I've been here a couple of times. My first experience was a solo experience. And I would say I much enjoyed that experience. The second time that I came was with a large party! Service was great. The food was great. However, I feel like I wasn't able to enjoy the amazing food that this restaurant had to offer. Simply because it was a large party and everything is served family style. That takes away nothing from the restaurant, just my personal preference and note to others! I think we spent too much time talking rather than enjoying the delicious food that Agora has to offer! I will say I am thankful they are able to accommodate large parties. And I'll be back soon for another brunch experience with less people! lol read more

Agora DC - Brunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We were quite disappointed by our experience here, particularly as our experiences have been so positive at the Tysons Corner location. To begin with, although the restaurant was not particularly crowded, the service was very slow and inattentive. We seemed to be waited on by two people, but it was unclear. The food was average, and most items took a while to come out. Among other things, we ordered the anadolu manti (dumplings) which are limited quantity, but they were a bit overcooked and disappointing. Frankly, our highlight was probably the spread sampler, and not any particular entree. It took quite a while to receive our check and then upon leaving we were urged by one of the service staff to leave a review...so alas, here we are. Overall, there are many other options to choose from in the heart of Dupont or downtown, and I'd recommend doing so. read more

I came for my birthday/Valentine's dinner with a bunch of my friends. We were excited for every course, but they messed up the some of the dishes with different ingredients (than written) and incorrect cooking temperatures for some of the meat. They were able to compensate us, but they did take forever to take out every course. We waited for over an hour for a table even though we made a reservation. I know they were busy during this holiday, but it was unfortunate during this celebration. Otherwise, I enjoyed the vibes and food. It was so pretty inside. read more

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Great and flavorful Turkish/Middle Eastern food. The food is great and the plates are small yet filling. The spread dish was great, I really recommend getting that. The kunefe was yummy. It had the hints of rosewater and was a nice turkish version of the dish. It is pretty difficult to find Kunefe in D.C. so I was excited to see it on the menu. They also have a variety of drinks to choose from. The service was also great despite it being a busy restaurant. Be wary of sitting outside. My friend and I were sitting on the edge not very close to the heater and were freezing. By the time we were ready to eat certain plates they were already cold. read more

The ingredients in the dishes here are fresh, there is a pleasant, muted light ambiance. The host and the servers were gracious and informative. Cosmopolitan: when you see dried citrus zest floating on top of your drink, it's a good sign. An experienced mixologist made this drink. Perfect! When we requested sparkling water, we received a beautiful, blue bottle that looked like you'd find a genie in it. It was Uludağ Premium Natural Turkish mineral water from the eponymous mountain in Turkey. It was refreshing. Hummus: This is not the bland version you find in supermarkets. It is full of rich sesame tahini, dressed with olive oil. The Baba Ghanouj was equally flavorful. Both dips were accompanied by fluffy, fresh pita bread. Börek: fried, rolled pastries of spinach, dill, and feta, with tomato marmalade, and a small side of mixed greens. We had to order two of these, so my Pac-Man of a husband wouldn't eat them before I got mine! The dill was especially tasty. Flaming saganaki. Kaser cheese flambéed tableside: Sadly, In this increasingly litigious society, fewer restaurants serve it. This saganaki was as entertaining as it was delicious. Diners stared in awe at the flambéed cheese show that took place after we ordered the saganaki. Many restaurants pour a tiny amount of liquor on the cheese, creating a few pitiful flames, which are quickly doused out with lemon juice. Some restaurants timidly set it alight in the kitchen and only bring it out after the flames die down. It was so good to see the saganaki served dramatically! read more

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Had a phenomenal experience at Agora! We were a large party of 8 and the staff were able to accommodate all of our dietary restrictions without issue (their menu also makes this easy). We ordered several small plates and a few larger plates, all delicious--especially the Anadolu Manti! I was honestly blown away by all the food here and can confidently say that it beats all other Middle Eastern / Balkan restaurants in DC (within the same price range) read more

