I am not sure why people didn't give 5 stars? It is very nice and affordable place to eat in downtown with a good taste of food. I like the seating, choises of the good and sauces etc. It is the 3rd time I am eating here and feel full)). You can't go wrong by eating here. read more

I just started working in DC and was looking for a place to take my intern for lunch. We decided on Roti and it was the best decision ever. The falafel was so flavorful and the housemade pickles were the best accompaniment. I was skeptical about the raisins in the cous cous, but every flavor worked together. The hummus was to die for and the pita was warm and very fresh. read more

Roti - Falafel rice plate with hummus, cabbage slaw, cous cous, housemade pickles and onions, roasted red pepper sauce and cucumber dill sauce - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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When Roti first opened in DC, I was the biggest fan imaginable. I literally ate lunch at the Penn Ave location multiple times per week. The food was unique, fresh, tasty, and the portions were huge. Then, after they captured everyone's hearts and tastebuds, they started the Chipotle squeeze. Portion sizes dwindled, they no longer would give you double meat for free, and getting them to properly douse my entire meal in red pepper sauce suddenly was like pulling teeth. Frustrated and saddened, I stopped going to Roti. Then here comes Columbus Day, the holiday that only maybe 50% of DC actually gets off and yet 100% of the restaurants close (even Starbucks?!). Wandering around the post-apocalyptic emptiness of downtown and whining about the lack of food trucks, I stumbled into Roti because District Taco was tragically also closed. My rice plate was tiny, the roti chicken has lost its flavor, and even my favorite red pepper sauce tastes different and is no longer my favorite. Also, the new rice mixture is terrible. The only redeeming factors were the couscous and the eggplant, which at least still taste the same as I remembered. In a city full of delicious lunch options, I will not be returning to Roti. And next Columbus Day I'll remember to pack my own lunch. read more

This place is delicious. We ate there 2 days in a row while visiting. My daughter discovered Greeks food and now is her favorite thanks to Roti. read more

This place is a Mediterranean/ Greek food version of chipotle and it is DELICIOUS! I was in DC for work and was taken here by a coworker. Walk in- the place has a line to the door of customers, I would say at least 20 people in line... I figured it would take a while but it only took about 3-5 minutes to get to the front of the line and create my email. You get to choose between a sandwich, rice plate or salad. I opted for sandwich Next was choice of meat - I went for the chicken kabob After that was dips- I went with the tziki and hummus Following was toppings - tomato/cucumber mix, couscous, lettuce, grilled veggies, and more. After that my wrap was complete! It was so tasty. I wish they would open Roti in CA because I would be a return and repeat customer. They had downstairs and upstairs seating options. read more

I agree strongly with Adam M.'s review below. I loved the Roti at the other location and was super excited that one opened so close to my office. But I went today and was really disappointed with the portion size. It was MUCH smaller than the mediterranean bowl that I had at the other Roti. I finished it quickly and was even considering grabbing some items at the food court afterward because I was still hungry but didn't want to spend the money. For $8.50 I expect more food! The food that was there was good - I just wish there was more of it. I also wish the standard size came with 4-5 toppings instead of 3. There are a lot of toppings I like there. Its a shame because I really like the interior and the sitting space upstairs. The servers were also very friendly. But until they significantly increase the portion sizes I won't be spending money there again. read more

Although the taco place next store was packed, my guest and I opted to try Roti based on some of the Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed! We were able to get delicious dinner plates. My salmon was excellent, especially with the garlic sauce. My guest loved his chicken plate and declared that it might be the juiciest chicken that he had ever eaten. They don't skimp on the quality of ingredients and everything exceeded our expectations. The employees were helpful and made good recommendations for the items and beverages. I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often! read more

I attended the Private Preview Event 10/31/2011. Featured Chicken roti plate, israeli couscous, hummus, and rice with house made pita & lemonade! I was full and pleased! read more

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It's the Mediterranean version of Chipotle and it is so good! Super fresh, filling and flavorful. Ordered the chicken bowl with sides and added spicy and dill yogurt on top. read more

