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I went with a friend to try the restaurant week lunch menu. The good: I loved the flavor of the shrimp for the third course, the scallops (non restaurant week dish) , the falafel, and the garlic sauce from the chicken dish of the third course. The restaurant is pretty and spacious. The bad: Most of the dishes unfortunately were pretty bland. The chilli oil did nothing for the hummus, the chicken with orzo (?) lacked salt, and the cake was extremely small with little flavor as well. Regarding service: they were kind, but it was a long while before we received bread and had to flag someone down. The lack of flavors and minuscule portions are what prevents me from returning
Just shy of 5 stars. Like a game of horseshoes. Close, but ... We dined outside near the sidewalk. Great for people watching and the weather was perfect. The table opted not to do the chef's tasting menu. Amongst the dishes we ordered were hommus, tzatziki, crunchy vegetables, artisanal cheese pikilia, tabbouleh, karpuzi me feta, adana kebab and shish taouk. A few had lemonathas. Service was good. The waitstaff worked well as a team. Lots of complimentary bread. My favorites were the karpuzi me feta and tzatziki. Recommend
My husband and I had a fantastic time trying Zaytinya! We love inKind and found out they were a partner with them. I grew up in Arlington so loved Jose Andres restaurants and was excited to try this one. First, lots of love to the endless bread they serve you. It's warm, fresh, and perfect. We mentioned we just got married in our reservation and while the seating wasn't the most romantic, our server was extremely charismatic and friendly. We ordered the htipiti, piyaz, grilled lamb chops, and octopus Santorini. These were so incredible. I almost bought the cookbook they were selling I loved these dishes so much. My favorite was the htipiti. It was a refreshing dip for a hot summer day. We ordered cocktails that I'm blanking on right now, but they were expertly crafted. I really loved all our dishes. It's hard to find spots that make octopus well and this spot did it WELL. They surprised us with the galatopita and sorbet since we mentioned we were celebrating just getting married. I had a lovely time here, I'd highly recommend this spot.
Visiting after a few years...and not disappointed. Jose Andres restaurants are never a miss. Service is amazing, the decor is beautiful and matches the cuisine, try all of the dips, the seared halloumi with sour cherries, spanakopita with home made phyllo, can't go wrong with fries topped with garlic yogurt, and while i would typically order the octopus.. i recommend the lamb shoulder. Order the Lamb Kleftiko - tender smoked lamb shoulder with salad wrap and spreads. Lamb is particular and this was just so delectable - not gamy, not too smoky, and paired nicely with a recommended beverage. The creative menu options will not disappoint. The culinary genius, the well informed staff and immediate service are all wins. Whether you are a local, or tourist - this is a must to stop by!
I've been visiting Zaytinya for about 20 years and the food has never disappointed. The only bad thing about it is it's hard to get a reservation, but if you drop in during happy hour and snag a seat at the bar, you're set. The happy hour menu (M-F, 4-6pm) includes drinks, pides, and other shareables. During this particular visit, I shared hummus, halloumi pide, as well as the branzino and the tzatziki (these last two are on the regular food menu). For a quick bite and a drink, this is perfect! The vibe is always super super lively and busy, so be sure to make friends with your bartender if you sit at the bar!
Zaytinya must be resting on their laurels since I really did not feel the Jose Andres aura during my visit. Came during lunch and sat at the bar. While I was handed a drink and food menu pretty promptly, it took forever to flag someone else down to place my order. Fortunately, I was given some olive oil and pita to nibble on as I waited. Unfortunately, the pita was stiff and dry - reminiscent of chewy cardboard. I decided to go with a few things off their brunch menu: Chicken Shakshouka, Za'atar Pide, and a Hommus because how can you not try it whenever you're at a Mediterranean restaurant. Pretty much all of these were middling. Shakshouka was super watery with two sad pieces of chicken, and the cheese on the Pide overwhelmed the za'atar seasoning and undersalted egg. I was hoping the Hommus could compensate for the underwhelming pita, but it was a similar match in terms of flavor and lackluster gritty texture. Only the chili crisp and peas in the center gave it any sort of personality. The dishware was pretty to look at, which I had plenty of time to admire while the waitstaff ambled around looking like they'd rather not be there. At least prices were not horrific and I left full, but would not recommend to anyone who actually enjoys eating Mediterranean food.
