Went to this restaurant because I was interested in their manti (dumplings) and Tabbouleh salad. So…read moreI made a reservation for lunch, but these items were not on the lunch menu -- note that on their website there was only main menu and weekend brunch menu. Luckily, the manager asked the kitchen to do a special order for me, so I was able to try both of them! Moreover, when he learned that I wanted to make the manti, he even carefully explained to me how it was cooked! Thanks a lot!!! The Yara's Manti was basically small, boat shaped, half-covered dumplings baked in oil, then topped with yogurt and pine nuts. This is completely different from how Turkish or Afghan manti is made, thus having a different flavor as well. The baking procedure gave some crispiness to the dumplings, while the oil helped them to maintain sufficient moisture. These dumplings went well with the yogurt; I also tried sprinkling some sumac on them and it was great. However, the yogurt tend to get mixed with the oil when you move the dumplings. it would be better if they serve the dumplings (and toppings) in a separate, heated container. Yara's Tabbouleh is a creative twist to the traditional Tabbouleh. Besides the usual ingredients, there were diced beets and pomegranate arils. Both added some refreshing sweetness to the salad, and the beets also some hint of earthiness. The freshly baked pita was also delicious. Each piece weighed ~55-65g and was topped with sumac. Paired well with the other two dishes. The restaurant had a beautiful decor. At lunchtime there were not many people so it was relatively quiet. I will go there again the next time I visit DC! And I want to thank the resturant again for offering me the opportunity to try these dishes!

Food is easily a 4.5-5 stars and really enjoyable so if I recommended based on just food alone, yes…read more100% go there. Their hummus was creamy and in my top 5 of the DMV thus far. Their mandu dumplings are extremely flavorful and their za'atar flatbread is simple but perfectly crisp and spiced. There were some hiccups with brunch when I went. My first pet peeve is when a menu online lies and they changed their AYCE (which is why we went) to a more expensive pick 3 items type thing (it is full portions so still filling but was disappointing). It was hard for us to get service, our drink was priced incorrectly on it, and it took some hounding to get some of our dishes out (I think our server forgot to put one in and just said it takes a while/ we had finished the rest of our food practically). I'd come back and try again at least because their food is flavorful and good.

This place is such a gym. The food is classic, consistent, and just overall very delicious. I love…read morethat they have so many options for non-meat eaters, especially things that would be traditionally me only. I love the falafel's, but my absolute favorite is just pita and tzatziki. I also have to give a shout out to their sauces, there's so many in. They're all so flavorful and so good. My preference is the spacey green and the white garlic sauce. So so so yummy. There's tzatziki was just so good and authentic tasting. I love the mission that this restaurant stands for and the support they provide to nonprofits. Regarding Service, the team is always prompt and pleasant. I will say if you are ordering at the restaurant to go, it may be best to order ahead since often it can take up to 20 to 30 minutes (from my experience) to get your food. Typically the store space is on the smaller side, so while you can eat in, I typically just take it to go for convenience reasons. I highly recommend this spot, not just for the food, but for the mission.

Excellent! Fresh, tasty, filling and satisfying. That's my description of the falafel sandwich and…read morezatar fries meal I had today. The staff are friendly, courteous and fast. Great experience but I wish they had more locations, at least one near my home in upper MoCo, and I my family and I would eat it everyday.

Great food and even better service! Huge thanks to Ana and Ilsia for being so kind, welcoming, and…read morebringing such great energy. I'll definitely be back!

Helped me after I dropped my drink right after walking out. Was amazing food + good staff…read more Definitely recommend for anyone who goes as they have good music as well.

Despite the high ratings about this place, I would give this place a 2/5 star rating. Inside this…read morefood hall at the back, you can find this place. I was a little disappointed by their prices as I could find similar items for cheaper at other DC eateries. You order your food then find indoor seating (which wasn't plenty). After waiting 15 minutes, my friend and I got our food. Although I was excited by the idea of eating a chicken salad sandwich, I would not order again for $15. The greens seemed a bit off for my taste and the bread was the only saving grace. My friend was also unimpressed with the food she ordered too. Sad to say, but I would not come back

I really underestimated this place…read more Mainly because I never heard anyone in my immediate circle talk about Green Almond Pantry. I found my way here because of Ramen by UZU. They are located in the same place and Green Almond is located in the back. I had the Focaccia Bread which tasted very fragrant and fresh. No protein, but it's super cheap and tastes amazing. They make everything from scratch. If you want meat then go for the Lamb Kofta. I did not expect these little morsels of grilled meat balls to be so JUICY. I was in shock. It also did not have any gamy after-taste. I was like, "Wow do not underestimate this place!" Give this place a go. Try what I tried. I can guarantee you will enjoy it! :)

The food is always good and reliable, and the people are nice. But even more important, they were…read moreso kind today, a hot and humid day with intermittent heavy rain, when I asked if an unhoused army veteran and his service dog who had spent hours on the corner at M St could come in and enjoy lunch if I bought it for him. They were really kind and gracious. The law requires restaurants to admit service animals, but they could have been grudging or simply just cautious or concerned, but they were welcoming. The man did not display any obvious signs of mental illness, and the dog was well behaved and quiet, but they didn't know that in advance. They said yes absolutely, let him come. There was a nice area where the man and his dog could rest in the air-conditioning comfortably for a while. Thank you to the manager, I didn't get his name, he was kind and gracious. If you happen to see an unhoused person with or without a dog, and you can offer them a meal, Moby Dick is a refuge for body and soul.

Very casual place. Toilets pretty clean. ( soap was missing)…read more Food was good, it's good they make their own sauces as a professional way. Beef was soft and lamp wasn't smell! Falafel was as brown as a berry Service was not slow, it was ok. The guy who took our order, was helpful.