I REALLY want to like Roti. It is super convenient to my office and relatively healthy. But I just don't. Like everyone else has said, the price-to-portion size ratio is messed up. I've never been to another location so I don't know how it compares. But at other similar places, if I spend $8 on food, I get at least a meal. Usually some leftovers to snack on or heat up for dinner later. At Roti, I get a fairly unsatisfying lunch. And maybe I just haven't figured out "the right combo" yet, like I have at Chipotle and other make-it-yourself restaurants, but I don't find that the flavors of Roti's toppings go well together at all. The hummus and fresh pita is delicious, though. And the store's manager is as friendly as can be (I met him at the pre-opening event and he's regularly there during lunch). I'll be back, of course, because it's so close, but I never walk away HAPPY. read more

The Mediterranean version of chipotle is really what this is, good quality food that's quick, affordable and much healthier than most fast food places, and it's really good. I enjoyed my chicken kabob plate with hummus, tomato & cucumbers and coucous. It's got enough variety to want to try again, and you can sign up for reward points to get free food after the first visit. It's worth a try read more

Roti - Chicken kabob plate with couscous, rice pilaf,hummus and tomatoes and cucumbers - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love Roti, but this is their worst store that I have ever visited. I have gone to this location a few times and have had enough. The staff is very unfriendly. Today I went to pick up dinner and there was no one at the service counter for a good 5-7 mins. A guy was at the checkout counter on the phone. He didn't even acknowledge me. In general, no one ever smiles or greets you. I feel like they are doing me a favor by serving me. Completely unacceptable. Also, they keep skimping on the portions more and more every time. No wonder I was the only customer at the store today, while District taco right next door had a line going out of the door. read more

7:53 pm. In a city of great food options there have to be so many other great options to explore. The food here was inconsistent. Warm and freezing cold items. read more

If Chipotle had a Mediterranean cousin...his name would be Roti! Roti is one of those fast food places that (like Chipotle) tries really hard to not seem fast food-ish. And I appreciate that! Here, the prices are good, the line moves quickly, and the food tastes like, well, real food. And even though I definitely agree with the other yelpers that the portion size is a bit too small, I definitely get full if I eat slowly and clean my plate. Now I have to admit, I've been to Roti once before and wasn't particularly blown away by the place. Sure, it would be a nice change of pace from some of my other lunch spots downtown, but the truth is that my first order (which was the chicken roti plate with a side of roasted veggies and couscous) was just "ho-hum" and not particularly memorable. So I wasn't in a rush to come back anytime soon. And I didn't ever revisit the place. Until recently. I met a friend for lunch here the other day at her suggestion, I was all prepared to just order my same "blah" standby of a chicken roti meal and call it a day. But in a moment of pure genius, I decided to add a side order of falafel as well. And let's just say that those three glorious little pieces of seasoned chickpeas changed. my. life. No seriously! The falafel here is sooooooooooooooo good. Ridiculously good! In fact, I now think this place is worth visiting just for the falafel alone. In fact, I plan to go back this very week just to get another taste of that hot crispy goodness. And that means I will have visited Roti more times in the past week than I did in all of the past year. And if that's not a ringing endorsement I don't know what is! read more

Wanting to try District Taco, we were turned off by the line going out the door, so we opted instead for Roti, located right next door, with no line whatsoever. That was our first and most critical clue, that we should have just nut up and stood in line for some D-Tacos con cerveza guey. Now, I'm not a fan of Chipotle, because their menu and format gives me a fucking headache by requiring me to read all the different options, directions, variations, sides, sauces and other complicated bullshit in order to get a meal. It's like being given an algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus pop quiz all at once, before you can order any fucking food. I'm so hangry, I'm about to explode. In my opinion, Roti appears to be the "Mediterranean" version of Chipotle. This was critical clue number 2, which I also ignored instead of making like a cartoon character and leaving an outline of me running out the door, with a puff of smoke in my wake, the way the road runner smoked the coyote each and every time, as I learned at a very young age, to appreciate classical music. At any rate, we each order something different to share. I forgot what I ordered but after a few bites of it and all that fresh out of a can sauce poured on it, I decided I would reserve my digestive juices for dinner instead. Perhaps there might be a pigeon outside, munching on a leftover hot dog, that he wouldn't mind sharing with me. Somebody shared a grilled chicken something or other, which was actually decent. Let's just say that the next time I see a Roti, I will think of Chipotle and just walk the other way. Beep, beep! read more

So impressed by my meal at Roti Prices were very reasonable and there was great flavor to the sauces and the meat I had the lamb meatballs and they were amazing Will definitely frequently eat here read more