This restaurant from Jose Andres is Mediterranean elevated... by an amazing chef (must be his name). It's tapas style (typical of this guy) so it means you get to try a bunch of things, which is my favorite. Who wants to eat the same thing every meal, or even in the same meal? I met a friend here for lunch and we tried a variety of dishes. The atmosphere was perfect on a sunny day to really get the Greek Vibes going. Everything was delicious with one exception... the salmon which was a little dry (hence the loss of a star). But the scallops, shrimp, fattoush salad, crispy eggplant, lemon soup, and bread made up for it. Pro Tip - Eat the bread first as it gets too chewy at the end of the meal. It's like a magic trick. The cocktails were good too. I had a few and mixed it up with those as well. They need a flight of each of their specialty cocktails. I'd totally get that! Service was also amazing with checking on things and making sure we had enough food and drinks. Reservations are definitely recommended but you could get lucky and snag some bar seats or a table. It's a tad pricey, but you're worth it, right?
Located across from the Portrait Gallery with easy access to the metro. This is a great place to have shareable items that is delicious and flavorful. Had dinner here with friends and ordered several shareable plates, and two desserts. I also ordered the Turkish coffee though a bit disappointed that it was cold by the time it got to my table. Service is great, friendly staff. The place has a lot of indoor standard seating and outdoor seating as well.
This place is in a great corner location, the food was delicious, and the staff were friendly overall. We had a reservation to make sure we got a table, and the restaurant was completely full when we arrived. The only downside was that after being seated outside, we felt a little forgotten for the first 30 minutes or so. No one came by with water or to check in, and it seemed like the staff may not have realized a new table had been seated until we flagged down the outside host. There were also swarm of flies hovering around the outdoor tables, which another table pointed out and then we started noticing too. Aside from that, the experience was good overall. The inside dining area definitely had a dressier vibe compared to the patio seating, and once we were helped, the food made up for the slow start.
Shared two orders from their pre-theater menu as a group of three and felt it was just enough food for all of us. As a group, we tried: the hummus, baba ghannouge, gardies me anitho, beef soutzoukakia, Adana kabob, imam bayildi, & greek yogurt and apricots and olive oil cake for dessert. Most of the dishes were nothing special but I thought the gardies me anitho stood out above the rest with an exceptional buttery lemon sauce, and the olive oil cake -- though dry-- also stood out. Would go back solely for the gardies me anitho though
I made reservations for Sunday Brunch and was looking forward to experiencing another Jose Andres restaurant. We were seated immediately by the matra-dee before our reservation time slot. The decor is open and airy and there's a large patio if you prefer to dine alfresco. We wanted a variety of items and began with Hummus, smoked beet salata and baba ghanoush. Followed by Crispy brussels afelia, Chicken shakshouka, Soujouk pide and shish taouk. For dessert we enjoyed Greek yogurt with apricots and olive oil cake with champagne. The presentation of all the entree's were plated professionally, tasted outstanding, and service from our waiter was on point. I highly recommend this restaurant by Jose Andres.
Whoa. Horrible outside host for outdoor seating and even worse experience with the indoor host for indoor seating -- this was not an okay experience at any level. Zero professionalism, no hospitality, and probably way too over their head with how popular this restaurant is for Middle Eastern cuisine. Completely not cool as to how they treat those who try to patronize their business. Note to management: we understand your establishment has great reviews but please don't take that for granted. Please train your staff to treat every single guest regardless of party size with respect, professionalism, and hospitality. Not mad about not being able to dine here because y'all were "fully booked" but more disappointed with how your outdoor and indoor hosts handled the messaging. P.S. There were plenty of tables left unoccupied for "7:30pm reservations" but it was already 8:00pm -- so I take it the grace period for reservations is 30+ minutes?!