I attended a Yelp Elite event here and honestly everything was a 10. The space is beautiful inside…read more Clean lines, modern decor, great lighting, and just a really polished vibe. It feels upscale without feeling stuffy, which I loved. The service was just as good as the space. Everyone was attentive, friendly, and made sure we were taken care of the entire night. Now the food... We started with the Fehleq and it was delicious. Then came the Batata Hara, which was technically for my cousin because I do NOT like white potatoes but that harissa and toum had me reaching back over to their side of the table. The Brussels sprouts were another win, but the Za'atar pide was absolutely my favorite. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself and probably should have ordered another one. And because apparently we were not done eating, we moved on to the regular menu and ordered the tuna tartare. So good. Fresh, flavorful, and definitely not your basic tuna tartare. The drinks were great too. Everything felt well balanced, creative, and matched the food perfectly. By the end of the night, I was already looking at the menu trying to figure out what I am ordering when I come back. And yes, I am definitely coming back. Great food, great drinks, beautiful space, amazing service. Ala understood the assignment. Thank you Yelp DC and Ala for such a fun night!

Ala is in an incredible location right in the middle of Dupont Circle, and the outdoor space is…read morespacious and really nice. That said... the mosquitoes were absolutely relentless I got eaten alive. Our server actually offered us bug spray, which I appreciated, but eventually we admitted defeat and moved inside. We ordered off the happy hour menu and basically worked our way through every appetizer, along with the pandora cocktail. The Brussels were SO good, but my absolute favorite was the burger. Honestly, it was substantial enough to feel like an entree. The bread was also really good. Our server could not have been better. He brought my daughter a little cake at the end since her birthday was coming up, which was such a sweet touch and made the whole experience feel extra special. Inside, the decor is super modern and the music was definitely vibing, but not obnoxiously loud. We were able to have a full conversation without yelling across the table, which honestly can be surprisingly hard to find at a trendy DC restaurant. Overall, I'd definitely recommend Ala. Great location, fun atmosphere, really good happy hour food, and excellent service. Just maybe bring your own bug spray if you're sitting outside.

I have been a long time fan/patron of MeJana b/c of the friendly, welcoming staff, beautiful…read moreambiance, and consistent delicious dishes. I especially appreciate the thoughtful presentation, tableware and glassware. One of my favorite go-tos for lunch is the Chicken Shawarma with salad. Light, healthy and tasty, presented on a board. Now that the weather is pleasant, try dining on the patio like I did today. Enjoy!

It's alright. I…read morereally like that there IS a Lebanese restaurant in this section of Arlington and they have a vegetarian menu. The dip sampler was small samples. We got the halloumi as well, which can't go wrong with cheese, honey, and dates. Service was good. Ambiance - there's outdoor and indoor seating and you can always find a seat. It's not loud and they have booths.

I had an incredible experience at this hookah spot. The service was top-notch--attentive, friendly,…read moreand welcoming from start to finish. Definitely will be returning. Happy to have this place in the neighborhood.

This location isn't clean and the service was horrible. We asked to sit outside to eat and to have…read morehookah, but we kept getting surrounded by rats that ran back and forth from inside the building directly next door. They then brought out unrequested bottled waters that they charged us for. On top of that, all of our food was cold and was brought out after long waiting times (their explanation was that that's how the Egyptians make their food). And then they overcharged us by $200 for items that we didn't even order or consumed. They took our cash payments for what we actually had as their tips! When we tired to complain about the issue, they refused to refund. DO NOT GO TO THIS "RESTAURANT"!!

The food at Mama Ayesha's was delicious, and packed full of flavor! The service was also…read moregreat--very attentive and kind. The restaurant itself is a bit dated, both the patio and dining room. It looks like the decor hasn't been refreshed in a few decades. Mouzat, 5/5, delicious, tender lamb with seasoned rice Maklouba, 5/5, tender chicken that fell off the bone with delicious rice and vegetables Pomtini, 2/5, somehow tasted like Hi-C or some kind of chemical citrus

This is my new favorite restaurant. It's tasty. Clean. The staff is excellent. The food is…read moreincredible. My wife loved it too. So, yes I'm looking forward to going back there.

Food was amazing. The people were so friendly and helpful. I will definitely return! Some outdoor…read moreseating as the weather gets warmer is an added bonus.

It's been in the neighborhood a while now and I finally had an opportunity to give it a try. Must…read moresay I was underwhelmed. I'll say the nice thing first, though, which is that they have a nice water dispenser with little cups between the register (where you order) and the food display (where you pick out your fixings and receive your order). So you can have a sip of water while you're waiting the two or three minutes it takes to get your food. I had the "schnitzel," which turned out to be just chunks of breaded/fried chicken breast. Real schnitzel (which this is NOT) is flattened and tenderized by pounding it thin and flat. These were just big, tough chunks, which of course have to be a little overcooked to be cooked through to the center. So that was, to this schnitzel devotee, a disappointment. I guess if you know you're just getting chicken "tenders," it might seem better. The laffa flatbread it was wrapped in had a leathery texture that I did not enjoy, and did not finish. The various fixings I tried--vegetable salads and dips--were good, though. So it was not a complete fail. But for the price there are a lot of places--even some on the very same block--that make a far better meal, and offer a real dining experience to boot. For the full experience, I ate in. And really, the place is a dump. The tabletop was sticky; I had to put down napkins to keep my elbows clean. The sound of a fan dominated the space. They don't seem to have changed the furniture since the Astor days (the service counter is the same, too), though it seems dirtier and more dilapidated and less decorated than it was then. The self-busing stand sort of makes the point that it's really not trying to be more than a takeout joint. At this price point, I expect more. It really made me miss Astor.