I am a big fan of Golden Corral (I know, I know!) but it's pretty far from where I live. This week I wanted to eat closer to home, and food with actual flavor. LOL. After reading reviews, I ended up here at Akivva Grill. I ordered a bowl with a mix of bulgar pilav and Turkish salad, beef and lamb doner, tabbouleh, onion, chickpeas, beets, and Tzatziki. I also had a chicken Pida. So fresh tasting and delicious! My only complaint is that I was going in expecting to pay the prices listed on the Akivva Grill site, but the actual prices in the restaurant are a bit more. read more

Another visit and another amazing food and service. Forget about other places, this is the place to make you satisfied and eat yummy food. read more

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Mix appetizers, falafels. Kebabs so delicious and their menu is not expensive , great service read more

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If you're looking for a yummy, healthy mediterranean bowl.. this is the best place to go!!!! They have got a good variety of salad/sides that are delicious and healthy. We ordered lamahcun (turkish pizza), doner bowls, red lentil soup and doner(meat wrap). All delicious!!!! People are very friendly too and the place is clean. read more

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Gaaahhh!! Go and get the best meal. The freshest ingredients and dry witted staff. If they not family by blood, they are by choice. Chicken Doran was amazing and I chose platter because I greedy and want the most toppings you can get! The bread was ok, fries are better and big portions. I'll have to edit later about the Baklava because we were too full to try. This is within a strip mall/shopping center and busy. Wifey got the bowl with less toppings but still just as filling. She has plenty to eat next day, unlike my greed with full round belly and nap immediately following. I'd come back again and again! read more

Akivva Grill - Chicken doner Create Your Own Bowl Meal - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I come here on occasion to switch from the traditional cava, chipotle, and other bowl spots. Great options and quick service. In my visits, food has always tasted fresh. Typical bowl prices but it is quite filling. read more

Haven't been here in a while and it's still a really great spot. Both the guys working were very friendly and the food was super delicious. I got a wrap with half chicken and half beef/lamb, the meat was so full of flavor and fresh off the spit. Got a side of waffle fries which were cooked fresh to perfection and super soft yet crispy. I love coming here and they deserve the praise read more

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The bowls are fantastic. It's like a better version of Cava. The bulgur pilav base is interesting and different than the usual rice, and the array of toppings is so plentiful and varied that you will have a hard time choosing just 4. I actually paid like $1 more to get an extra topping and it was worth it. The best thing, though, is the falafel. Wow! The guy makes it right there in front of you - forming it into a ball and dropping it in the fryer. It comes out hot and crispy and just perfect. The counter guy seems like a grump but they serve great food, so oh well. It's also a decent space to sit inside if you want to eat in. read more

Fresh, healthy food; lots of customizable options; clean restaurant and restroom; friendly staff. Will be a repeat customer.

My God, this food is amazing!! I built my own bowl, with beef and lamb doner,, spicy chickpeas, beet salad, tzatziki, feta, and babaghanouj. They forgot the baba but after tasting it, I didn't mind. The meat is the incredibly flavorful and the spicy elements with the sweet beets and slightly sweet and flavorful tzatziki (which tastes freshly made! The dill, the cucumber, yum!!) were the perfect combination. My wife made her own wrap with similar ingredients and moaned with joy when she took the first two bites. The lahmacun was nice--not as magical as the bowl, but that makes sense given the simplicity of the wrap. Fresh, flavorful, and delicious! We will definitely be back OFTEN! read more

Stumbled into Akivva Grill after my dog's vet appointment nearby -- great find. Fresh ingredients, well-seasoned meat on the spit, and generous portions at a fair price. We also got a cheese pie on the side -- super good. Clean spot, no-frills service -- the older guys are focused on the food, not small talk. Just order, eat, and enjoy. read more

Food was amazing!! So many bright colors and the flavors was incredible!!! Best eggplant I've ever had. You can't go wrong eating here. We're just visit the area and I wish we had one back home. I'd but a cookbook of they sold them. Highly recommend!!! read more

CAVA and Mezzeh will NEVAH see me again!! This is fresh and homemade Mediterranean food! I had a bowl with falafel, red cabbage, Sumac onions, tabuleah, Turkish Chobani and mixed salad. Their dips are all homemade and DELICIOUS! They have wraps, bowls, and platters. If you enjoy Turkish or Mediterranean food, this place is a MUST!! The service was great also. It took me a while to decide on my toppings but the gentleman was very patient and answered any questions. read more