Agora DC - Anadolu Manti - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Service was poor and staff wasn't friendly. Hopefully, the owner solves this problem with staff before it's too late. They have a good location and cool concept. Improving staff will go a long way. read more

I've been here for both brunch and lunch/dinner. I really like the brunch. The selection is diverse--a lot of different flavors. I think the mezze is really what makes the brunch good. I would also say that the lunch/ dinner meats are pretty tasty. I think this place is really great for bigger parties. read more

Been multiple times and always impressed! The food and drinks are sublime. The service is fantastic each time! Whether sitting at the bar or seated at a table you will have a great experience. Drink some raki while there and enjoy! read more

Agora DC - Istanbul Bey (left) & Sohbet (right) - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had a reservation at 6 for our anniversary, but went a little early to enjoy the happy hour specials. Knowing most of the spreads and some hot mezze was half off this was a great deal. We enjoyed the spread trio and falafel (no pics) which was fantastic. The pita bread was warm, but was a little less spongy than anticipated. All the spreads were fantastic and the two cocktails were well balanced. I ordered the branzino and grilled prawns for dinner. I was happy with the size of the dishes for the prices. I was a little disappointed as the prawns were overcooked and rubbery. We also had the beef kababs which was probably the best part of the meal. The red pepper sauce it was served with was fantastic and spicy which was honestly great on everything we ordered. The chicken thighs weren't anything special. None of the dishes came with anything much aside from a grilled tomato so I was glad we ordered the tabbouleh, however it was definitely parsley heavy with very little quinoa. Overall, it was a quiet Friday night in the restaurant. Given it was Halloween I was surprised, but they also had other spaces full of people. The server was sweet enough to bring us out what I thought was pistachio baklava for our anniversary treat which was welcome and absolutely delicious. I'd like to think their bottomless brunch would be more worth the prices, but either way the food was good and we had a wonderful time. read more

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Went for Brunch on a Sunday and everything was amazing! The food was delicious, so many small dishes for you to try along with an entree and sweet treat. The bottomless mimosas were never ending, our server was attentive and made great suggestions for us to try. We sat outside as the weather has been amazing but when i went inside to use the restroom i saw just how aesthetically pleasing it was! Perfect for you to dress up and take lots of cute pictures! Would definitely recommend and will definitely be going back! read more

Agora DC - Inside dining - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I came to Agora with my wife and a friend. I frequently come to Agora and love bringing friends here, this place is truly a hidden gem - such a great dining experience for such a great price. I love the vibe whether you're seated inside or out. Literally everything on the menu is delicious, you can't go wrong with anything. Service is always amazing for me too! read more

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Agora is a solid neighborhood joint that never fails me! We ventured here on a Saturday night and snagged two seats at the bar. Not only was the service quick, they were also friendly as always. We ordered a cocktail and a few items to share since we were not the most hungry. Everything came out perfect, and we loved each of the dishes we selected. Between the sampler, Dolmades, and Mucver, we left perfectly satisfied. The interior space is fairly large and they also bode a giant patio along with street eatery seating. We will be back soon! read more

Agora DC - Sampler* - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good place to go with friends to all you can eat and drink brunch. Hummus, other dips, and bread taste super fresh. A few options for protein. Good upbeat music playing. Staff was very attentive. read more

Agora DC - Brunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We did the unlimited small plates brunch special for restaurant week the other day, which was a great deal dropping from $50 down to 35. It's not a huge selection of hardy dishes, considering the dips were about half of the menu. That being said, my wife thought the hummus was the best that she's ever had, and both yogurt dips are always great and I was loving the babaganoush. The red pepper spread was also very interesting and the smoked salmon from the charcuterie paired perfectly with the classic eggs Benedict - which by the way had a nice twist of beef bacon. I've wanted to try that, and boy did it hit the spot. They also had lamb shoulder with cracked wheat rice, almost like risotto, and if you know anything about me. I will eat lamb until the cows feel left out. I only wish it came with more than a spoonful of delicious lamb. The omelette was pretty lackluster and felt lazily made, but the dips helped fill in the flavor gap, especially when paired with the heaping pile of the umami flavor in the spinach sauté. Same for the kiymali eggs Benedict which regardless of my high expectations was underwhelmingly overcooked, dry, and lacking flavor. Unless I just got the dud of the batch. I'd say skip it, as well as the agora fries because they are really just potato wedges that are served as filler along with the rest of the hot dishes. Now all the dessert may not sound like much, the juicy refreshing fruit was exactly what we needed after all of that savory. The yogurt used in the parfait was that world famous Turkish quality with lemon topped with the best blackberries you can find and a couple gooseberries which if you like sour and exotic, you will love these things. Unfortunately, they ran out of the lokma, but we were plenty satisfied. We got to sit outside on a beautiful brunch feeling day. What's not to love. read more

