Delicious Indian food, kind service, and cute decor. There's a non-alcoholic bar, and it looks…read moreexactly like a regular bar with rows and rows of bottles of liquor, except that everything is non-alcoholic. That is really cool--and great for people who don't drink much, like me! There's also a quite large menu of mocktails, which look very intriguing, but tonight I opted for a lassi drink because I needed to get some nutrients in after a very sweaty hot yoga workout... I tried the following: - Mango lassi - thick, sweet, and very refreshing after a sweaty workout! It was my first time to try a lassi, and I thought it was great. The texture was very thick and creamy and smooth, and you can definitely taste the mango. - Veggie samosa - texture was perfect, very crispy. The sauces were outstanding and very flavorful. Possibly the best veggie samosas I've had! - Butter chicken - not the best butter chicken I've had but still a solid dish. The sauce seemed to be less creamy and less sweet than other places, yet a bit more flavorful. My partner was a bit disappointed in this dish, but I still thought it was good (I'm more about flavors, while my partner is more about creaminess). I did find the chicken meat to be a tad dry though. - Lamb & spinach - lamb meat was excellent and very tender. While the butter chicken (see above) might've been a bit dry, this lamb was cooked perfectly. And it was packed with tonsssss of flavors. - Garlic naan - texture was not as thick/soft as I would've liked, but the flavor was veryyyy garlicky, which I liked. Heads-up: It takes a while for the food to get ready. The place seems to make everything from scratch. So, order some appetizers if you're hungry while you wait for the main dishes!

On H street, lots of seating inside and nicely decorated. The food was delicious- it will take a…read moresmall while to be prepared but it's really a decent portion size even for the individual meals. They have a full mocktail bar with various cocktail options. I got sweater weather which was delicious and I also got the lamb chops which were what you consider standard lamp chops to look like but it was very yummy. Service workers were very pleasant and nice.

We went here for a special celebration and it was lovely !…read more The ambience, service and food are all top notch. I usually take pictures but this time we just started eating straight away . some highlights: Fattoush salad - deliciously crisp and fresh, Sea bass - absolute phenomena! everyone in the table loved this dish and couldn't get more, literally melt in your mouth. The kebabs, chicken and beef were also good. Would definitely recommend this for a nice meal out.

Unfortunately, this was not a very good experience compared to the Atlanta and Texas locations…read more I arrived around 5:00 PM as a solo diner and was greeted by two latino ladies who informed me that they would need my table back by 6:15 PM. The restaurant was only about half full, with many empty tables available, so this was surprising and did not make me feel particularly welcome. Throughout my visit, many staff members were speaking loudly to each other in Spanish, making it difficult to enjoy the atmosphere or even hear the background music. My server, however, was courteous and provided good service. As for the food, the ground beef in the Soltani was very good, but the Barg was slightly burnt and chewy. Since the meal took some time to arrive, I felt rushed to finish eating before the stated 6:15 PM deadline. For a restaurant where customers are paying premium prices, being pressured to eat quickly is not an experience I would expect or appreciate. I hope this location can improve its customer experience, as I have had much better visits at other locations.

Maydan was one of the most anticipated dining experiences for my partner and I on our DC trip and…read moreit was even better than I expected. Gorgeous restaurant centered around a giant hearth, the heart and soul of the space where much of the food is cooked. We went with two friends and opted to do ala carte, and ordered a bunch of items to share. - Muhammara & hummus spreads were both phenomenal - creamy, delicious goodness served with piping hot, generous portions of freshly made pita bread. - Halloumi with a nutty honey glaze - perfection - Sweet Potato - soft and just melts in your mouth - Mushrooms - super unique preparation, definitely worth a try. Very delicious. We also ordered every kabob on the menu (shrimp, scallop, chicken and lamb). The shrimp and chicken kabobs were excellent - charred to perfection and bursting with flavor. Paired with zhoug sauce, I was in heaven. Do not miss these! Scallop and lamb kabobs were just okay. Incredible service, beautiful ambiance, and a memorable meal that will stay with me. Grateful to have experienced Maydan!