Çok Güzel! Highly recommend, great location, great service. Definitely going back soon! Teşekkürler! read more

Akivva Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My friend and I stopped by for dessert and Akivva had several options in their fridge area. We got the rice pudding to share (I think 5.95 for a sizable amount) which was perfect. It was a bit too sweet for me, but the creaminess was perfect and so was the texture of the rice. I love the generous amount of cinnamon sprinkled on top. They're known for their Mediterranean rice bowls and sandwiches, so I'd have to give this a try when I'm in the area. read more

Akivva Grill - Rice Pudding - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I don't want to turn this review to Shawarma/Doner/Yeero 101 but the first thing I love about this place is how their Döner is amazing and close to - but not- Shawarma!! Take it from the Egyptian who has been searching on the east coast for the best Döner , Shawarma and Yeero!! This is BY FAR!!! THE BEST!!! EVER !! Döner / Shawarma joint!! The best and only real Turkish fast joint!! They bake everything in house including their bread!! If you know what Lahmaçun " Lahmajun" is they also make it fresh at the restaurant not like the other places!! The Döner is tasty and juicy!! Yummy! You can buy by the pound if you want and take it home!! I eat a pound at the restaurant by myself!! Lol The chicken Döner is the best I've ever tasted in my whole 33 years life!!! They make it very juicy!! You have endless choices!! Platter? Bowl? The only difference is the amount of toppings . Platter is 7 Bowl is 4 Wrap? Yes! Pides ( better than pizza!) Want to try their secret menu?? Yes !! Order Lahmaçun with Adana ( spicy ground ground beef kebab) it rounds about $20 but it's a bomb!! Watch out tho! You have tens of toppings but not all of them go well together or fit with the protein you chose .. it's up to your taste but if you take the Wrap for Döner my strict advice is to be very conservative on your toppings.. I would go with only onions maybe tomato with (beef &lamb), choice of pickles or sauce . Go with Tahini for beef &lamb doner and garlic for chicken doner! For Adana Wrap take only Chopani Salad , onions and Tahini sauce! And you will thank me later ;) For platters & bowls you can do anything with your limited toppings ! I love anything with Eggplant they have on the toppings bar specially the Eggplant Shakshuka! Hear it from me! Wait and you will see this place going so big and have branches everywhere! I already know that they will soon be in Alexandria near Old Town! I only hope they stay family business and don't start to Franchise ! The owners and all workers are very kind and friendly! I love them and love talking to them! I also love saying thank you to them in Turkish " Tashakor-lir" !! Go try them and don't forget to pray for me ;) and vote for my review! Oh I almost forgot! Follow them on Instagram!! read more

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This place was walking distance from our stay in Washington D.C. so we stopped by for lunch after checking out. Akivva is a Mediterranean and Turkish spot that serves bowls (Chipotle style) and pide (pronounced pea-day) which is a Turkish flatbread pizza. I had never had pide before so I was curious to see what I was walking into! We ordered the custom bowl ($12.50) and the meat lovers pide ($13.50). For the bowl you choose your base, protein, and toppings. The bowl was super flavorful and the ingredients were fresh. The garlic cream was super garlicky like others have mentioned here. It was so garlicky I still tasted it in my mouth hours later. The hummus was really good and had a lot of cumin flavor. Our favorite was definitely the pide though. The bread and crust were soft unlike American pizza with a hard crust and bottom. There was a variety of meats like their sujuk smoked sausage and was loaded with cheese. It was very oily and was seeping out onto the tray but it was fantastic and the flavors were delicious. Along with the two dishes we also got complimentary fresh bread. It was so warm and soft and we loved dipping it into the hummus. What we walked into was something delicious. I was thoroughly surprised with everything we ate and the service was great as well. I wish they had more locations around the country and some closer to me. My tip: get the pide! read more

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Service quality and sanitation practices need improvement. Will try again in the next year.