This place is beautiful. The food was also really good. Their toum is absolutely to die for. Its veryyy garlicky if thats what you like. The meat was juicy Only complaint: the portions are veryyy small The agora kuzu is this lamb kebab dish that was $23 and had like 4 bites of lamb and 4 of fat. The kufta is $16 and comes with just one kebab. No sides. read more

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GREAT spot for bottomless brunch! They do bottomless mimosas (I love the Sour Cherry one) and bottomless food for $50 on Sundays. The food comes out super quickly and out server was super nice in ordering us a bunch of stuff to start and coming by frequently to refill our drinks and put in more food for us. All of the spreads are killer, the flatbreads are amazing, and the Mixed Cheese Pie was our favorite. The inside is really huge and they have a big patio so it's a great spot to go over the spring/summer and easy to fit larger-ish parties. Can't wait to go back already! read more

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This review was a long time coming. I was dying to try out Agora DC after my friend treated me to the Tyson's location for my birthday. Agora Tyson's was some of the best food that I've had in a while, so expectations were high for their DC location. I'm pleased to report, the food quality is identical! That means, A+ all the way around. Please try the chicken, giant prawns, jumbo scallops, octopus and lamb chops.. You'll thank me later!! Both locations have their own charm, but I'm leaning towards the DC version just a hair more because of the the indoor/outdoor seating option. Although I visited when it was cold out, the patio was still booming with the mega heat lamps. It was warm enough to sweat a little...LOL! I've been hooked on Tapas style restaurants since trying out Jaleo many moons ago. Service was great and I've put Agora on my top 5 DC restaurants list.. period!!! read more

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My favorite dishes: dip sampler, ottoman rice, and the kunefe (!!!! I'd come back solely for the kunefe) I found the octopus, kavurmali, and brussel sprouts to be okay- they didn't really stand out to me. read more

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very good. was warned there were only three scallops and it may not be filling, but it certainly was. the saffron infused yogurt and mushrooms and salmon caviar all together -- . waitress was so kind to offer bug spray for our outdoor seating, curse the dc swarms. everything was heavenly. read more

Agora DC - Grilled Octopus** - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Visited Agora DC for brunch with friends and it was a great experience! Note that this restaurant serves ONLY brunch on the weekends - lunch items are reserved for weekdays. The ambiance is cute, rustic, and has seating for groups big and small alike. We started out our brunch with a variety of dips including hummus, red pepper harrissa, and cheeses with olives. I really enjoyed this course and found myself dipping my bread into the various items placed in front of us. After that, you are given the choice of omelets and sweet items to finish off. A great concept that keeps getting better with each round. All food was extremely fresh and paired well with one another! The service was speedy and very accommodating. I appreciate the waiters answering all of our questions and getting the food to us quickly despite such large groups present at other tables. Definitely a bottomless brunch option that is worth the cost and hype! read more

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

We were greeted warmly and although we didn't have a reservation and they were booked solid, the lovely hostess suggested that we head to the upstairs bar that wasn't full yet to enjoy dinner. We didn't just that. There we were greeted very warmly by the bartender who took excellent care of our family. Most of the dishes are small plates and meant to be shared. Overall the food was flavorful and delicious. There was something for everyone in our group. It was a wonderful dining experience. So glad we stumbled upon it. read more