Roti Mediterranean Grill was founded about four years ago by two investors looking to create a healthy Mediterranean fast casual concept in Chicago. Today, they have locations throughout Illinois and also in Virginia, DC, Maryland, and New York. They've been in DC for about a year and a half, but I had never heard of them until now. Their marketing company contacted me to see if I would be interested in a complimentary meal and I happily obliged. The Roti located at 13th and F Streets looks like your typical downtown cafe with inside and outside seating. My friend and I met the Manager, Glen, and he walked us through the menu. It is a very simple concept and the menu is very easy to understand, which I really appreciate. You basically choose a sandwich, rice plate, or salad. Next, you choose falafel or roasted vegetables (vegan options). Then, you choose your toppings, sides, and sauces. I figured it would be easy to choose because there often aren't many vegan choices at this type of restaurant. Boy, was I wrong. There were TONS of vegan options. In fact, most of the menu is vegan! And the sides look incredibly fresh. I was so excited. So, I ordered a sandwich with the wheat laffa -- a flatbread. Based on Glen's recommendation, I chose the falafel over the roasted veggies. I know--I don't normally go for something that is deep-fried, but I wanted the full experience so I made an exception just this one time. Next, I chose my sauce. The S'hug, Tahini, and Rice Wine Vinaigrette are all vegan. I went with the spicy S'hug. Then for the sides, he told me I could have as many as I wanted in the wrap. Wow! And for no additional cost! So, I loaded it with hummus, tomato and cucumber salad, sumac onions, mixed greens, and kalamata olives. The wrap was pretty big and I immediately felt gluttonous when I bit in, but it was so darned good. This was a great wrap. The falafel, although fried in vegetable shortening, was not overly oily and was seasoned just right. The tomato and cucumber salad was made with ripe tomatoes and fresh parsley. The sumac onions were tangy and fresh. And the olives were just perfect. Best of all, was that S'hug sauce that really was spicy! Oh, and the hummus was super creamy and delicious. I also ordered sides of the vegetables, which were good, but a bit too oily, and the Israeli couscous with scallions and currants. I loved the couscous. In fact, the only sides and toppings that weren't vegan were the eggplant and feta cheese. You can find a full list of their vegan friendly options under the Nutrition - Allergen Information section on their website. My friend ordered a huge plate of sides including the cabbage. Her meal looked amazing. The best part is that the sandwich is only $7 and the unlimited salad plate is only $8. I don't think you can beat this price for high quality, quick food anywhere else in DC. I mean the falafel is 100% organic, though I don't know about any of the other sides; almost everything including the bread is made in house; and the sides are made with 100% olive oil. They say it is food that loves you back. Well, I love this food. And I now have a new favorite quick lunch spot downtown. read more

I went here during the height of lunch hour... Oh boy!! This place was packed to the MAX, it reminded me of Chipotle (only Roti Grill doesn't skimp on their toppings lolol). At any rate, the line moved very fast so it didn't really matter. One must guess that it was so many people there because the food is JUST that delicious. *nom nom* I ordered the felafel pocket with most of the toppings. Can we say fresh fresh fresh? The staff was pretty nice (with the exception of one cashier... rude gal). I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and I will be going back there again! The reason I didn't give this place 5 stars is because of the seating. The chairs and table are too close to each other. I had to do act like I was in a maze to get to my seat, get a drink, leave etc. :/ read more

A great place for a quick lunch. If you've visited Chipotle you know how this place works. You pick a sandwich or "plate" and get your choice of meats and vegetables, sauces, etc. I tried the chicken plate and was very impressed. It comes with 2 vegetables, hummus, and a large piece of pita bread. This place can be a little crowded so get there early, but District Taco seems to have thinned the crowd here a little. read more

My favorite place for lunch in DC now!! It's like a Mediterranean Chipotle with healthier ingredients and fresh meats!!! I loved their steak platter- their steak was freshly grilled, charred on the outside and softly medium on the inside. Everything was good here, including the Spanish eggplant, cous cous, and tomato and cucumber. And they give you a piping hot pita to go with everything! read more

Two colleagues and I had the spicy lamb meatballs on rice with a variety of fixings, as you can see. The fun part about this place is you can make your own meal in so many different ways. I had the red cabbage, Cous-Cous and pickles on the side, among other things. The upper level area is a nice place to eat away from all the people traffic. read more