The most authentic Turkish food in the DMV. simply delicious and fresh food . Make sure to try the lahmacun too . read more

What an excellent addition to the fast casual dining with a pick your protein, carbohydrates and toppings. These guys are smooth and authentic Turkish delights. The choice of toppings is mind-boggling. Everything was delicious and my wife and I should have split one order. Amazingly generous portions and a great value. read more

Akivva Grill in Arlington serves up fresh Mediterranean Turkish food that's delicious and healthy. I got the Signature Falafel Bowl, and it was the best falafel I've ever eaten. My son got a Build Your Own Bowl with Chicken Doner, and he really enjoyed it. We finished our lunch with Turkish Rice Pudding and Trileche. At only $5 each, they're such a steal considering the quality and generous portions. Highly recommend! read more

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Akivva grill is such a hidden gem for Middle Eastern food in the area! It's similar to cava where you can create your own sandwich or bowl, but they also have entrées you can order from. I love how there is such a variety of toppings you can choose from and sauces. I ordered a bowl with spicy lamb kofte, which was super flavorful. The bowl also comes with a piece of bread (which is not your usual pita bread but it's really fluffy!) The staff so friendly as well! If you're overwhelmed by the number of options, you can choose from feel free to ask them for recommendations! It's a fast casual place and there are some tables inside, but they also deliver on DoorDash. I've ordered from here multiple times, and I will continue to come! read more

Akivva Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Great food and service Everything is fresh and very clean First time trying it and I will definitely be back read more

Akivva Grill - Lamb - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This is a super hidden gem. The food here is absolutely phenomenal. The staff is super friendly. I always get the Adana kebab on the platter salad. Everything is beyond expectations. Highly recommended if you want some great Turkish food at a reasonable price. read more

This place is so bomb, been here only three times and been blown away every single time. Authentic delicious Turkish flavor and very reasonable prices, perfect portions and all the staff are so friendly read more

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This Turkish spot reminds me of a Chipotle style restaurant but with additional oven baked goods. First, you choose a bowl, platter or flat bread wrap. Next, you choose your base which are basmati rice, brown rice, Turkish bulgur, or two other salad options. Last, you choose your protein and all or any of the available toppings & sauces. The beef and lamb were delicious and moist and not dry like other places where you would have to overcompensate by adding sauces or dressing etc. The meat lover's pide is a variety of three different types of meat all in one. All the food arrived hot and was delicious. We also had the chicken flat bread wrap (not pictured) and since it was so large it was split between two. Glad to have found this spot nearby. I think it may be a family owned business as all employees were Turkish, which I will definitely support. read more

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Excellent. If you craving some middle eastern delicousness. The interior was nice and the sevice was very welcoming read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The food was Yumm. I had the spicy lamb which has flavor and just a bit of bite. The cucumber salad was flavorless. The garlic cream was delicious The olives were extra salty The hummus was good The celery salad was alright The place was clean and we were well-treated. read more

I love Akivva Grill! It's like Cava but so much better. I get a falafel bowl when I go. Their falafel is so flavorful, not crumbly, and crispy on the outside. It's perfect. I was happy to see that they gave me five falafel balls so I didn't feel ripped off just because I got a vegetarian option. The bread is massive and very good! They have tons of topping options that don't really repeat themselves just in different form, which is my favorite, though you can only get 5. After that it's extra, which is fine. I topped my bowl with their tzatziki and it was so good. Everything tasted so fresh. They also have tons of desserts you can get at the counter! There is plenty of seating indoors, but none outdoors. I would say the portion size is bigger than it looks for sure. I was kind of skeptical when I first opened my bowl to see that amount of food, but I was full after half of it! Depending on how much you eat, it will be enough for one meal, but you may not get guaranteed leftovers. Come support a local business! read more

Akivva Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Turkish food was amazing very delicious very good service everything was delicious and excellent employees very friendly i loved a lot thanks all employees read more

Akivva Grill is a refreshing place that's slightly different from the ordinary mediterranean bowl places that are a chain. I think the ingredients are much fresher and there's a slightly "lighter" nuance when it comes to the flavors. This can be good and bad - sometimes you want the richness of what the competitor bowl places give but it can leave you feeling a bit heavy. The turkish lahmacun was quite interesting. I appreciated the lightness of the crust but the flavors were quite solid. I don't know if I was eating it in the right way so I should've asked for assistance. But regardless, with a little bit of a lemon squeeze, it was refreshing, hearty, and very tasty. read more

Akivva Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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My new favorite casual joint. I love me some real doner, and it's hard to find. There are doner trucks around here that advertise doner, but if I'll ask to see the meat and can tell easily if it's pressed gyro meat. Akivva serves real whole meat for their lamb and beef doner, and it's amazing. The toppings are fresh and really good too, I also love the bulgar wheat as an option. Once you go to doner meat, you can't go back to gyro meat. The sauces and toppings are all really good here. The one that really stood out to me was the smoked eggplant. I wish this were closer, if It were, I'd probably eat here weekly. It's a good combo of affordability, tastiness, and health. read more