Visited here for brunch and I was quite impressed with this place! My friends and I decided to do the Chef's Selection for brunch and its $70 for 2 guest which is quite reasonable! They offered a wide variety of plates to try such as dips, meats, and veggies. Everything was delicious but my top favorites were the brussel sprouts and soujouk pide. My least favorite item was the olive oil cake because it was dry. Service was excellent and they made sure to refresh the pita bread basket when it was running low. I would definitely come back to this place if I was planning a trip in the area!
4 years ago
this place is great for a date night or just a nice dinner with some friends. To start, they give you hot pita and olive oil, but I'd recommend getting the hummus because it's amazing, especially with the pita. we also got the baba ghanouj, which was fantastic. Both the baba ghanouj and hummus were very flavorful and filling. One part of the meal that definitely stood out was the spicy sausage and egg flatbread. this dish was absolutely amazing and I could not recommend it more highly. The chicken was also phenomenal, especially the sauce that comes with it. The only reason why I'm giving this four stars is because the scallops or not to die for I would not recommend getting the scallops. They were a bit bland. Other than the scallops, everything was absolutely fantastic. Service was meh but we were in a small corner so likely not as noticeable to the servers. read more
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Fourth time to Zaytinya. Very big Jose Andres fan. We ordered the tasting menu. Attaching a few images of the items. All were very good, but the hummus, eggplant dish, and salmon really stood out when eating. Kamen our waiter was amazing both in sharing the stories of the dishes, but also how it related to his native Bulgaria. The inside decor is very fitting for a Mediterranean restaurant, super comfy and inviting. read more
3 years ago
Food was outstanding and the service even better! Everything was SO delicious and we loved the shared plates menu... My party of 4 split 9 different dishes and loved every one of them read more
2 years ago
I've been here twice in the past 2 weeks and hope to go again. It's honestly been my favorite dining experience in DC recently. It's hard to get an indoor reservation but I've had no trouble getting a seat at the bar and the service is impeccable. For drinks, I love the Za'atar margarita, 3 pm in Istanbul (their most popular drink), and I didn't even think I liked sidecars but their version: sidecar to tangier was my favorite! For food: the halloumi pide was definitely a hit, as was the lamb baharat. The smoked beet salata was so refreshing and I also LOVED the mushroom kapnistá. For desserts, I think my favorite was between the Turkish chocolate cake and the chocolate rose. Chocolate rose is a pretty big dessert and very shareable. I like the galatopita but not the apple sorbet on top- it just tasted like applesauce which I don't really like. All in all 10/10 staff, vibes, drinks, and food. A great place. read more
5 years ago
Beautiful restaurant and great service! We ordered the Rozay Brunch which comes with a flight of three different types of rosé and four courses. The Rozay Brunch costs $75 for two people (plus tax and tip). It's worth the price because you get quite a lot of food and a decent amount of wine. While we enjoyed the majority of the courses, the rosé didn't seem to complement the dishes and there were a few dishes that fell flat. I'll start with the good: the fresh pita is absolutely incredible! Fresh, hot pita is served continuously during your meal. The best dishes in the brunch course were the Shish Taouk (grilled chicken skewer with cherry tomatoes) and the Greek yogurt with apricots. The yogurt was topped with an absolutely divine apricot ice cream. The hommus was also excellent, and we liked the crispy brussels sprouts which were served with a great yogurt sauce. The not-so-good: the baba ghannouge tasted too charred, and the Soujouk Pide was a complete miss. The pide is sort of like a breakfast pizza, and the ingredients just didn't work together at all. Zaytinya would probably be better off removing it from their menu entirely. The olive oil cake was also disappointing. The cake was slightly dry, and the chocolate ice cream was a tad bitter. Overall, still a great experience, and I'd definitely come again! read more
5 years ago
