Anna W.

The brunch was decently priced for what we got. Everyone got two small plates and one shareable for $40. The "shareables" should be considered to be a main course for one person. We did have to ask for extra pita to go with the dip as the portions were substantial. However, the service was slow and it took awhile to get our food even though the restaurant was not crowded.

Alexis T.

Very nice ambiance, upscale with attentive and informative waiters. I had the truffle steak fries, I missed the flavor of the parm and truffle. The lamb sliders were flavorful. The cauliflower was delicious in an Asian style sauce. They have specialty crafted cocktails such as a lavender spritz. The menu looks good with a fusion of flavor that may make it a stand out, especially in the Union Market area.

Alexis B.

My husband and I had dinner at Karravaan this past Sunday and had a very good time. Karravaan is new-ish (it opened in June 2025), and it celebrates the cultural influences along the Silk Road (a 4,000-mile network of Eurasian trade routes active from 130 BCE to 1450-ish CE, it connected China with the Mediterranean). This concept allows chef/owner Sanjay Mandhaiya (also of Pappe) to explore and highlight cuisines you don't often see on a menu together and to get creative! The menu is broken up into small plates, entrees, and large "journeys" to be shared with at least 2 people. Each dish has a little Italic description of the cuisines/cultures being highlighted or that inspired that dish. We stuck to small plates on this occasion and shared: Cauliflower Manchurian ("Indo-Chinese pairing": soy, ginger, garlic, tamari, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, scallions); Pork and Lemongrass Dumplings ("Rustic Staple of Tibet and Nepal": lemongrass broth, 3 hour chili oil, scallion); Cured Hamachi Crudo ("Classic Japanese with a citrus twist": kiwi mousse, tamari caviar, radish, jalapeño); Grilled Octopus ("Greek-Style with North African Flavors": gobe, charred leek, pickled tomato, green chermoula, fried chickpea); Nihari ("Middle Eastern favorite with Indian spice": braised lamb, classic Indian curry spice mix, lime, jalapeño); and Lebanese Fish Kofte ("Traditional Lebanese Specialty": crispy fish croquette, sumac, labneh, olive oil). Did I love every dish? No. The cured hamachi crudo didn't work for us (the idea of a kiwi mousse didn't work for us - the texture was odd, and the fish got lost entirely in that much kiwi), and I wasn't sold on the grilled octopus (the cook on the octopus was perfect, but there was a flavor I wasn't sure about - it might have just been that the charred leek was too much for me - like eating something off a grill that hasn't been cleaned and you're getting the the burnt bits). The other dishes were good - delicious and often fun. The gobi manchurian was classic, but the other dishes surprised us. The broth with the dumplings?! The fish kofte tasted of fish but didn't have the texture of other fish dumplings I've had! And the Nihari was flavorful and served with the most gorgeous bread for dipping into lamb and sauce. The also have a great drink program: cocktails, wines by the glass, NA drinks/mocktails, beers (including beers from India, Spain, and Lebanon). They offered us a glass of sparkling wine when we checked in for our reservation (a lovely touch), and I enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, while my husband tried and enjoyed a few cocktails. The na'na with the mint espuma? Wow. That cocktail surprised and delighted me, as did much of the food at Karravaan. And then on top of all of that, the service was outstanding: friendly, helpful, fast. Top-notch. And the restaurant is beautiful and played great music. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and would happily return. Hopefully next time with friends so we can enjoy more of the Silk Road!

Joshua K.

I recently went to Karravaan for a weekend brunch with my wife and two friends. Karravaan's concept of cuisines from along the Silk Road is excellent but could be better executed. The ambiance was fine but it felt like a standard nice restaurant-there is more that Karravaan could have done to lean into the unique theme (e.g., decorations). While brunch is generally an American thing, Karravaan tried to put too many American/modern brunch twists on their menu, ranging from lobster and steak (not found/prepared in the region) to bacon (not often eaten in the region at best and weird when giving tribute to a largely Muslim area of the world at worst). Our service was spotty; our server was unfamiliar with an iced latte, and there was a confusion about my wife's khachapuri (she ordered without bacon and it came with bacon). Karravaan does add an automatic 20% gratuity for all parties regardless of size; note that it is in the small print at the bottom of the menu. For brunch, Karravaan does two appetizers and a main for $40, with reasonable portion sizes for the brunch and fairly priced for a DC weekend brunch. I got a cappuccino to start, which was delicious. I got the smoky eggplant dip and the malai kofta for my appetizers, which were a mixed bag. The smoky eggplant dip and the accompanying naan were outstanding-the eggplant was perfectly cooked and seasoned, the pomegranate seeds added a nice touch of sweetness, the labneh was creamy, the caramelized onion added good texture and flavor, and the naan was hearty and buttery. The malai kofta were dry, rubbery, and flavorless without the labneh and garlic. I got the Lobster Mufurrakat Battata, which I got at the server's recommendation and was a big disappointment. This dish was mostly potatoes with too much saffron cream and virtually no lobster (the few chunks I got were very good). The saffron cream overwhelmed the eggs, berbere, and black truffle; per the comment above, this dish did not feel true to the restaurant's intended Silk Road theme. I also tried my wife's khachapuri, and while it was largely outstanding, the bottom was burned black and inedible. Karravaan's brunch has great potential; with a few different dishes on the menu and improving the quality of a few others, it could be unique and amazing.

Becky D.

I think I'm at a loss for words on the let down of this restaurant...Silk Road journey screams flavor, depth, variety. While there was variety in the menu items, not one stood out. Khachapuri: 3.5/5. Good. Regular. Did not get a hint of chili oil Lebanese Fish Kofta: 4/5 tasty, and good portion. Supposed to be on a bed of labneh, but there was hardly a smear on the plate. When I requested extra, the waiter was happy to bring extra. Good combination. Tamarind bbq lamb chops: 2/5 I was pleasantly surprised at the size and meatiness of the lamb chops. This could have been a hit if there was actual flavor and the chops were not so tough. I was shaking the whole table trying to cut it. The accompanying curry lentils had curry powder, nothing else. Not creamy, no depth. Forbidden Duck: 4/5 Duck was tender and well cooked. It was good. Nothing to write home about. Midori Cocktail: 5/5 now this was a hit!! Well crafted and flavorful. Cafe cocktail: 0/5 apparently they ran out ‍ and could not try. Beautiful restaurant. No parking, it's Union market. Closest garage is still a walk in heels when dressing for the occasion.

Rachel B.

I like that this restaurant is in the cut! Reclusiveness is my new vibe. This place matched my energy. I loved the decor. The host seated us at the bar immediately upon arrival. We came to tryout happy hour. The fries came out first. They were more potato wedges. I appreciate them being HOT wedges. I wish they had a little more truffle and sauce. Next was the cauliflower bites. They were prepared well, I enjoyed. Last was the lamb sliders and the chicken shawarma. The presence on fresh herbs in both dishes was very impressive. I loved the authenticity of both dishes. I would order again.

Amy Z.

This was one of those impromptu reservations as we didn't really know where to go for dinner. Turns out it's on the Michelin guide and I totally understand why! We started with a pan seared shrimp which was a large shrimp with huge flavors of truffle and saffron. Then we ordered the butter chicken, super tender and the dish was elevated with pomegranate which added sweetness and crunch. Even as someone who's not a huge duck fan, the duck was so tender. We also loved the black rice which paired super well with the honey glaze. We ended with a mango chai cheesecake which was packed with flavor. Lastly the interior was super classy, perfect for date night or an elevated dinner!

Rachel B.

We had a really nice dinner at Karravaan in Noma. I think overall the food quality was really good. There were a lot of creative dishes on the menu representing a range of different cultural cuisines. I think the price point is really high, even by DC standards, and that is probably my biggest complaint. That being said, the food was delicious. We were happy with everything we tried. The service was attentive and friendly. When we first got there for our reservation, they tried to seat us right by the host stand where people were lining up, and we politely requested a different table. They were able to accommodate us with a better seat, and we appreciated that.

Kell M.

Went for a happy hour! In full transparency, it was good for happy hour prices but most of these I would not pay full price for. Fries: standard but yummy! Lamb sliders: star of the show, this is a must get Chicken skewers: fairly bland and chewy The kiwi cocktail was too sweet for my liking, the name escapes me. The vibes were great but there's too many other options in the area to be rushing back.

Lily S.

A beautiful cozy interior, great service, and an almost perfect first dinner out of 2026. We had: - seared tuna crudo: beautiful on the eyes and the pallet. Perfect little bites almost too pretty to eat - khachapuri: perfection. Albeit a bit of a smaller portion than I'm used to. Just enough for two. - smoky eggplant dip: probably my favorite dish of the evening! - the duck: nether one of us enjoyed this tbh. I think cooked at medium was the right choice but my friend thought it was too rare, whereas I felt like it was too dry/flavorless. Honestly I would have preferred the branzino but the price was a little high for me. Though I'm not sure if it was meant for two? Next time! Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. The biggest issue was drinks were verry slow and we spent a lot of time w empty glasses. I do look forward to coming back and trying more of the small plate menu.

Jade C.

Karravaan Overall Rating: (5/5 Stars) Compliments to the chef! I am truly in awe of the flavors at this Silk Road inspired restaurant. From the specials to the classics, this is a must-try. And with an everyday happy hour, you really cannot go wrong. Food: Bread: * Naan Barbari+Herb Butter (complimentary): I love a delicious "free" bread and butter moment. Warm, fluffy, and perfect for sauces. Chef's Special: * Fire-roasted 0ysters $19: Stuffed with crab at just the right cook. I ate every single one without hesitation. StartingOut: * Pan-roasted Prawn $22: Black Truffle+Saffron+Curry= Magic! Fresh, flavorful, and still surprisingly light. Destinations: * Forbidden Duck $38: I am extremely grateful I started eating duck as an adult because this dish was perfection. I even asked for extra harissa honey glaze to fully sauce it up. I would come back for this alone. Service: I sat at the bar right at opening, so ignoring me was not an option. That said, service was top-notch. Plates were perfectly timed, the team was attentive, and I never needed to ask for a thing. IG: @_edaj_ TikTok: @_edaj_jade_ Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Please try these restaurants and form your own judgments--it's what I would do.

Zack B.

My wife had come here with friends back in the fall for happy hour and, as we were brainstorming ideas for our anniversary, Karravaan came right up. Ambiance: 5 stars. Quaint, spacious, warm and lovely. Feels very homely. Service: 5 stars. Everyone is super attentive and very wonderfully personable. They hire excellent staff. Food: 5 stars. We got the, between the two of us, lamb main, Biryani, tibetan momos and crispy cauliflower for our main meal. Everything was super flavorful and delicious! The momos were delighful and, for anyone who's spice sensitive they weren't all that spicy (Momos can be very spicy). The cauliflower appetizer was great, it was just a little suspsicious that it came out right after we ordered. A few other tables probably had ordered it around the same time though. The lamb main was amazing, even though I felt awkward trying get all the meat off due to Karravaan feeling classy. I think I just need more practice; I rarely order lamb . The couscous with it was amazing! The biryani main was also excellent. Because it was our anniversary (well the day proper is tuesday) we also got dessert and the mango chai cheesecake was awesome! The 5 spice beignets were too, but i just didnt get much of the flavoring of the warming 5 spice medley and the fry on them felt a bit heavy. Those are minor nitpicks (and my tastebuds have been weird since my second bout of covid in 2025 anyway) though! Highly recommend Karravaan!!

Taylor D.

Karravaan has a great happy hour deal. The chicken shawarma skewers were very tender and flavorful. Four skewers per order were great, the pita was also very warm and herby. I also loved the lavender spritz it was extremely refreshing on a hot day. I can't wait to come back and try their regular menu outside of happy hour.