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    Zorba's Cafe

    3.9 (823 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    ZORBA'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Chicken shish kebab
    Richard S.

    Good service good food. Reasonable prices. Cozy on a cold evening. Comes with a Greek salad that's not pictured.

    Gyro platter was subpar, not much meat, bad value. Grape leaves good at least.
    Leigh D.

    Rounding out with last of the alphabet series with part 2 of 2 for letter Z, which unfortunately is a negative review. Went with the positive Z restaurant review 1st to go chronologically. 19 days after that 5-star restaurant was Zorba's Cafe on Friday, May 17, 2024. My girlfriend & I were down in DC that Friday evening for an event, which ended up being kind of a bust. We ate some food there, but more small appetizer, so we were moderately hungry. We saw Zorba's, and it seemed like a good what we thought would be an easy option. When we arrived, it's a narrow area where people wait in line to order. It took a little time to get to the front. It was also hot in there, which is a big complaint of places. When we got to the front to order, we decided on splitting a Gyro platter which is pita, beef/lamb blend, fries, & greek salad and got the DOLMATHÁKIA, which are 5 hand-rolled grape leaves with rice & olive oil. We walked upstairs, and we waited a very long time for our food. I went down to check a couple of times, and the staff seemed disorganized on if they were even working on our order or not. Meanwhile, it's hot in there, we're hungry, we have to go up & down stairs to check. There was nothing I liked about this situation. We really just wanted to eat and get back to MD! Eventually, after over 30 minutes of disorganization, we FINALLY got our food. This was also a disappointment as it wasn't much meat to split for the 2 of us, a pita bread which was standard, and not even that many fries. Salad was fine. Grape leaves were very good. Other places give you more food for the money. Quality of the food was a bit subpar; I've had a lot of better Mediterranean options. We know to avoid this. One silver lining was that because the service took so long, it timed well for my g/f to meet one of my friends that night.

    Zorba's Combination Plate
    Billy T.

    I took some of my out of town friends here who had never been to DC before after hearing great things about this place. It wasn't too busy on Memorial Day weekend Sunday when we came by for lunch, and didn't take long for the food to come out after we ordered. I personally ordered the combo platter, which I found to just be too salty (the meat). In addition, we ordered the caviar dip as an appetizer which was also far too salty.

    Menu
    Jenn J.

    After a nice stroll through the weekend farmer's market, we grabbed lunch with the family here at Zorba's. We like best the 2 meat entrees: - souvlaki - combo plate Meat was succulent and grilled with a masterful hand. Servings were a tab carb heavy - it makes the plat look full, so I get it. But you can avoid the fries, rice and pita easily. Temptation be damned. Salad dressing could have been more flavorful. Greek beer is light, which isn't my favorite, but we have fun trying new things.

    Souvláki Plate
    Kevin G.

    While visiting DC for a conference, I came across Zorba's Cafe. What an amazing find! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was comfortable, and the service was top notch. Being gluten free, I really appreciated the time that the employees talked to me about the steps that they take for their gluten free customers. Portions were perfect size, and this has been some of the best Greek food I have ever had! Thank you for making my trip amazing--this was the best food experience I had all week!

    Inside restaurant
    Delaney S.

    I visited here to order food to go. Whether you're eating in or to go, you place your order at the counter in the back and receive a number and find a seat. I line moved fairly fast. I only waited maybe 5-8 minutes for my order. I ordered the Aegean salad. It's a Greek salad with 2 chicken skewers and a roll. This is $17. The salad was fresh, and chicken was seasoned well. It could have used a little bit more toppings. The dressing was tasty. The salad was average size. It's not huge but decent. The to go order was packaged well with cutlery. Seems like the restaurant had a good amount of people dining in. It has a cute aesthetic and front of the building. It gives the Greek vibe. However, I don't believe staff is Greek. A solid choice for a decent meal while in Washington DC.

    Zorba's Combination Plate
    Nicole L.

    This is a popular spot in dc that I finally got a chance to try. It's a great alternative to the popular chains around DuPont circle for lunch (cava, chipotle, etc). Two levels plus a patio - all tables are self seating. It's a fast casual setup where you order at a cashier abs take a number to sit. The menu items have all the popular greek dishes but if you're not familiar with the cuisine each item is well explained. Everything was good! I only had a couple small things that I didn't love: The pita with the spinach dip was fried too hard, it was difficult to eat. And the fries were a bit limp and undercooked, they could have used a couple more minutes. The food came out super fast so I'm sure they're used to managing crowds when they're busy- so maybe just taking a couple extra minutes to make sure everything it's cooked well before sending it out would help

    Hummus, gyro platter.
    Steven F.

    Zorba's needs to decide if they're fast food with counter service or a restaurant with table service. Don't offer appetizers on the menu if everything comes out together. Disappointments: stale bread with the bland hummus, and a gyro (spelt yero) that's just meat on a piece of bread with some thin taziki. Luckily they gave me a small greek salad, so I had some vegetables to put on my sandwich. Lots of articles on the wall about winning "cheap eats" Rewards. But at $34, it didn't feel that cheap.

    Spanakopitta A La Carte Souvlaki Plate Dolmathakia
    Justin N.

    I've been visiting Zorba's every time I'm in town for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Zorba's has a relaxed, vibrant atmosphere with great seating, perfect for lunch or dinner. We ordered chicken souvlaki, spanakopita, and dolmathakia. I've enjoyed stuffed grape leaves of many variations, including canned, and Zorba's are by far the best! The food was excellent as always and the staff were polite, prompt, and friendly.

    Greek Salad
    Kerri C.

    My mom and I popped into Zorba's because we were nearby and wanted a quick lunch. We were super pleased with all of the food we ordered. We had a vegetable plate, a Greek salad, and the garlic pita. On the vegetable plate, my favorite item was the falafel. It was flavorful and so crispy, and was perfect dipped in the delicious tzatziki sauce. The pita in hummus was great, as was the spanakopita. There was also a really good butter bean dish that was quite filling and hearty. The grape leaves were a bit salty for my liking. Mom and I both agreed the Greek salad was awesome, and that the garlic pita was really good (it was huge!) The center was crispy which mom preferred, and the outside chewy which I did so it worked out. It was also super interesting that they don't accept tips. I appreciate that. I hope that means their staff are well paid. They all seemed friendly and quick! (You ordered inside and they brought the food out to you). I'll definitely pop in next time I'm near Dupont Circle- I want to try some of the Greek wine they had on display!

    Arrt T.

    Had the Gyro. Tasty, warm pita, love the sauce, and meat was well seasoned and tender. No complaints. Great venue, lots of history to this family-owned place. Order down front, pick up a number, then wait for your thing to be delivered to your table. Recommendedn

    Shish Kebab beef tenderloin
    Gloria M.

    This is a good, quick lunch. Zorba's is always reliable! Easy to find a seat and the wait is never long.

    Souvlaki Plate

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    10 months ago

    One of my favorite casual restaurants for a quick bite in DC. Great price and great location in DC. Highly recommend.

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    Page 1 of 21

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    Your Only Friend - Sub club

    Your Only Friend

    4.5(148 reviews)
    1.2 miDowntown

    Wanted a quick meal near my hotel from a conference. This place had a bib and some interesting…read moresandwiches. I got the hot nug and Cacio e Pepe fries. I ordered to go and it was quick. The food was good. The hot nug sandwich had a nice tangy taste. Not too spicy and was very manageable. I'd had lived more spicy but the flavors were still very satisfying. The fries were great too. I really enjoyed the sauces and couldn't stop eating them. I'd definitely recommend Thai place if you are looking for a good sandwich and a quick bite!