We went on a Friday evening. The first thing I want to emphasize is that you need a reservation! We ordered a variety of vegetable, seafood, and meat mezze in addition to a cocktail. I tried the 3pm in Istanbul which was superb. Each table also gets pitas as well for an appetizer. The grape leaves dolmades were excellent and paired very well with pitas. We then ordered, a variety of plates including garide me anithos (shrimp), chicken youvetsi, and mujadara (lentils and rice pilaf). I couldn't decide which was the best! We had to follow it up with another plate of imam bayilde (eggplant). Even though we were stuffed, we had to try a dessert. We went with the galatopita which was superb, of course. I will be back at Zaytinya without a doubt! Everything was delicious from start to finish. I could see exactly why it was packed. Kudos to Chef José Andrés and Zaytinya staff!!! Really a DC gem. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Just went back here for the first time in years, I had almost forgotten how good it was! For 4 people we ordered 8 plates - the hummus and babaganoush came out first, and then the mushrooms, brussles, and beat salad, and finally the proteins of chicken skewers, beef kabob, and branzino. The portions of the non-protein rounds were pretty generous. The protein portions seemed smaller, but we all ended up very full. We ordered one dessert for the table, the sorbet, which was excellent! The wine and beer selection were both good and we appreciated that there were also non alcoholic options. This place runs like a well oiled machine so perfect to bring family, stop by before a game at Capitol arena, or come with business colleagues. read more
8 years ago
3 years ago
Delicious small plates! Our party of five enjoyed four different appetizers, then each of us had a salad and entrée that we all shared. We tried about 13 different plates and everything was excellent. We ended the night sharing one Turkish delight and three different flavored sorbets. Delicious food, fun and casual atmosphere, and great service. I will be back again! read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
Zaytinya is always a pleasure to visit...the ambience, the food ...But the most commendable credit is for their service...prompt and attentive!! Kudos to the crew :) Firstly, the outside setup with white tents and market lights is beautiful..with the touchless menu card..ahead in the Corona times ! I personally find their plates adorable with the blue n white combo...it's like u already know it's gonna be a good time ;) We ordered the 1.karpuzi me feta (watermelon feta salad ) 2.crispy Brussels Afelia (theyyy areee sooooo goood...a no miss) 3.hummus 4Htipiti ( a very nice bell pepper spread..fresh ) 5. Shish Taouk (comes with a yummy garlic sauce) 6.Adana kebab ( the lamb was flavorful but didn't melt in the mouth...if u know what I mean..but I enjoyed it !) Everything here was so balanced and yummy...wouldn't be surprised if this has become our permanent order For drinks we ordered 1.za'ataar margarita which was amaaazing 2.3 PM to Istanbul Honestly, out of everything we ordered 3 PM to Istanbul was the one thing I'm sure never to order..it reminded me of some syrup/medicine... sweet but with an aftertaste...if sweet drinks are your thing u can give it a shot...I returned mine and the hostess was kind enough to get it off our bill.. It would be wrong not to mention their bread...hot pieces of warm clouds !! All in all a wonderful experience and a yummy tummy #imjustagirlwhotravels read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
This time was even better than the last time we were here . Meat was cooked to perfection! These guys do everything right. The pide was sooo good. All I ask is that you lower the temperature inside a couple of degrees. read more
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Another disappointing Jose Andres experience, which is too bad, because I had made a point to visit a few of his restaurants when I was visiting DC last week, because I really respect his humanitarian work. However, nothing was very good, and I left underwhelmed and a little bit poorer. Our group of four started with the Htipiti (marinated roasted red peppers and feta thyme) and the hummus. The Htipiti was fine, but didn't really seem balanced at all. The hummus was also all right, but not great, and was a very small portion. The Mercimek Koftesi (traditional seared red lentil patties, preserved lemon yogurt, pomegranate, and lettuce leaves) were fine as well. Not very good, but not terrible either. This dish is really a lettuce cup with a slightly mushy patty inside (the flavor didn't wow me either). We also tried the seared halloumi cheese (dates, pomegranate, orange, and mint). For $10, you get one slice of seared halloumi. The accouterments to the dish were very good, but it was hard to justify spending $10 for a single slice of halloumi. Another dish we tried: the Biftek Muhamara (grilled sirloin steak, sweet pepper walnut pomegranate spread). I chose this dish, because I love muhamara (LOVE IT). This wasn't a great version of it (very chunky). But the real problem with this dish? The meat. This cut of steak is the reason I was vegetarian for ten years of my childhood and early adulthood: so sinewy and chewy and just an awful cut of meat. (Chew, chew, chew, should I start thinking about spitting it out soon?) Really a terrible piece of meat. To be honest, the best thing we ate at our lunch was the free bread that they bring by the bucket throughout your meal. It's mostly air, but what beautiful bread. However, the meal was somewhere between unmemorable and so bad it's memorable. Definitely a meal I don't want to repeat. Mediocre and overpriced at best, I'm afraid to say. read more
