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    Sababa

    4.2 (378 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Sababa Reservations

    Order Sababa Takeout or Delivery

    Sababa Photos

    SABABA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
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    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Sababa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Grilled Broccoli
    Cassie M.

    Everything was fresh, delicious, & flavorful!! The fried cauliflower was such an interesting combination with the golden raisins, & tahini. The braised lamb shank was cooked to perfection, & fell right off the bone. The Israeli couscous was also cooked perfectly, & the flavors danced in your mouth. I'd never had Mahalabia before but it was like a gourmet chocolate pudding. Very tasty! The service was quick, they did a great job keeping up with water refills, which as someone who is always thirsty at dinner, I appreciate it. The restaurant was very lively, and had good vibes! Pricey but worth a stop at least once!

    Charred Eggplant.... this was delicious
    Greta S.

    We went to dinner at 630 on a Wednesday. The place was filling up. It was bustling but you could still have an easy conversation. Our group consisted of me, my husband and my brother-in-law. We began with cocktails... I had the Smoked Fig Manhattan and richard had the Cradle of Civilization ". Mine was served with a lid on... which they removed... and the smoke inside was let loose (lol). Nice presentation. For starters, we ordered the Salatim. A great way to taste 5 different dips with the pita bread served. We also tasted the hummus of the day, which was served with arugula pesto. Quite nice combo. Then we ordered Israeli salad, charred eggplant and sweet potato falafel. My favorites were the eggplant and sweet potato falafel!!! Tom has the butterscotch dessert... it was too sweet for me... not like a butterscotch pudding... more a whipped texture. Coletta, maître d', came by several times throughout our meal checking on us. It was a wonderful night!

    Honeynut Squash Falafel
    Nams S.

    Salatim, Roasted Halloumi, and the seasonal falafel remain favorites. So does the charred eggplant. The use of labne as the base in the falafel and eggplant adds to the dish without overwhelming it with dairy. The latkes on the Hanukkah menu are the thicker in the middle variety but texture was perfect. Please bring the Chocolate Tahini Caramel Tart back on the dessert menu. Glad to have Simone as the server again, he knows his art.

    Maxine J.

    EVERYTHING was AMAZING. From making my reservation with Michael to the PERFECT service provided by Youseff and his team. The restaurant is stunning, so much class and ambience packed in such a quaint environment. There was not one single complaint from our group of 14 (celebrating our Matriarch's 76th birthday). The food was delicious, presentation impressive, and portions hearty. The drinks (Fig Manhattan, Zhug Margarita, Prosecco, Pomegranate Fizz, etc.) were noteworthy. We sampled just about everything and, as impossible as this is to believe, we would absolutely eat everything again and again. As I'm writing this ... I want some more hummus, lamb shank and lamb kabab, and another pomegranate fizz, and glass of Chardonnay (Le Petite Silex Sancerre). However, next time I will NOT be buying bottles of the Chardonnay ... spent almost $200 on just that! *Sigh* BTW: That's not a complaint ... just a lesson learned. Please put Sababa/The Little Blackbird (sister restaurant) on your bucket list and try EVERYTHING ... the Israeli salad, fried cauliflower, all the meats I mentioned above, Brussel sprouts, chopped chicken liver, falafel, etc, etc. Yeah, we were absolute gluttons but remember, we listen and we don't judge. Definitely want to return to eat upstairs and/or on the deck. Hoping you make it there as well. When you do, tell them you saw it in Yelp.

    Maria-Elena T.

    A friend ordered out the Brussels sprouts! They were incredible!! So much flavor and the sauce and dried cranberries really added to it. The pita had a lot of flavor but needed to be warmed up. Now I want to go there and try more things!!!

    TG Salatim
    Maggie M.

    I'm always on the lookout for great middle eastern food and this place did not disappoint! The decor is very chic but casual. We got the salatim- every dip was delicious, but especially the Brussel sprout baba ganoush. We also got the beef kofta kebabs and the lamb shank - the lamb fell right off the bone, it was so good! And the service was very fast. I definitely plan on coming back here.

    Rooftop
    Tonia K.

    Came in for a business lunch (private area reserved) and it was lovely. The restaurant team tending to our group was efficient and polite, explaining dishes (and pronunciation, lol). We had a set menu to accommodate vegans/vegetarians and other dietary restrictions. There was good variety and everyone seemed to enjoy. Lovely dining room and rooftop set the ambiance. Sorry for the photos in low lighting- not my finest visual work, I know. Lol. Hope this still helps!

    Whiskey cocktail - varies day to day, happy hour
    Victoria M.