Akivva Grill - Lamb and beef doner bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

In order to tell you how excited I am about this Turkish joint, I have to tell you about another restaurant. In Brooklyn. It's a Georgian bistro called Cheeseboat. Why Cheeseboat? Because they specialize in Khachapuri: boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese. I had a coworker tell me for years how amazing this place was. It wasn't until Fall 2020 that I got to experience how great a bread boat full of cheese could be. Sometimes I still think about how amazing that dish was. I know that I could go to Compass Rose where Khachapuri is on the menu but I haven't had a chance to get a table there yet. Now there's Akivva, just down the street from me. It's not Georgian- it's Turkish but they have a very similar dish called Pide. Upon my first visit to the fast-casual eatery, I walked right up to the line where most people order bowls "Chipotle" style and I asked for the Sujuk Pide. It was amazing: melted cheese inside a bread "boat" dotted with a Turkish sausage that could have been pepperoni if I wasn't paying attention. It's a great thing to compare the cheese + carb cuisine of neighboring countries. I'm not here to say if one is better than the other because honestly isn't anything with cheese and bread great? read more

Surprisingly tasty and quick. Akivva Grill is a fast casual Turkish place that just popped up in South Arlington, and it's quite a treat. The meat was absolutely stellar, and the sides are equally good. I got the impression everything was super fresh. The volume of food you get is great for the amount you pay. I can definitely see this being a go-to lunch spot for those who work in the area. read more

I was sad to lose Kovi Grill (previous occupant) but oh man did they get replaced by something equally as delicious! I tried the Pila and a build your own bowl. The Pila was 10/10, and was my first time enjoying one! Cheesy, ooey, gooey. Make sure you order it at the very beginning, rather than adding it on at the cashier since it takes time. The real star in the meat, perfectly flavored, the fat isn't chewy but perfectly caramelized. Yum! read more

Akivva Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Ordered the beef and lamb doner. Pretty tasty. The meat was moist and flavorful, the beets were fresh, and pilav and sauces that accompanied it tasted good too. Food wasn't too greasy at all. Portions are pretty generous too. Staff was very friendly during pickup. Overall a good experience. Worth a try if you're in the neighborhood. read more

I absolutely LOVED every bite of my bowl. The easiest way to describe it is like the Turkish version of Chipotle AND THEN some. I picked the bowl with both rice & salad with a ton of toppings. The flavors, the colors, the quality is ABSOLUTELY amazing. They also have some traditional Mediterranean/Turkish dishes that looked amazing. Most definitely trying them next time! I also tried they Turkish Flan, WOW delicious. It's very similar to a Mexican Flan for anyone who has tried one. Seriously 10/10 in all service, food quality, quantity and prices. read more

Akivva Grill - Bowl with both chicken & lamb - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

If you like Cava and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, you will love Akivva. So far I have only tried doner, but I trust that their falafel and kebabs will be equally good. There is no limit on the toppings or sauces, and everything I had was excellent. The base, unlike most places, you have an option for bulgur wheat pilaf, a healthier alternative for rice. Turkish Americans in the area are already raving about not only the quality of doner but also lahmacun; hard to get both the crispiness of the dough and taste of the ground beef filling. The chef is from Turkey and we finally have lahmacun that doesn't resemble a thick pizza dough with chunks of ground meat. I will be back to try more. read more

Akivva Grill - Doner bowl with Turkish bulgur pilav and generous toppings - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Wow. I tried one of their bowls today and I am sooo glad I did. The Bulgur Pilav and Spicy Lamb (Kofte, I believe) were amazing. I wish I wrote down the sides I tried but I think these were the ones I got: Turkish Olives, babaganoush, and two different eggplant sides. My sauce was garlic cream. Everything was divine. I wish portion sizes were a bit bigger, but I also went there after skipping breakfast so I was famished. I'll definitely go back. Oh, and I got the pita on the side, but it didn't blow me away. I'll probably stick to ordering bowls or platters. read more

So glad this place just opened near us! Such a comfort food getting a big bowl of rice, doner meat right off of the rotating skewer, and all the fixings. Make sure to get a Turkish Pide as an appetizer or just snack on the side. One last thing, kind of random, but the rice pudding is out of this world. It took me back to my Hungarian mom making it when I was little. read more

Akivva Grill - Turkish pide - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia