemed understaffed. If you get a booth seat, the seating is weird, instead of having two chairs facing the booth, the seating is designed in a way that you have to sit next to the person (almost like a date), awkward for chatting, I moved the chair so I could face my friend - but it really was a weird layout. Overall, while the food was not bad, and I could be convinced to go back - I wouldn't elect to go here again anytime soon. read more

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I've been meaning to come here in person ever since I ordered takeout from here years ago, and the experience was excellent. We got a cold mezzo platter, so got to experience all of their delicious dips. The bread was amazing, and it's on the house. We also got one of the kebabs, which was extremely flavorful. For dessert, we got both the rice pudding and the kunefeh. Both were good, but the kunefeh was my favorite. The service was also great and the ambience is excellent. read more

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I have only gone for brunch. But I've gone at least 6-7 times. The food quality is excellent. It's also abundant and healthy. It's a very nice place for most any occasion. What I don't understand is the cost and, mind you, I eat brunch at a lot of places. There are no items that are exotic or expensive to acquire. And there is a heavy (automatically added)"service" cost that they suggest isn't a tip. Then, on your credit card receipt they present the "additional tip" line. I recommend, with advisory notice... read more

Ottoman Taverna - The bill before the swipe. - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I can't understand how this place got Bib Gourmand recognition. It must have changed, or they must have served the Michelin inspectors a very different set of dishes. I came here for a large business dinner. We ordered the mezze dips, stuffed eggplant, and other small apps before the main courses. The bread - which should be a star at any true Turkish restaurant - was rock hard and served cold. Everything else was largely underwhelming. NOTHING tasted fresh ... not even the Fattoush salad. The tomatoes were mealy, the cucumbers slimey, and swimming in pomegranate dressing. The salmon was atrocious and tasted like it came out of a freezer. The vanilla ice cream was freezer burned, but they shaved some pistachios on it to cover it up.... And the Turkish coffee?????? Very poorly and improperly made. 1/2 of the glass was pure grounds. No crema ... Washington, D.C. has a bustling food scene. I'd defer to anywhere else. Ottoman Taverna misses the mark. read more

This place is lively and has amazing food for the price point. I would definitely come again. Everything savory I had was delicious. Only con I would say was the baklava was a little stale. Service was fantastic, servers always came around to check if we needed anything. read more

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This was my first visit and I'll go back for happy hour or bottomless brunch with a smaller group, but we had 10 people and service was a bit spotty. Most people liked the food a lot but I was disappointed with the vegetarian moussaka. Too many potatoes, too much sauce, an expectedly spicy. I heard the lamb and salmon were good as well as the potato patties. I wish I had researched raki before going too, raki is strong and with anise flavor and I wasn't a fan! The apple whiskey cocktail was better for my taste. Final note: gets loud during peak brunch time. read more

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The quality overall isn't what it used to be. We are usually sucking on the lamb bone to savor every last bit but the last two visit were underwhelming. Even the bread basket lost its appeappeal.. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great service. Perfectly portioned Red Lentil Soup and Greek Salad for lunch. Super fresh. Soup needed a splash of lemon juice and the salad some spice otherwise it's a 5. read more

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Stopped by for happy hour on Friday, which is only available if you sit at the bar. Our group had a few cocktails and shared a pitcher of sangria (the red is delicious-- not too sweet). There's cocktails ranged in HH prices ($11-$15) and the pitcher of sangria was $25, definitely a good price. We also shared a few appetizers, all of which were delicious! Truly though, if you have a chance to try out the brunch menu I would highly recommend it. In the past, I've had the brunch here and it is definitely hard to beat. The price is really reasonable and the amount of delicious food you get is unbeatable! There's plenty of seating at the bar and all around the restaurant. Staff are also very nice and accommodating! read more

Food: We ordered the platter (for 3) and it fed 4 people! So much meat and rice. Comes with bread as well. Everything was tasty and well cooked. Esp liked the chicken and beef. Service: We went around 6pm on a Friday. We made reservations and got seated quickly. Our food came out fast as well and servers were attentive. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Chef Meze Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It has been several years and my friend who was very critical of this place and I parted ways, so I've been meaning to try this place again. Came here on Thanksgiving for the four course meal with my dad, wife, and a friend and it was amazing. So go to try all sorts of different foods from Turkey and it tasted so amazing. The cocktails were great too as was the service. He lightly spilled our friend's cocktail and gave him an extra one for free which wasn't necessary but much appreciated. Ambiance is typical for DC but has some Turkish artwork. Looking forward to returning! read more

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1 star! Tried this place through Door Dash but won't ever order from here again. I had high hopes for the lamb dish. But it was a huge letdown. First of all, the food I received didn't match the description (i.e., no brussel sprouts were received). But even worse than that, the food itself was horrible. The lamb was way too salty and yet still was underseasoned. The pureed veggies were slimy and lacked taste. The roasted veggies were just "OK." The bread was hot but slightly undercooked and bland. The whole meal was like eating a "water sandwich" -- deeply tasteless and unsatisfying. I will never order from this place again! It was aggressively bad and a total waste of money! read more

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Lovely atmosphere and very tasty food! We enjoyed a spread with a bunch of their items. The salmon was especially delicious as was the rice pudding! Service was very friendly! read more

Ottoman Taverna - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Excellent food at Ottoman Taverna. Really loved the Adana Kebap, it was savory and spicy and delicious. The Beyti Kebap had a great sauce and was well seasoned. Good drinks and nice ambiance, not too loud. The service was a little unenthusiastic, we had to wait a considerable amount of time before we had a chance to flag down a waiter and ask for the check which kind of dragged our evening out. Our food did come out right away though, and again, was excellent. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Beyti kebap - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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

The food was ABSOLUTELY incredible! The lamb chops had to be the best I've ever had, and the authentic Adana Kebab was an absolute treat. From the appetizers to the dessert, the food was perfect. The food alone would garner 5 stars right off the bat. However, the service was subpar. The most unfortunate thing about a restaurant like this is the automatic 20% gratuity that is added, instead of allowing patrons to reward the service with what they feel is earned. I truly believe that the quality of service disintegrates over time when the restaurant automatically taxes a 20% fee to give to the servers, regardless of quality of service. This especially showed last night. Our server was hanging out on the side, in the restaurant, on her phone. She wasn't paying attention to any needed refills or even social queues. I had to get her attention by bothering two other servers. I am always happy to tip very well (more than the 20% forced gratuity) when the service garners it. However, the service was disappointing. Again, the food was top tier and incredibly flavorful. But, the service was subpar. read more

They have raki cocktails y'all! The ayran was in a nice glass but tasted like it was from a bottle (not homemade). The raki didn't taste like the one we asked for and it was premixed with water when it was served to us. We also had to ask for ice on the side. The table bread was nice (they add sesame seeds on top). The icle kofte was so-so to my preferences but more traditionally filled and cooked. The star of the meal was the Beyti Kebap. I would go back just for that dish alone. It was the perfect blend of ingredients in the perfect ratio. read more

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RIP OFF! This restaurant still charges a 20% service fee that does not go to staff so you have to tip staff 20% on top of that for them to even get a tip! Because it's fine print most people don't notice and they end up tipping 20% of the staff on top of the 20% service charge that's 40% tip on a meal! INSANE If you don't pay the extra tip to the staff, they don't even get tipped from that 20% service charge in the fine print. I will never go here again.!!! read more

Service was excellent. The place was packed for restaurant week. Nice place for a romantic dinner for two. Everything was delicious -- especially the hot mezze items and the mixed grill. the pita bread was not that great for some reason. It was a bit too hard and didn't taste fresh. read more

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Came here for a private event in the room immediately to the left. The room was nice and they were able to lower the music when we had our talks. Service was very good! There were small plates of dates on the table when we sat down and they served bread quickly. Bread was a bit dry. I liked how they served many so you didn't have to reach. The menu was set. We chose one appetizer and one main from each ctegory. My salad was ok- very mild. It needed some feta cheese. My grilled chicken was dry. I loved the baklava dessert! It was two pieces. read more

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Amazing lamb! Very juicy. Food is overall very authentic and nice. Good atmosphere and service. read more

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