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Being dubbed "The Mediterranean Chipotle" certainly isn't a bad thing in my opinion. Roti lives up to its nickname by delivering a quality product packed with flavor at a low price. Everything is fresh and the assembly line service gets you in and out quickly, even with a long lunch time line. The chicken roti is outstanding and the steak is a close second. The "Saltan" is their original house sandwich and its huge! I do wish they had more consistency in their portions. I usually get a salad or the rice plate sanz the rice. It seems like everyone gets a different portion/scoop and there is no rhyme or reason to it from what I can tell. You just have to cross your fingers and hope today is your day for a big scoop of chicken roti instead of carrots. Sometimes I have wanted to ask the person in front of me or behind me to give me the extra half scoop of chickens roti that they know rightfully belongs to me... Haha. Gravity is the enemy at Roti... Grabbing chunks of deliciously seasoned protein from the ladle as it rises to your plate... only to be distributed to the next customer who is probably texting and. hasn't even noticed their gift from the chicken gods and certainly isn't going to thank those that sacrificed for them. Hahah I guess that's taking it too far, but the chicken is addictive so you might start to take your scoops seriously too! read more

Roti - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am giving this place a 5 star because the food was really good. There were two employees behind the counter when we entered. One female one male. It was an hour and a half to closing time so they didn't want to make anymore food so our only option was chicken. The female seemed to be annoyed when we asked questions about the food. The male employee was nice and had great conversation. read more

Super tasty if you like Middle Eastern food. It's kinda like a Mediterranean Chipotle, if that makes sense. You walk along a line of meats and starches and sides and pick what you want. Lunch line was long, but that's a good sign. It moved pretty fast. The staff is moving fast too but if you ask questions they are helpful and professional. For gluten free people like myself, they not only tell you what's GF right on the menu, their servers know the whole routine of wiping everything down and changing out their gloves before prepping your meal. I'm sure there are a few ways some cross contamination could creep in, but I had zero issues with my lunch when I visited. I can still remember the punchy, flavorful meal and I will definitely return soon. read more

Great place for lunch - or a quick dinner before a show. Looking for a place to eat well before a weekday show? Roti has a simple mix-and-match menu, tasty food, very healthy food, friendly service, and is just a block or two from the downtown venues such as the Warner, the National or Ford's. read more

I've only been to Roti a few times and each time the experience has gotten progressively worse. At first I was impressed with the amount of food but that started to go away. So what used to be a decent sized meal is now an overpriced snack. Don't get salad-it's skimpy and not worth the price. You'll be hungry soon after. *WARNING* Veggies are cold. In fact, the only hot foods are the meats, and felafel and everything else is frigid. So, you get hot chicken only to be eating it with cold side dishes. Last time I went to Roti, the person serving the bread was doing so without gloves...(0_0) read more

The food I would give 5 stars if I would give more if I would. However, the bathroom situation was not pleasant, something was broken and there was water on the floor on the highway with an unpleasant smell. Also, there was only one bathroom for both women and men to use, which made things a little awkward and dirty. read more

Exactly what I was looking for! The food was great, the portion sizes right the service above par. Above all the prices were just right. Definitely looking forward to repeat business. Pro tip - try the drinks, they were better than expected read more

How can you kick out customers who has paid for their food and still eating because a big party came in? That's BS.

This place is very good. Sort of like a Mediterranean Chipotle. Pick your base (rice, wrap, salad, etc..) and pick your protein (chicken, steak, falafel, etc...). After that, you can load up on whatever toppings and sauces you like. I've been here a few times already; service has been efficient and the food consistently good. Perfect lunch spot. read more

The food is decent. Sometimes I feel rushed thru the line and other times the employees have time to say hello (conversation isn't the reason I visit). Parking is a challenge but if you are already downtown, it is worth a visit. Cheers to the 43nsjfhidi ehskf falafel (sorry had to wipe away the drool while typing). You can stand aside and wait for fresh yxdidshd hhhifheitis falafel (more drool). The salads are my favorite. You can load as many veggies as you want. Shout out to the olives and dressings. In a word falafel. read more

How the hell are you close before 5:30 pm and doors locked when say close at 6 pm?! Not coming back plenty of places to eat inDC.