6 years ago
Every time I'm in DC, I have to come to Zaytinya. Last year, my coworker and I had to attend a conference in the DC area. So where did we have lunch? Zaytinya (... and almost every day). The lunch pre-fixe is still one of the best steals in town and at a modest and affordable $25 for 4 courses. From the lunch menu items, I have had the hommus, baba ghannouge, fattoush, falafel, shish taouk, kotopoulo youvetsi, adana kebab, keftedes kapama, and Skuna Bay salmon, and Turkish Delight. Listing all the dishes oult like this makes me feel a tad gluttonous, but to be fair the portions are a bit on the smaller side, but still well-portioned. Of the savory items, I enjoyed the fattoush, shish taouk, adana kebab, and Skuna Bay salmon. All the dishes are well seasoned, savory, and packed with flavor from the spices and herbs used in the cooking. Still DEFINITELY recommend! read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
I'm in love with this place!! Outdoor seating was so warm and inviting! The staff is very good about sanitizing surfaces and implementing covid guidelines. I got the tasting menu option and WOW!! Such high quality food at a reasonable price. The amount of food was also awesome and plentiful; definitely choose the tasting menu option, you won't regret it. I'd also like to give a special shout-out to the fluffy pita breads that started off the meal on the perfect, carby note. The tasting menu has tons of great and yummy choices, however, I especially loved the baba ghannouge and the crispy brussels afeila! read more
4 years ago
We went into Zaytinya with high expectations given the chef but unfortunately left a little disappointed. The venue is nice and modern, and most of the staff were very nice. We ordered tapa style. The best dishes were the hummus and the spanikopita. The meat dishes were all okay but nothing spectacular. The bread that accompanied the hummus was also fine but nothing notable either. Food overall I would have given 4/5 but our waiter never checked in on us, never refilled waters, and would frequently leave quickly before we could tell him we were ready to order or for a ch read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
I see the hype now! Jose Andres does it again with another great restaurant. I was able to enjoy their outdoor dining with a friend and thought the atmosphere and the food was incredible. Our server was also great and very attentive in answering any questions we had about the food and wine. The cheese pide was delicious and the crust was perfect, ask for harissa on the side! The crispy brussels were cooked perfectly and had such incredible flavor! The baba ghannoush was so delicious! Perfectly seasoned and it was so great with the pita bread that they serve with it! I would definitely come back here and look forward to trying more of their food read more
Every time there was a reason to celebrate, my family and friends and I would try to gather and have it at Zaytinya. We loved the food and the atmosphere. The last time was in 2013 for a graduation. My sister and I were in the area today, so we decided to stop by for a few of our favorite plates and a drink. It was Saturday at 6pm, so we knew there would be a wait, so we were prepared for that or to sit at the bar if there were seats. We walk in and the hostess is on the phone, she doesn't look up, so we wait. When she's done, I ask her how long the wait is for a table for two. She says yes, there is a wait, but no, she doesn't know how long, but we were welcomed to seat ourselves at the bar or the patio outside. Since it was such a nice day, we decide to go outside. As we enter the enclosed patio area, we see a sign directing us to the host stand to be seated, but we ignore it, because we just saw the host, and well, she told us to come out here and seat ourselves. It's a nice day, we're sitting, I don't know how long (I wasn't keeping track at this point) and then we see the hostess, the SAME ONE that told us to seat ourselves, lead a family of four to a table near us and hand them menus. She tells them their waiter will be with them soon. She sees us, I make awkward eye contact, she keeps walking. I see a lady bring the family waters and pita