    I have been to this restaurant once before and had such a delicious meal and a wonderful time. I decided to pop in prior to zoo lights. I hadn't been for about a year or two, so decided to see how things compared to my last visit. I sat at the bar and was pleasantly surprised to see that they had a happy hour. I ended up getting a whiskey cocktail, the happy hour spicy/chili, broccoli, and the salmon kebab. Everything was delicious, but my absolute favorite was the broccoli. The cool hummus below it mixed with the spicy flavors and the chili just absolutely blew me away. The whiskey cocktail as well was just perfectly made. And while the salmon was cooked well, I can't say that I truly enjoyed it. The sauce on it just really didn't do it for me. It was somewhat sweet and I just really didn't enjoy it. I was sad to see that the prior white fish that they used to have wasn't there anymore. Maybe next time I visit I will see it on the menu! The bartender was frequently checking up on me, and the service was spectacular by the other members of the service team. Despite the restaurant being semi full, I constantly felt like I was being checked on. I never had an empty glass, and I never had an empty plate in front of me. Sufficed to say, this place is still providing amazing food and great service. Overall, I had a wonderful time. I really love walking into this restaurant. It has a very cool and cozy vibe. I wouldn't say it's too dimly lit, but it provides a somewhat darker lighting. That really allows you to relax and enjoy your company and your food/drinks. I will definitely be returning and highly recommend this restaurant.

    Baklava
    Elizabeth M.

    we had a lovely double date and the desserts are probably the best I ever had in DC for me. However we felt like the plate portion sizing could have been more clear. The beef kofta was delicious, well-seasoned and flavorful but we didn't feel like it was shareable sizing for a table of 4, and the staff didn't really say what's the recommended number of plates for a party of 4. The pomegranate mocktail was amazing. Overall we would return!

    Amy B.

    Sababa is a classy restaurant that is a little dark inside, so it'd be perfect for a special occasion, birthday dinner, or date. It's probably the nicest Israeli restaurant in the DMV, and even so, the prices are still reasonable. Sababa offers a menu with plenty of vegetarian options and will not leave anyone disappointed. Everything was delicious and fresh. Of course, the hummus and pita were fantastic. Service was very good. I'll be back!

    Eggplant
    Michelle L.

    Wonderful service, delicious food and a pretty restaurant. We ordered four small plates and one large for a group of three and it was plenty. Everything had wonderful flavors.

    salmon benedict
    Sonya H.

    A delightful Mediterranean spot up in Cleveland Park, serving up incredibly flavorful dishes for brunch and dinner! I came to Sababa for a Sunday brunch with an old college friend. We arrived right when they opened at 11 AM and they were already quite packed, so I would definitely recommend making a reservation unless you want a 30+ min wait. However, even with how busy they were, the staff was incredibly friendly and the service was efficient and attentive. Our server kindly walked us through the menu and recommended we order a couple of things to split, in true Mediterranean tapas fashion. My friend and I were, tragically, not super hungry so we went against our server's advice and each got an eggs benedict on latkes; mine came with smoked salmon, and hers with lamb. The benedicts were enormous, probably 2-3x the size of a normal benedict on an English muffin. And it was delicious -- the latke was nice and crispy, and was a good, hearty base for the smoked salmon and perfectly poached egg. The egg yolk and hollandaise mixed into the most delightful rich, creamy sauce, and they topped the whole thing with capers, fresh dill, and pickled red onions to help cut through the heaviness of it all. As delicious as it was, I definitely started to feel a bit of flavor fatigue after about half of the dish; the latke was a bit too heavy to make it your entire meal, but that's also why the server recommended we try a bunch of different things to share (so it was really our fault for disregarding his words). I'll have to come back with a larger group (or just hungrier) to try a bunch of different dishes! I'd also love to come back for dinner -- the dinner menu seems absolutely incredible, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about their hummus. tl;dr -- great food, great vibes, and great service. And listen to your server when they tell you the best way to order...they really do know what they're talking about.

    Lamb benedict
    Lauren F.

    I've been to Sababa twice now: once for dinner a while back and once for brunch. The dinner was a great experience. We got the spread/salad sampler, which was delicious and served with fluffy pitas, as well as two kebabs. The salmon I particular was great. It was enough to have leftovers the next day even with 2 people. The only underwhelming part was the dessert, but overall I thought it was great. Unfortunately, but probably not unsurprisingly given how different brunches can be, that wasn't true for my last visit. The service was just as excellent as the first time, but the lamb was under-seasoned and even the harissa seemed bland. I liked the Hollandaise sauce, but as a whole the lamb benedict dish just didn't taste very good, and that really should have been a home run of a flavor combo. I would recommend them as a dinner spot, but I think the brunch menu just probably doesn't get the same love. 2 for brunch, 4 for dinner, so 3.5 if I could rate it that overall for good service but two very different food experiences!

    Pita bread

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Excellent as usual. We try to eat here every season to try the updated menu. The dips platter is a favorite & home made pita is the best.

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    Sara P.

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    Sara P.

    Timothy, Thank you for the kind words! We hope to see you soon!

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    Donna, we are so grateful for you feedback! Thank you so much!!

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    Sababa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sababa

    I believe all meats will be kosher here?