We had lunch here while on vacation to DC. While the food was good, the service was HORRIBLE!! I will not ever come back because of the service. All of the employees were very rude. We were the only people in line yet had to wait forever for them and they had such bad attitudes. Was very disappointed in my experience here. read more

This is my second time at Roti and both times I thought it was A-OK Today I was starving so I ordered the double chicken kabob plate because I was hungry and I thought it involved the least amount of decision making because the menu listed what it came with. I go down the line and am asked what kind of sauce I want, I answered and it wasn't heard so the next person asked again and I replied again. I also was told, "two sides". What?! I thought I didn't have to think about this! Fine then, I still want what the menu says which is mixed greens and the tomato & cucumber salad. The entire plate was the two sides, two kabobs, rice and warm pita bread. If you want a lot of food and want the option for it to be healthy, then go with this option for sure! The chicken was tasty. It was flavorful, juicy and warm. The yogurt sauce was good, the rice was ok and the greens were crisp and the tomato cucumber salad wasn't bad at all. The pita was nice, but it tasted heavier than normal pita. Everything was good, but it wasn't outstanding and that's fine since it's a fast-food chain. Let's break it down now, The Food: It was A-OK. Not outstanding, not bad either. It's a nice change from other fast-foods. The Value: I think it was a good value. I got a lot of food for under $10 The Experience: It was fine. The staff is friendly, they are very rushed feeling though and it's nice that they come get your tray when you're finished. Would I return?: Sure. 3 stars?: It was A-OK! read more

Stopped in here for a quick, easy and cheap lunch while on the go in DC. First piece of advice avoid their lemon something soup... Its sour mix and butter in a cup. I did get their Mediterranean salad with the chicken kabob and it was solid. Their pita breads are good too and I go one to go to eat for breakfast the next day since I was traveling. read more

Great food. 6:36 pm. Ordered a falafel plate with hummus, salads and rice. $8. They only gave me 4 falafel balls and they were rather small, which was a disappointment. The food was otherwise on point: fresh, well prepared. The falafel was crispy on the outside. The hummus was good. If you're looking for a quick and affordable vegetarian option or whole food diet option, this is a good pick. read more

Roti - Modern restaurant delivers a fairly traditional, predictable middle eastern product. - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Not a very good experience. The person who took our order didn't seem very thrilled that he had to put his phone away to help us...no one working there was very friendly at all. period. The chicken and rice was okay, the steak was pretty gross (very very rare). On a positive side, the hummus was good and the pita bread was very good. Just come here for bad service, hummus and pita, and you'll be alright. lol. Although there are probably a lot better choices out there. read more

Roti - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 stars. This is basically a Mediterranean version of Chipotle--except it's right by my office, so earns major plus points! I'm a fan of Roti--I have my regular "go to" dish--chicken roti plate, with cous cous instead of rice, dill/cucumber sauce, hummus, tomato/cucumber salad, and eggplant. It's something like $8.50 for a perfect lunch portion (for me anyways), which is a bit more pricey than I'd like, but comparable to food in this area. Stay away from the roasted veggies--they're not very good. I'm also not a huge fan of their rice (which is why I switch to cous cous), or tahini (it's a tad too thick for my taste). I love their falafel, but unfortunately, I find $2 for 3 tiny falafel to be not-quite-justifiable :( If you're like me, and don't mind "earning" those falafel, though, check in on Foursquare--you'll get a free side order of falafel for every 3 check-ins :) (Yelp, get on that!!!) Also, be sure to sign up for rewards! I think it's $5 off for every $50 spent. I just hope you don't have the same stupid habit of leaving my card in the office ^^" read more

My office order lunch for a monthly staff meeting and were shocked when we saw what we got. An entire meal was missing, the meals we did get were mislabeled and none of the meals had any pita with it. It is unfortunate that this location can't provide large groups of meals that are as good as when you order them individually. Because of this I regret to say we will no longer be ordering Roti for ANY of our office meetings. read more

So after coming here a couple of times a week, I have figured out my routine. I used to always get the roti chicken rice plate, but I've realized it is just too much food for me. Instead, the sultan sandwich basically has all the same things without the rice! Less carbs but same content! It is still a huge sandwich but slightly cheaper, so I am happy with my routine. I always get the iced tea and mix it between the green tea and unsweetened tea as I find the green tea really sweet. The chicken roti is the only meat I've ever gotten there, then the eggplant salad, couscous, and the tomato/cucumber salad. They always ask you if you want hummus first for some odd reason. I always say no to hummus and get the other 3 sides. For the sauce, I take the cucumber dressing. Also, free wifi is great there. I can get on my tablet if my phone dies, which has happened before. read more