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Tasty food. Walked in without a reservation but was seated and promptly served. The anadolu manti is a traditional dish--very rich. Desserts looked great! read more

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Agora is easily one of the most enjoyable Mediterranean dining experiences I've had in DC. From the moment you walk in, the ambiance sets the tone. It's calm, serene, and effortlessly inviting. The space feels warm and relaxed without sacrificing that elevated dining feel, making it perfect whether you're unwinding after a long day or catching up with friends. The service was truly exceptional. Efficient, attentive, and genuinely welcoming without being overbearing. Everything flowed smoothly from start to finish, which made the entire experience that much more enjoyable. As for the food and drinks, everything was well-prepared and flavorful. Nothing felt rushed, and you could tell there was real care put into each dish. It's the kind of place where the quality is consistent across the board. Agora delivers on all fronts...ambiance, service, and quality. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and will absolutely be back. read more

Agora is one of my favorite spots in D.C. for Mediterranean food--cozy atmosphere, great service, and incredibly flavorful dishes. The saganaki comes with a show. Love the sucuklu pide because of the spicy Turkish beef sausage, it's packed with flavor, so cheesy and yummy. The sis tavuk is to die for! The ambiance and service is so good! Agora is one of the prettiest restaurants in D.C! read more

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We came to Agora with a reservation on Valentine's Day. We sat in the Patio seating and ordered off the limited ala carte menu. Since it was winter it was definitely a bit chilly on the patio, even with the heaters, but it was okay! We started with the dip sampler which was delicious! The labneh and roasted red pepper were our favorites. They were all very fresh tasting. For our mains we got the grilled chicken and the steak kebab. Both wonderfully seasoned and tender. Wish the chicken was two pieces of dark meat vs one white and one dark. Overall amazing! Great service as well and the ambiance was beautiful even on the outdoor patio. read more

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I'm from the Bay Area and I've never experienced the concept of unlimited Mediterranean brunch until Agora. Agora has set a great example. We went for the bottomless mimosas brunch option for ~$50 per person. It was very much worth it, would have been more worth it with some more people. I'd say 4-6 people is a great number to enjoy this with. You get started with a platter of various dips and accompanying bread. You can keep asking for refills. You really get to try a lot of things which is something you can't do when you're going a la carte. After that, you can order from a pre fixe menu of mostly Benedicts, flatbreads and some breakfast items like French toast. Mimosas keep magically refilling and coffee is fresh and very much needed to keep up. I would recommend getting seated indoors during a warm day since the outdoors patio fan system isn't too effective. read more

Agora DC - Pre-fixe brunch intro - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I can't waitttttt to return to Agora. Initially, we had Adonis as a server - he was sooooo rude and genuinely unkind. However, when we alerted the manager, the situation was immediately handled and we had Leo (I think?). He was fantastic and so was our experience. We came for brunch on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. we made a reservation online. HIGHLY recommend if you're going for brunch. It was busy but we were seated immediately. I had no idea what to expect but once we sat down, the food pretty much started coming out. The only options you really choose are the eggs, extras, and drinks. The starters, flatbreads, etc. are brought out automatically. One thing I will say is that the Prosecco upgrade is worth it, especially considering how warm the mimosas get. But listen... our experience was wonderful. And the all-you-can-eat food was incredible. The eggs Benedict with salmon, Turkish beef sausage, and everything with lamb was incredible. Everything else was really good. All the spreads and dips at the beginning were bussin, with the exception of the hummus. Brunch is $55 per person - all you can eat and drink (mimosas or bloody marys). Prosecco is $20 more. Enjoyyyyy. Parking was easy AF, too! read more

Agora DC - Starters - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We went for the restaurant week brunch and were not disappointed. It's a bottomless brunch with too many options to choose from. We loved all the mezze, but were not as great as we anticipated. I personally loved the labneh, tzatziki and baba ganoush. The service was excellent though, and they kept the food coming. The place also has a lot of natural enough space so that you can have your individual conversation without overhearing everyone else. I definitely get the appeal! read more