    When is a sandwich not just a sandwich? When you have a sandwich from Your Only Friend. It was a…read morehot and sunny day and I was down near the convention center for a conference. I didn't want to eat at the hotel, so I checked my Yelp app and saw that there is a sandwich spot nearby. I decided to walk a few blocks and try it out. I was glad I did! It's a very unassuming place where you can sit down and have a lunch or dinner or you can get it to go. I decided to get mine to go. I was greeted by friendly cashier. She asked if it was my first time there and I said yes. She explained how the ordering process works and explained a little about each sandwich. I decided to try the RBG, which was $18. I believe all sandwiches are $18. I was a little surprised by the price, but I wanted to try it. The RBG is delicious pork sandwich with coleslaw and a soft, yet crunchy bread. Don't get me wrong. I am not a crunchy bread sandwich type of girly. But this bread was just right for this sandwich. I had the ability to eat the entire sandwich with the bread not becoming too soggy and falling apart. The pork was tender and flavorful, the slaw was crunchy and tart. It was a wonderful combination. The only negative thing that I have to say is that it is a really large sandwich! So, make sure you bring a friend to eat the other half...so you won't be tempted to eat it all like I did!

    Photos
    Your Only Friend - To go order area.

    To go order area.

    Your Only Friend - Cacio Pepe fries are also a must!!

    Cacio Pepe fries are also a must!!

    Your Only Friend - Old Fashioned

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    Old Fashioned

    The Best Sandwich Place - Korean Steak Melt Sandwich

    The Best Sandwich Place

    4.5(440 reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown
    $$

    This is a busy little sandwich shop that has a small dining area and some seating out front on the…read moresidewalk. There is metered street parking and commercial lots/garages within a reasonable walking distance from here. They serve wraps, salads, and cold and hot sandwiches. I ordered the Korean Steak Sandwich. It took them about 10 to 15 minutes to prepare my sandwich. They should use a number system for order pickups because people, including myself, had difficulty determining which order they were serving. Many of the sandwich names sounded alike. My sandwich was kind of small for the price, and it wasn't very filling. It was, however, very good. It was flavorful and packed with flavor. The service was ok. It was nothing special. They did their job and did not go beyond or be overly friendly. All in all, I would recommend checking this deli out for some really good sandwiches. They really do live up to their name, the Best Sandwich Place.

    3.5 stars! This is a…read moregreat location and they are super quick with making your food & checking you out! I came here after seeing a lot online about their Chicken Caesar Wrap. Personally, don't think the hype meets the expectations. But with that said, it's still a good wrap and I'd get it again but I don't think it's the best wrap I've had or worth going out of your way for. If you're hungry and near by, sure go get it but don't make any special trips just for this wrap. Id love to try their other options on the menu at some point!

    Photos
    The Best Sandwich Place
    The Best Sandwich Place - Rib eye melt

    Rib eye melt

    The Best Sandwich Place - Chicken Caesar Salad

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    Chicken Caesar Salad

    Compliments Only - Berger Cookies - 2 pk

    Compliments Only

    4.4(224 reviews)
    0.1 miDupont Circle, Downtown
    $$

    I tend to default to Compliments Only when I'm grabbing lunch or even just walking in Dupont. It's…read morea tight space with some bar stool seating and 2-3 tables. Most people order their sandwiches to go. The line can get pretty long, but you get through at a decent pace, I wouldn't say fast. Simple and straightforward ordering process, just remember what you ordered because they don't take names. I go between the Crunchy Boi and the Marisa Tomei Eats Free, which are both great. The Crunchy Boi is probably their most popular sandwich and it's lighter than you would think considering it's filled with potato chips. I think it's worth trying once. The Marisa Tomei, on the other hand, has never failed me. It's balanced with an absurd amount of arugula against the meat, and it's never dry. The portions are generous, like you could definitely split it into two meals, but they're not so heavy that you couldn't finish a sandwich in one sitting.