Finally! I've been trying to make it to this restaurant, and my gfs took me for my birthday…read more The best experience. I can't quite tell you that you'd have the same experience each time you go because it all depends. I believe it also depends where you're sitting how impactful it will be on your experience as well. Whatever you do come back each time and try something else because I will Love Amb

The baba ghannouj is well-balanced -- smoky char from the eggplant comes through clearly without…read morethe tahini overwhelming it, and it's not overly heavy despite the richness. Good start to the meal. The lamb kleftiko is the standout of the three. Slow-cooked until it falls apart easily, with the seasoning penetrating all the way through rather than sitting on the surface. It's a dish that rewards the time it takes to prepare -- nothing rushed about it. The kofte kebab holds its own too -- well-spiced, good char on the outside, moist inside, not dried out the way kofte can sometimes end up. Solid textural contrast against the kleftiko. Overall a strong meal across the board -- each dish distinct but all working within the same confident, well-executed style that Zaytinya is known for.

A coworker recommended Zaytinya, and I quickly agreed--without realizing it's under the direction…read moreof celebrated chef José Andrés. That made the experience feel even more special in hindsight. We walked in on a Monday night without reservations (clearly a theme for us!), not knowing they were needed. Thankfully, they were able to seat us in the bar area, which turned out to be a perfect spot for a relaxed dinner and a glass of wine. We ordered a mix to share: hummus, spanakopita, kofte kebab, and adana kebab. Everything was delicious, but the spanakopita really stood out. It was a bit unexpected--not layered like the traditional version, but more of a rolled presentation. Even so, the flavors were wonderful and elevated in a way that made it memorable. The only slight disappointment for me was the wine selection. The red wines leaned more dry than I typically prefer--I tend to go for something more fruit-forward--but it didn't take away from the overall experience. Dessert was the one miss. We were really hoping for baklava, which wasn't on the menu. Instead, we ordered the walnut delight. While it had all the right flavors, it didn't quite deliver the wow factor we were hoping for. That said, the food, atmosphere, and overall experience were still impressive. I was excited to learn that Zaytinya has locations beyond D.C., including closer to home in the Bay Area--so I'll definitely be visiting again. Highly recommend, and maybe make a reservation!

This colorful restaurant is located near the National Building museum and it was the perfect choice…read morefor lunch. I had the spicy miso ramen which was so good that we came back the next day to have more lol they also have a kids ramen which is perfect for the junior diners with you. Another favorite on our table was the curry snow chicken which got rave reviews ! We ordered extra of the rice with chicken drippings. Please note you can ask to make your food halal. Don't miss dining Here !

The ambiance is more suited to fast casual-dining. The menu items were very interesting and the…read moreservice was very kind. Personally not to my taste. I found the food to be a little bland overall and the rice and chicken to both be dry. However people really hype it up, so who am I to say

SUCH a vibe. My date is vegan so this was the perfect spot for us to each get what we wanted in a…read moretrip to DC. To be fair, I'm a picky eater so we usually order a bunch of sides to make our own meal. We ordered two nonalcoholic drinks, a salad with pita croutons on the side, falafel served w tahini dip, potatoes served w cilantro dip, and duck sausage. My least favorite was the sausage as it tasted too vinegary. Favorite was the potatoes, so simple yet so perfect - and the cilantro sauce was everythingggg. Service was prompt, friendly and not pushy. There are staff to bring/clear plates so servers are encouraged to focus on other aspects of service.

Came for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! The lamb belly was my favorite. baba ghannouj, rosti…read moreand grandmas toast were also really good and they gave a ton of pita. It also wasn't too crowded on a Saturday

Lapis is a restaurant I'll think about for a long time. While visiting DC, I knew this was a…read morewell-renowned, must-try restaurant. Not sure how difficult it is to attain a reservation, but my friend made one for 3 the day prior to our dinner on a Sunday evening in one of DC's busiest weekends (America's 250th birthday, UFC at the White House, etc.) We were sat outside on the patio. No one in my party had had Afghani food before, but we were all open-minded and adventurous! Together, we shared all of these dishes: STARTERS starters tasting flight: one of each starter - 24 *bolani: afghan flatbread (choose two fillings) pumpkin (v), beef, onion potato *sambosa trio: a crispy phyllo pastry trio of spinach (v, vg), shrimp & beef - 12 *shamee kebab: small patty of minced beef with potatoes, yellow split peas, eggs, spices, served with cucumber mint yogurt, pickled onions & house-cut fries - 15 (gf) *shore-nakhot: chickpea, potato salad in vinegar, garlic & cilantro (cold) - 7 (v, vg, gt) *pakowra: gram batter cauliflower, spinach & potato- 14 (v, vg) AFGHAN DUMPLINGS *mantoo beef: dumplings with ground beef, topped with a yellow split peas & carrots tomato sauce finished with strained garlic yogurt - 4 pcs --16 / 6 pcs - 22 SIGNATURE DISHES gabuli palow: rice pilaf, boneless braised lamb, carrots, & raisins - 35 (gf) veggie - 22 (v) FROM THE GRILL lamb shank: bone-in braised lamb, herbed tomato sauce, basmati rice -- 38 (gf) My favorite dish overall was the gabuli palow. There was something so novel about the sweetness of the carrots paired with raisins in the soft rice and decadent lamb. Just amazing. Overall, Lapis is a culinary adventure with attentive service, chic ambience, and masterfully crafted foods -- worth every penny.