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Went here for restaurant week and should've known better. Tried a few items. The sample, beet salad, lahmacun nf, lamb chops, branzino, sorbet and baclava. It was honestly mid, mild flavored, except for the lamb chops, they were bursting with flavor. Would certainly recommend them. Branzino was dry and unseasoned. Hope you enjoy these pics though. Service was great and the atmosphere was warm. read more

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Food overall was decent. We came for bottomless brunch, and we sat outside. However, we were unaware of the mosquitos lurking outside and i got eaten up by them. I let our server know and asked to be moved inside, and he took 20 minutes to get back to me and said he would look for bug spray and that the inside was too crowded when there were open tables...after being fed up and getting another couple of bug bites, I said I couldn't eat anymore if we weren't moved inside and the hostess came up to our table very rudely and asked why we has asked to sit outside instead of inside (when we didn't know there were so many mosquitoes outside). So the service was terrible. In addition, for $50, everything was not bottomless except for the drinks and the COLD pita bread. I would save your money if i were you and choose another place for brunch. read more

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Agora is a hip, low-lit spot for Turkish style mezzo, located in Dupont Circle. It certainly lands in the boujee side of DC eats. It seems their most popular menu item is the bottomless brunch, which features a variety of small plates. Among the small plates, some of our favorites were the flatbreads, truffled eggs (apparently a specialty), French toast, Greek yogurt parfait, and halloumi cheese. There were many more good choices on the menu as well as a variety of drinks. The OJ was great. If you sit on the porch, try to find a table on level ground. You might get tired, leaning on one side to compensate for the slight incline, and sacrifice some range of motion to reach all the plates. At the end of the 2 hour limit, each of us owed ~$65. I could see why Agora is a favorite for a boujee brunch with the girls. read more

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

Agora is a solid dinner spot, and often a good one to bring loved ones visiting from out of town. It strikes the right balance of fancy/classy but still a chill vibe. Service is good. I'm going with 4 stars because I do think some of their dishes can be a bit of a miss, but I'll focus on the ones I do like here-- which happen to mostly be vegetarian: - Of the spreads, the htipiti is my favorite by far, but I'm also a big fan of the baba ghanouj, hummus, and labneh. - Saganaki is incredible, it's cheese on fire at your table side. Can't ask for more :) - The cauliflower is complimented perfectly with figs and tahini sauce. - Mücver - zucchini and manchego cheese patties. Yum. - Ottoman rice - sweet, with currants, apricots, almonds, and pine nuts. A must get! Drink-wise, I tried the Purple Kelebek (would skip, too sour with just some peach schnapps flavor), the Golden Daisy (would order again-- nuanced; a bit sour and herbal), and an espresso martini (very good, with a solid foam on top). read more

I love Mediterranean food and was excited to visit this restaurant. I wish I never had. We tried all of their famous dishes - they were fine, not great - and that night I was severely food poisoned. It was one of the worst days of my life. For such a high end location, it is unbelievable that they would sell food that is not proper for eating. Hopefully this is not a trend for the restaurant, but I think it's worth leaving this review in case other people have experienced this. read more

Agora is a fantastic restaurant. I'm a flexitarian who mainly eats a vegetarian diet, but I couldn't hold back here. The ambiance was great, the lighting was perfect, and the setting was welcoming and comfortable. The service was terrific from the moment we walked in the door until the end of our meal. The host was kind and very hospitable. Our server was exceptionally knowledgeable and detailed when discussing the dishes. They provide endless bread, which is always a plus as long as I don't fill up on it. They had a lovely cocktail/mocktail menu, which felt accommodating because I don't drink. The Ottoman sunset was perfect. It wasn't too sweet, had the right amount of spice, and paired well with our meals. Initially, we started with a sampler (not pictured), which provides a variety of spreads, including Htipit, baba ghanouj, hummus, labneh, cacik, and taramosalata. We shared a nice selection of entrees. My Favorite was the Grilled Kalamar. It had a delicious chard and smokey taste. It was perfect, juicy, and full of flavor. My least favorite was the flatbread; it had a nice spice, but I'm not a fan of ground meat. Our bill was $120 (not including tip), not too costly, and worth every penny. Overall, we had a great experience; you should treat yourself to a wonderful evening at Agora on 17th St NW, Washington, D.C. read more