    This restaurant is not kosher. But, it's very good and has plenty of fish and vegetable choices.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    I recently had brunch at The Pembroke, located inside the Dupont Circle Hotel, and it was such a…read morelovely experience. Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful staff, and delicious food -- definitely a spot worth putting on your brunch list. My date made the reservation for us, which turned out to be a very good idea because the restaurant was hopping! Definitely recommend making one ahead of time. We were both in the mood for a cocktail, but decided to explore the mocktail drink menu. He initially considered going with another coffee since it was still early, but ultimately went with an espresso martini. I tried the French 86, and both were great choices. The espresso martini was smooth and well made, while the French 86 was beautifully fruit-forward. And I have to give my date credit -- a man who isn't afraid to try my fruity cocktail! For food, we decided to share the avocado toast to start and added an egg, asking for it to be cooked a little more rather than very runny. We were glad we did because the toast was loaded with greens! It was definitely a little messy to eat, but in the fun, "this is actually delicious" kind of way. Nothing embarrassing... thankfully. He ordered the chicken and waffles, which he completely demolished. The sweet-and-savory combination was a big hit. I went with the French omelette, and it was delicious -- rich, flavorful, and surprisingly filling. I could only manage about half of it along with the salad! Overall, a wonderful brunch experience. The atmosphere is beautiful, the service was attentive, and there were so many tempting dishes coming out of the kitchen that we kept noticing things we wanted to try. I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu.

    I think I found my new favorite DC brunch spot (that doesn't feature a DJ). The Pembroke has been…read moreon my list of places to try for awhileee and I was finally able to stop in with friends (8 of us) for a Saturday brunch after one of my yogalates classes. We sat towards the back of the restaurant in one of the circular booths. Love this setup so much because it's perfect for people watching. The interior of the space is really vibrant with a lot of natural lighting coming in and the cute furniture. You almost feel like you've been transported to France or something. While dining here I was able to try their, +cinnamon roll (it's HUGEEEE, def a shareable- 8/10) + passion fruit cocktail (7.5/10) + breakfast sandwich (10/10 - I was surprised by how much I loved it) + pancakes (8/10) + kale salad (7.5/10) I didn't get to try the salmon benedict but it looks delicious. The service was spectacular. Our waiter was extremely attentive and even the manager popped over to introduce himself and make sure that we had everything we needed. I loveeeeeed my time here and will definitely be back to try more items on the menu. Thanks so much Pembroke team :)

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    Tabard Inn Restaurant - Fried chicken sandwich with za'atar buttermilk and apple slaw with perfectly cooked herb fries

    Tabard Inn Restaurant

    4.0(1.9k reviews)
    2.0 miDupont Circle, Downtown
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    Tabard Inn: inside

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    Duke's Grocery - The Proper Burger - fully loaded with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Smashed Avocado and Runny Egg!

    Duke's Grocery

    3.9(440 reviews)
    2.4 miFoggy Bottom
    $$

    On the hunt for the best Burger in DC. Not only was it the best in DC, it's the best I've ever had…read moreand I've travelled to all 50 States. Walked in and seated at the bar right away. Novice was the bartender and recommended the Proper burger. I added my typical fries and a Diet Coke. The burger came out quickly. Right off the bat, it's visually amazing. A properly stacked Burger is hard to find. The 2 best things about this burger are 1. The taste , and 2. The form of the burger. The taste is absolutely fantastic. The Gouda paired perfectly with the red onions and the perfectly cooked, juicy beef patties. The aioli was just enough and not overbearing, like looking at a painting of a castle and noticing the subtle blurred background of misty forest. The arugula added another layer of flavor that helped kick this burger into the highest echelons of Burger superiority. And of course, the brioche bun was perfect for this style of burger. It kept its shape while I gently smushed it down in my hands. The entire burger kept its shape and didn't fall apart like some other Burgers will. As I sank my teeth into the first bite, the first thing I noticed was all the flavors blending together. Each bite afterwards just added to my mystified and puzzled bewilderment. The texture was moist and soft. As I chewed and swallowed each morsel, I began to think to myself, is this it? Is my search over? Is this the BEST burger in the country? Never had I tasted such a wonderful burger! (Sorry In-N-Out 2x1, raw onions, chopped chilis, toasted bun, you are no longer on the top of my list). As I neared completion of my newly discovered epitome of gluttonous desires, a feeling of sadness started to take over. I would be done with the burger in a few more bites, and with that, my journey would conclude. I sat there, staring at what would be my final bite. The last bit of pleasure in between my slender fingers, still dripping with the juices God had placed there after it was grilled to perfection in the Kitchen. I placed the final delectable piece into my mouth. I spent what felt like an eternity chewing this treasure before finally gulping down the goblet of wonder. What came after was a feeling of pure bliss. I had finally done it. All the years, all the time dedicated to finding the best Burger ever, is complete. I called my wife and told her "Honey, it's time. I'm coming home." The fries were ok.

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    Bar and High Top Tables. Great for cocktails and Happy Hour.

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    Sababa - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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