    I ordered the Hot Pants sandwich and really enjoyed it. It was huge, packed with flavor, and…read moredefinitely worth the price. The combination of meats, peppers, and Cholula mayo was delicious. Just a heads up, this place gets very busy around lunchtime, so I'd recommend ordering ahead for pickup or being prepared to wait a little. There's also limited seating inside. Overall, a great sandwich and I'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Compliments Only - Interior, menu board and ordering area

    Interior, menu board and ordering area

    Compliments Only - Turkey Caesar Sub

    Turkey Caesar Sub

    Compliments Only - Outside

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    Outside

    Capo Italian Deli - Fauci Pouchy (Strawberry Lemonade)

    Capo Italian Deli

    3.8(338 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    I live ~10 min drive north from this location. This is my second time coming for a private event…read moreand both times I've come, I've said out loud, "I should order takeout from them once a week!!" They operate a deli counter in the front and a bar / speakeasy in the back. You can rent out the bar space for private events. Last night, we had the space (and a bartender!) to ourselves, along with 3-4 different types of sandwiches. There is something SPECIAL about their seeded Italian bread. The perfect flakiness and texture. I enjoyed the chicken fontina and Italian. The caprese was my least favorite--not sure if they use a balsamic or what, but the flavor wasn't coming through. Before I left, I decided to order a large chicken cheesesteak to take home for lunch the next day. It was a bit of a risk to order a hot sandwich that I would have in the fridge overnight but I heated it up in our air fryer/toaster oven for all of 10 mins and the bread was good (not soggy) and the sandwich itself was delicious. I enjoyed it so much, I didn't stop to take a photo until the last bite :) It's a decent size sandwich--I ate half for lunch (along with my own chips and veggies) and have another half for tomorrow so while it's not cheap, I think it's reasonable.

    This place fell way off…read more I was fooled by social media and ordered their Thanksgiving sub... false advertising. Did not look like the video - all bread and extremely SKIMPY. The worst part is they charged me nearly $20 for that abomination. What a rip off. I thought they were decent pre-covid, but apparently they just don't seem to care anymore. Other places make loaded sandwiches... save your money!!

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    Capo Italian Deli - Fauci Pouchy Painkiller

    Fauci Pouchy Painkiller

    Capo Italian Deli
    Capo Italian Deli - CHICKEN PARMIGIANO

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    CHICKEN PARMIGIANO

    Neopol Savory Smokery - Smoked Salmon Salad Sandwich

    Neopol Savory Smokery

    4.6(309 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    This is the best sandwich in the city. I've never said something is the BEST with as much…read moreconviction as this. As a certified sandwich girlie I can't go a single WEEK without heading to union market for this BLT. Neopol Smokery single handedly CARRIES this place the absurdity of quality of this sandwich is off the charts. Smoked salmon BLT stuffed to the brim with beautifully cooked smoked salmon, bacon, lettuce, tomato and red onion tied together on a bed of Romain with the most perfect gravlax mayo. Be sure to get it on the sunflower flax bread TRUST!!! Add sliced apples to it when your back in ten min for a second sandwich. I mean it. You will turn right back around the second you take a bite. Friendly staff and quick service make me love them even more. Also LGBTQ owned!! Don't forget the smoked mussels. Thank me later. They're 12 for $12 and I would do a disservice trying to explain how flavorful these bad boys are! Follow my TikTok for the full review and more! @thegutgoblin

    I stopped by Neopol Savory Smokery at Union Market and ordered the Salmon BLT with avocado on…read moremultigrain, and wow, what a great choice! The sandwich was packed with flavor: the smoky salmon paired perfectly with the salty bacon and crisp red onions. Every bite was rich and satisfying, and it came out in under 10 minutes, which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, this spot really impressed me. Delicious food, quick service, and fresh ingredients. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Union Market.

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    Neopol Savory Smokery
    Neopol Savory Smokery - Smoked Salmon BLT Sandwich

    Smoked Salmon BLT Sandwich

    Neopol Savory Smokery - Smoked Salmon BLT Sandwich- Best sandwich in DC!!

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    Smoked Salmon BLT Sandwich- Best sandwich in DC!!

    Zorba's Cafe - desserts - Updated June 2026

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