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Loved the food, service, and ambiance of this restaurant!! We were seated in the outdoor heated patio area, where it was dimly lit, creating a moody and casual vibe. We ordered the şiş kebap, grilled octopus, dolmades, spreads sampler, and the purple kelebek (drink). The şiş kebap was very tender and cooked to medium rare as requested. The spreads sampler was amazing, loved all of the different flavors! Grilled octopus was a tad bit too mushy and overcooked in my opinion, and a bit too salty. The dolmades were also okay, the dill flavor overpowered the other flavors, but still good! The purple kelebek tasted like a peach lemonade, I enjoyed it! Agora will be going on my list of returning restaurants! They also have a bottomless brunch option that I've heard great things about, so looking forward to trying that as well! read more

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If you go to Agora DC for happy hour there's one rule- sit at the bar. When you check in with the hostess, they will remind you and there are signs at the bar that reinstate it. Happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with three cocktails and a number of spreads. Meeting two former colleagues for happy hour on a Friday at 4:30 p.m., we were the first ones at the bar in an empty Agora. We tried each of the cocktails and they were fine- watered down and nothing noteworthy. However, the labneh was excellent. It comes with warm pita bread. Ask for extra bread as you'll need it. Service is okay and if you go early enough, you should find street parking nearby. read more

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Our group of 5 came for Easter brunch. Agora was on point in every aspect. Service - welcoming from the moment we checked in for our reservation. Leo, our primary server, was fantastic. He kept things moving, always gracious and helpful with ordering. Others came by to clear dishes, bring brunch items, or fill mimosas. Wonderful! Atmosphere- awesome. Good music playing, lively vibe. We were seated in the larger side of the downstairs interior (vs. open air patio). I believe that they've invested in noise-absorbing, decorative foam in the ceiling. There was some noise, obviously, but our group had no trouble conversing, even over the light clatter of dishes, music, and other conversations. Much appreciated! The dishes were lovely, everything felt warm and classy. Food. Fabulous. We were first-timers, there for the bottomless brunch. Drinks came first. If you prefer to go non-alcoholic, there's coffee or Turkish tea. We went for the mimosas and we were never left wanting. Fill-ups were frequent and they also brought a bottle and a carafe of OJ to the table. You can sample a bit of everything and be sated. Portions were commensurate with the fact you could always order more. Small, shareable portions - plenty for all. We never felt rushed and our group had plenty of time to drink, eat, celebrate, socialize and enjoy the morning. We stayed the full 2 hours of our reservation. I highly recommend Agora for the brunch experience and hope to come another time for a standard meal. read more

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Sat down at the bar and we order appetizers and main course. It was amazing experience. It's beautiful to place to be with friends or romantic or birthday celebration. I mean anything definitely I'll go back. I heard that they have another one somewhere Turkish restaurant in Georgetown at this one is a agora close to Dupont Circle. I would love to go back again. read more

We were looking forward to trying Agora since we love middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. However, the food was honestly disappointing. We started off with the red pepper and feta dip, and they also gave fresh bread with olive oil on the house. The dip was very bland and lackluster. Honestly the olive oil was more flavorful. Afterwards we got the beef dumplings, and that was honestly magnificent. The dumplings were perfectly cooked and meaty, and the gravy was heaven, and the perfect gravy to dip our bread into. The lamb chops, however we're very disappointing. It was very bland and actually tasted a little bitter. We did both have upset stomachs the next day, and i suspect it was the lamb (perhaps it was not fresh). We did get one of the cocktails which was pretty good. Honestly it was a roller coaster, which is not what I want when I go to a nice restaurant. The ambiance and the service were great, and I appreciate that they're halal. However, I don't think I'll be coming back here again. read more

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