Solid restaurant! From the entrance, to inside, to being seated and greeted, and the food - everything 4.5/5. I wanted to give them a 5 because of the service. It's a beautiful restaurant in Union market area. Tastefully decorated. Not loud. My server was just perfect! But he did miss that I made this reservation for a birthday lunch. I did not remind either as they need to pay attention to these things if they are aiming to get a Michelin star. I had shaved papaya and shrimp salad to start- absolutely delicious as it was also spicy, next, had the malai kofta - great curry flavor, I would like more malai sauce though and slightly more spicy. Salad was more spicy than this. Lastly had the lobster mufarraka, also super delicious. They do need to add more lobster since there's an up charge, to balance the amount of potatoes. Also perhaps two eggs instead of one? Idk I felt something could be added more of. But the dish was very yummy. The kiwisaki drink was also delicious. Also zero proof drinks are $16 while with Alcohol $17, does not make sense to me - fix that please. Also, it might be a miss, but I didn't the "silk road experience" that my server mentioned. My feedback is for improvement but I still gave 5 star. I will be back to try other dishes and review again, if they still miss these recs and really no effort to remember a special day, then it shows they are not serious and review will be downgraded. But I think the ambiance, service, flavors for now deserves a solid review. Oh, and complimentary pastries were good. Thank you for the experience, I'll be back! read more

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I went to Karravaan for an early birthday celebration with 2 friends. The service was gracious and friendly. They went above and beyond to give me a positive birthday experience, including a complimentary glass of champagne while I waited for my friends, a candle in the hazelnut chocolate cake, and a sweet card. The concept intrigued me because the Silk Route covers many of my favorite cuisines. We shared a bunch of small plates and desserts, and everything was good. The standouts were the khachapuri with its crunchy/fluffy everything-bagel crust vibes and spicy, cheesy filling; the smoky eggplant dip that felt akin to Indian baingan bhartha; and the creme brulee which had a surprisingly nutty note with the sesame seeds. I also liked the honey nut squash flavors but wish it had the skin removed for easier eating. We also enjoyed our cocktails - the Phool for You, Tequila Sunset, and Karravaan Punch. They also have some unusual wines from places like Lebanon and Palestine. I enjoyed a taste of the sparkling red pet nat that was offered when we expressed curiosity about it. The inside is really pretty, with Victorian railway vibes. It wasn't that crowded on a Sunday night, which was nice because we could talk without shouting. I kind of want it to stay a local secret, but also hope they're popular enough to stick around because I definitely want to go back. read more

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the vibe of the restaurant was beautiful, and they have the coolest matchboxes at the hostess stand. the food was pretty good, but I think that you can get better versions of each dish elsewhere (although this place is unique in the combinations of dishes you can get). definitely a worthy visit! read more

Food was great, we had heard otherwise. Lots of criticism around Karravaan when it opened until we decided "it's best to see for ourselves". Loved everything we ate, but it felt like I was eating with strangers at my seat. The ambience felt okay, however the seats were TIGHTLY squeezed next to each other, hence my 4 star rating. Service was great, 10/10, loved the new cutlery each time but it could have been great even without it. read more

Amazingly thoughtful servers-- kind to bring out mosquito repellent and a doggie bowl when you're on the patio before you ask. Add a phenomenal menu and great ambiance and the area has a new winner. read more

Karravaan - Patio, menu - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I visited Karravan in Washington DC on a scorching day well above 93°F and was glad to discover the AC kicked full throttle as the dining room went from cozy to packed. From the moment we sat down, the service was top tier and attentive without being overbearing, and exactly what you want when you're melting outside. For starters, (not pictured) we had cauliflower fried in a sweet and spicy sauce and chicken skewers with a fragrant herb seasoning. Both were well executed and set the tone for the meal. But the real standout was the wild mushroom biryani with truffle, a vegan friendly masterpiece. The rice was perfectly fragrant, the wild mushrooms deeply savory, and the truffle lift made it remarkably unique. It was easily a 10 out of 10 dish in my book. My girlfriend ordered the butter chicken. While it looked good, she didn't love it so she ended up finishing some of my rice instead. Meanwhile, the mushroom biryani more than made up for it. As a plant based dish, it was bold and memorable in flavor a rare triumph. I paired my meal with a Mexican mule made with Casa Noble tequila. It was well balanced, refreshing, and worth ordering on its own merit. All told, the food especially the mushroom biryani was great, the service was flawless, and the complimentary pita bread was a nice touch. On a sizzling Washington day, this felt like a complete and satisfying experience. read more

Karravaan - Butter Posin - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was super excited to try this new establishment. The ambiance and decor was nice. The complimentary bread basket was the best thing I consumed. The shrimp skewer is a joke. It's not pictured but I was underwhelmed with it. It was two head-on shrimps on a stick. The shrimp were dry and almost impossible to get off the skewer. Once the head was off it was not that much shrimp. The peanut sauce that accompanied it was not that good. I was not happy with this dish. The dip was nothing to write home about. It came with the same complimentary bread basket. The drinks were tasty. The service was good. Parking is rough. I don't think I would return. read more

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10/10 experience at Karravaan! We had the most amazing time. Food is excellent, staff is extremely helpful and friendly and the ambiance is incredible. The concept of the restaurant is fascinating and unique and the food and drinks match the concept perfectly! I cannot wait to come back! Perfect for a group brunch or dinner! read more

Karravaan - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food was great to amazing! Love the katchupurri, cauliflower and scallops. The chicken schwarma was great but not life changing. My partner loved the domo. The eggplant dip was also delish. The night I went, the service was slow - I think a server called out but the meal did take three hours. We had dessert comped for the delayed service. I would still go again when I'm sure I have time, just in case. read more

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Truly had one of the best meals of my life here. Was in DC earlier this month for only a day and was looking for somewhere to eat that sounded interesting/unique. Found this place and am very glad I went! We had the eggplant dip with the taftan bread, the wild mushroom biryani, and the branzino. Everything was heavenly and packed full of flavor. Bummed that I'm not closer to DC so I can keep working my way through the menu! Also, on a personal note, I'm pretty visibly trans and it felt really great to have gender neutral bathrooms in the restaurant and see gender non-conforming people around. Made the experience even better and more comfortable for me :) I like that they have a couple tasty mocktails on the menu too. I'm sober and sometimes I want to still be able to have something fun when I'm out, you know? read more

Food was great but the service is absolutely horrible. It may have been the slowest dinner I've ever had (even though we only ordered entrees). After we got our food the server didn't check on us until we had already finished eating, and then didn't come by with our check until 30 mins later. We were full when we finished eating, but by the time we left we were hungry again (that's how long it took to get out of there). Will definitely not be returning here. read more

Decent food and friendly staff, though service was a bit slow tonight. Portions were acceptable, flavors average, and prices fair, making it an okay spot for casual meals overall visit. read more

I would recommend this place to anyone, as the dishes are divine and service is five stars!

The food is phenomenal and such a great twist on the usual dishes. Think of it as an elevated version of whatever you're used to. Their drinks are great, too. Will definitely be back! read more

Had an incredible night at Karravaan with friends. We ordered a ton of food and everything was a hit.The Smoky Eggplant Dip is a must--we actually ordered it twice because it was that good. We also loved the Khachapuri for that perfect texture , along with the Tandoori Salmon, Little Gem salad, and Crispy Brussels. For the mains, the Wild Mushroom Biryani and the Parisian Gnocchi (the white truffle and goat cheese combo is amazing) were both super rich and unique. For drinks, the Midori mezcal cocktail was the absolute star of the night , though the Dhuaan was also a good choice. We finished with a massive dessert spread: the Mahalabia, Mango-Chai Cheesecake, and the huge Four Layer Chocolate Cake.The whole vibe and service were 10/10. We definitely can't wait to be back! read more

The service was great! Did not love the food though, I feel like it was overpriced for what it was, I like the concept though. Also in the summer, DO NOT sit outside unless you want to get eaten alive by mosquitos (they did give me bug spray when I asked if they had any though!) read more

Good food but yikes on the service. Waited 30 minutes from seating to see a waiter (ended up having to ask a busboy to get one for us). Unfortunately, this continued throughout the night. A two-course dinner we arrived for at 7pm ended at close to 10pm(!). The eggplant starter with naan came out with just the dip, the naan following about five minutes later, so we just sat and looked at the dip awkwardly till then. The entrees took another 45 minutes to an hour. Tasted good but certainly not worth the extended wait. Water refills were plentiful but forget about drinks with your meal. Ordered a cocktail to start and it took over 30 minutes. Ordered a glass of wine for the entree, that took another 15 minutes. Unfortunately the inattentive service was also chaotic. Beyond the dip situation and waiting for food/drinks, when it was time to pay we again had to flag someone down after waiting too long. And then the waiter brought out three checks at once (ours and two nearby tables) and got them mixed up, so somebody else signed and tipped on our receipt and vice versa. We were sitting on the patio and people inside seemed much better taken care of and in and out far quicker than us. Unfortunately with so many other dining options in DC, I won't be back. read more

Karravaan is easily a new city favorite! I've been twice, and the second time was for a social event I hosted. The team was absolutely incredible: offering us nearly half of the restaurant space for the group to gather, arranging a special group menu, and being flexible when attendees had additional requests. The natural light, decor, and layout make for an incredible ambience - very trendy, without feeling stuffy or fake. The concept and food are excellent, and the team was more gracious than most I've worked with in the city. Maryanne made the whole process seamless and the whole bar, service, and host team that night was friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back! read more

Went for restaurant week and got to try a lot of their dishes, all of which were really good! Their desserts were a little lacking but otherwise I'd highly recommend! read more

It was okay. The service was not great. The food is way overpriced and does not taste authentic. The naan is not hot and kind of dry. The cocktails are good but I would skip this one. read more

We had a blast here. I'm still thinking about the Cauliflower Manchurian and the Nihari lamb shanks. The Phool for You cocktail was excellent too. read more

Karravaan - Nihari, cauliflower Manchurian - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went there with some family for a large birthday dinner. Where to start? This place was awesome. The food, drinks, ambiance, and service were all absolutely top notch. It's not unusual to find things that are not to your taste on a menu. It is very unusual to sample most of the menu (It was a party of 10) and not have *anything* miss the mark. The food was just that good. Hope this place does well. It was busy the night we were there, but not hugely packed. Pretty sure if you were inclined, you could get a seat without a reservation. read more

Deeply disappointing experience -- poor service, poor planning, and no accountability We came here excited to try a new spot, but this was hands-down one of the worst dining experiences I've had in recent memory. We waited over an hour and a half and still didn't receive all our food. * My dad ordered an Indian whiskey listed on the menu, only to be told 30 minutes later that it wasn't in stock. Why list something you don't have or fail to flag it when ordered? * We ordered butter chicken -- one of only a few non-shareable entrées -- and were told another 30 minutes later that it, too, was unavailable. * One of the appetizers (chicken skewers) never even arrived. The only thing that did show up -- the mushroom biryani -- was incredibly underwhelming. Who's asking for mushroom biryani, seriously? * The one cocktail we did receive tasted like spiked chai -- an odd and unbalanced flavor that just didn't work. When we tried to express our frustration, the server was dismissive and kept repeating, "It's only our second day open." That excuse wore thin quickly. After two hours, with no food on the table and two elderly parents sitting there hungry, we asked again about our order -- and instead of an apology, the manager came over and doubled down on excuses, treating my parents with condescension. If you're opening a restaurant -- especially on opening weekend -- you should be setting your highest standards, not brushing off customers with "we just opened" as your fallback for chaos. This was not just a bad meal; it was an operational disaster. read more

Delicious! The drinks and the cauliflower were amazing! I will be back for happy hour!

Delicious food and excellent service- be sure to ask for Victor. He made perfect recommendations for our party and was extremely attentive. Will come again!!! read more

We went during Restaurant Week, and unfortunately the experience didn't feel representative of the restaurant's usual offerings (based on the reviews and images here). Portion sizes and presentation were noticeably different from what we've seen in photos of the regular menu. If I were judging solely based on this visit, I wouldn't say it was worth the price. That said, we did enjoy a few dishes--the swordfish, nahiri (lamb dip), and eggplant dip stood out. The butter chicken was okay flavor-wise, but the portion was extremely small and honestly felt like leftovers. Desserts were an easy pass and so were the cocktails. We made reservations for the dining room and were seated on the heated patio. They said that sometimes the reservation platform mislabels but my confirmation email clearly stated dining room. Bit of a disappointment because the vibe on the inside seems substantially nicer especially when it's so cold outside. The servers were extremely attentive and nice. read more

What an incredible experience, the food and the service were on another level! The staff were so friendly, the service was great, the restaurant filled up really quickly over dinner and we sat both outside and inside, and it was all round a 5star evening! I highly recommend! read more

We had a great time dining here! We ordered a bunch of appetizers which were all delicious; our favorites were the chicken skewers and the shallot dip. Our server, Mete, provided excellent recommendations and was always checking on us, replacing our dirty plates, and refilling our water. Can't wait to come back soon! read more

I took a party of 10 to the Kaarvaan restaurant in DC on Saturday night. Everything about the experience was delightful. The staff is gracious and welcoming. Our party trickled in due to traffic issues. Not only is DMV traffic crazy but the Union Market area is very popular and jammed with traffic. I was intrigued with the menu and wanted to try everything! We almost succeeded! We share the Carmalized Shallot Spread, Smoky Eggplant Dip, Stuffed Cabbage, Tibetan Momos, Chicken Skewers, Chicken Kiev, the Jamon Wrapped Dates, the Khachapuri, Chicken Kiev, Lamb Sliders, and the Za'atar Fries. This was just the appetizers! The bread (naan e barbari) is free and keeps coming (it is delectable). Every dish was tasty and well-prepared. None of them were meh or regrettable. My favorites were the smoky eggplant dip and Tibetan momos. The very picky tweenage girl loved the chicken skewers (as did everyone else - I think we ended up with 4 orders for the table.) We ordered main dished too! Mainly because we could not resist. We did take a lot of to-go boxes at the end of the night. We had the Forbidden Duck (OMG), the Sanjay's Steak Frites (expensive but heavenly - every bite was WOW), the seasonal Sabzi Tagine (delicious and vegetarian) and the Mixed Grill (it supposed to feed two but that is two really hungry people!). The cocktails are not the usual! The flavors are excellent and are not sugary sweet (a big plus in my opinion). We even had dessert - shared. We had the black lime tart - which sounds odd but is extremely good - close to a key lime but a bit more interesting flavor. We also shared the Russian Cake - lots of layers and superb local honey. This was a evening all of us will remember. The service, the food, and the company were excellent. I highly recommend the Kaaravaan. read more