While I love a family owned business, Lapis was underwhelming for me…read more Start with the good: Doogh Punch: 5/5 best mezcal drink! Smooth, well balanced. Atmosphere: relaxed, warm! Love the photos on the walls giving that family vibe. Candle lit as the sun went down. Nice vibe. Meh: Shrimp dumplings: 3/5 shrimp in a dumpling. No flavors stood out even with the sauce. Beet salad: 3.5/5 this was an arugula salad with maybe half a beet cut up on top. The description of ingredients were flakes of toppings. I had to request more beets as there were few. I could have had more nuts and cheese, but I just wasn't in the mood to really complain. Chopawn: 3/5 lamb chops, tender but lacking flavor. "Picked" salad on top, not pickled. Just cut up onions and peppers with sumac. Buranee Kadoo: 3/5 also ok. The garlic sour cream sauce needed more tang.

Couldn't make up my mind, so I tried the Not Your Mama's Eggplant, Crazy Fish, and Smash Cucumber…read moreSalad. Everything was delicious and came out quickly. I should've taken pictures, but it looked so good that I dove right in.

We dropped by after my wife was in the mood for ramen. I am glad we did. We arrived at 6:00 pm…read moreon a Tuesday before it got crowded. Most of the tables were taken but we were seated right away. We ordered the Edamame and House Smashed Cucumber. The Cucumber had the right amount of tanginess. The Cheng Du Spicy Wonton stood out. The spicy sauce that they came in was an excellent accompaniment. We finished off with the Reren Signature Ramen. It really hit the spot. The ambience is very casual. We were tourists but it seemed a lot of locals were eating there too. We would definitely come again.

Yum! We were looking for a fast casual yet still…read moreinteresting dinner after a long day exploring the city. Rasa's veggie filled menu with Indian flavors was perfect for us. The build your own bowls were packed with flavors like saag, tikka, chickpeas and more. In my usual style, I opted for just about every veggie topping they offered (loved the crispy lentils!). The space is bright and well decorated. My only complaint was that the space needed cleaned (tables, drink area, etc) and there was a staff member eating chips behind the counter with his fingers that threw me off a bit. Easy fixes. So, so good overall- loved building my own bowl and the kids loved it all as well. We also purchased the Indian yogurt side and a mango lassi for the road!

First time at Rasa. Great options for vegetarians, Indian cuisine inspired bowls, and chicken too…read more Friendly service, choices to pick for protein, sauces and veggies, and base. The theme was nice and economical, portions are good, perfect for a quick grab n go, or even sit down. However the flavors did not hit the mark for me, it was just alright. Will surely try other flavors from the menu again.

Fresh and delicious guacamole, a sweet horchata, and great tacos. The service was very nice, and…read morethe restaurant had a great atmosphere. Be sure to check out this restaurant.

My biggest mistake was that I mistakenly ordered two fish tacos when I wanted to try a bean taco. I…read moreneed to go back!! These tacos were surprisingly very good! The tortilla was slightly crisp, but still soft and the fish was nicely fried. I say surprisingly because I think the location is rather random and unassuming. I would have never guessed that these good tacos were hiding in downtown DC. The staff is fantastic, especially Samantha! She leads the staff in being My biggest mistake was that I mistakenly ordered two fish tacos when I wanted to try a bean taco. These tacos were surprisingly very good! The tortilla was slightly crisp, but still soft and the fish was nicely fried. I say surprisingly because I think the location is rather random and unassuming. I would have never guessed that these good tacos were hiding in downtown DC. The staff is fantastic, especially Samantha! She leads the staff in being energetic, kind, and helpful. I get the sense that people enjoy working there and have a good time. That speaks volumes about the leadership! , kind, and helpful. I get the sense that people enjoy working there and have a good time. That speaks volumes about the leadership!