bread. I wave at a nice-looking lady, she comes over with water. A waiter comes out with two little plates of Zaytinya's oil and puts one down on the table of the family. He asks them if they have been here before, they say no, they talk for a long time. The waiter holds the other dish of oil away from him, they are still talking. When they stop, he comes over and puts the oil on our table. He doesn't ask us if we've been here before, he sees we have no menus, so he goes to get us menus. We finally get pita bread, and I finally start to get impatient. We get our menus, again, he doesn't ask us if we have been here before. Two more two-tops get seated near us, by the SAME HOSTESS. I pay attention as they get waters and bread far more quickly than we did. The waiter stops by each of their tables and asks if they have been here. One table says yes, the other says no, also, they are gluten free. They talk for a long time. The waiter stops by several more tables, the family of four, who arrived after us, get their drinks and food. I get it. I've worked in a restaurant and in retail. When it comes to customer service-oriented jobs, I think of myself as pretty patience. I know the job can get hectic and you can forget, but it seemed like we were the only ones he was forgetting. Finally, at 6:33, the waiter comes to take our order. I check my Snapchat for a post I sent when we sat down. 6:08. Not too bad, 25 minutes. Except somehow this entire family got seated and got drinks and food all in that time. Maybe they ordered ahead? Maybe they know the owners? I never found out. We get our food, it's not the same as before. The fried squid, which used to be big cylindrical pieces of fried heaven, is now a pile of your standard calamari from any sports bar. Good, but not the same as it used to be. The other dishes? Kind of hard to enjoy when the space you're occupying feels so unwelcoming. We start to discuss our outfit choices (shirts and jeans, two designer bags) and question if maybe we did something to offend anyone. It's never good when an establishment makes you feel that way. The waiter and hostess's blatant disregard for their lack of regard towards us was pretty upsetting and ruined a favorite restaurant for us. I don't care how good the food is, I won't be coming back. read more
4 years ago
More info about Zaytinya
701 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
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(202) 638-0800
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https://www.zaytinya.com
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Ask the Community - Zaytinya
What kind of dress?
Nice, clean, casual dress is fine. No ball caps or ripped tee shirts.
Can you do the tasting menu here for just one person? (I know I've seen that some places ask for a minimum of two people, but I would be solo.)
They don't offer a tasting menu from we what I remember. Best time to go is during restaurant week when they offer $40 or 45 for a variety of dishes. Great deal in my opinion and you will be full for sure.
Is the outdoor dining area covered or open?
The majority of the outdoor dining area is covered for protection from the elements. But some areas are not. They may get some shade but if it rains, those areas will get wet.
Are there vegan menu options?
I'm almost certain a number of the small plates are vegan or could be made vegan if you ask for no yogurt on top (i.e. hummus, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, pilaf)
Are reservations mandatory?
No, you can grab seats at the bar or go on the waitlist. But reservations certainly help.
Heaters on the patio?
Yes ! And quite efficient too...Their patio set up is pretty nice with market lights :)
We do not have a reservation. Is there a bar and do they serve the same menu as they do at a table?
Yes, the restaurant has a bar that is first come, first serve and the regular menu is available.
Saturday night dinner dress code? I know it says casual, but sometimes it says that and people…
Casual wear is just fine. A lot of people choose to go dressed nicely because it's a nice place and people seem to be celebrating special occasions. But I went on a Saturday night wearing khaki shorts and a t-shirt. They don't care as long as you…
Are any of the meat options halal?
No, the lamb "might" be halal as most of the lamb at Jose Andres restaurants are from new Zealand, but it isn't listed on the menu as halal and the waiters have never been able to confirm it either.
Do they have glúten-free options?
Hi, Tomás - they have GF options, but it's not much - just ask your server and they will point out/circle which items can be made gluten-free.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
455 reviews that are not currently recommended
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