This place is super cute! I came here with a friend and sat at the bar. We loved the aesthetic and the overall vibes of the place. We only ordered drinks, and to start, we had the pistachio espresso martini. It was so delicious. The rim of crushed pistachios was the perfect touch. My second drink was the lemon elixir, and although I'm not a fan of the tartness of lemon, I did really like this drink. I think the creaminess overshadowed the tartness for me. My last drink of the night was the orange dreamsicle. This was definitely my favorite out of the three! It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet and had a creaminess to it that I enjoyed. On top of the tasty drinks, we had an amazing waiter! He made sure to explain all the drinks to us and he was very accommodating. I'll definitely be back to visit next time I'm in the area! read more

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We went to Layli for dinner on a date night and everything was just fine. I keep hoping that the Arlington restaurant scene will blow me away but haven't had any luck yet. The espresso martinis were a little too sweet and taste more like chocolate milk than a martini. My favorite dish of the night were the fries, everything was decent at most. Not a single dish stood out to us in any way. We tried the Octopus, lamb shank for two, chicken kebabs, and tzatziki dip. The lamb was bland and needed salt while the chicken was super bland and dry. The octopus was OK and the tzatziki was decent. The fries were the only really tasty dish of the night. I'd skip Layli as not one single dish made us want to come back, especially for the price. The search for a great Arlington restaurant continues read more

Been here twice! Excited to see a nice Mediterranean restaurant in Clarendon ! Lovely decor and music. We love the service, food and ambiance! They have plenty of comfortable outdoor seating. We ordered drinks and appetizers and will return for main dishes soon! read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Dip trio - delicious! - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This is one of the new restaurants that have opened up in Arlington. It's right across Circa on Wilson Blvd. There it's lots of outdoor seating, which is amazing with the music that they play. On a nice day, definitely book the outdoor seating. The service was incredible. Our server was very sweet and attentive, and they were very quick in cleaning up the empty plates. Now to the food. One thing to note is that the portion size is quite small, for the price you pay. You definitely get a lot more food at other Mediterranean restaurants. So keep that in mind. The drinks are amazing, and the small portions go perfect with Happy Hour. We were there for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is all we ordered: - Zaatar Fries: these are amazing. So well seasoned. We finished it all. - Batatas Bravas: this was a bit disappointing. It was bland and definitely not the kind I've eaten at other restaurants. We left half of it. It felt more like a potato vegetable dish as opposed to the traditional Batatas Bravas. - Falafel: delicious. You only get 3 pieces per order. But they taste great. - Dip Trio: the dips are very small in size, but we loved them. The pita bread was nice and warm. They don't have any vegetarian entree on the menu, which was a bit disappointing. The eggplant dish also had lamb in it. We ordered enough appetizers to keep us full, but would be great if they could add some vegetarian options as entree. Now to the dessert. Do NOT miss out on the desserts. We got the Baklava and Layli Delight, and they both were absolutely delicious. The baklava comes with an assortment, and each of them were incredible. The Layli Delight was delicious as well. We completely wiped out our plates. Surprisingly, the dessert portion were bigger than the food portions Highly recommend this place. We loved the ambiance, the drinks, the music, and overall experience. read more

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My friend and I have heard how the service at Láylí was pretty rocky when they first opened so we waited a month before stopping by. It's in a prime location right outside the Clarendon Metro, which was very convenient. Our server was helpful and we got our food pretty quickly. DIP TRIO - 18 This comes with three dips -- hummus, labneh, and one of muhammara (roasted red pepper dip) or tirokafteri (creamy red pepper dip with feta). This time around, we chose the tirokafteri which ended up being our favorite because it was lightly spicy, but the feta cheese made it so creamy and delicious. The hummus was very typical and nothing crazy and same with the labneh. They give you a big portion of pita bread here and we had a hard time finishing. This is a good option if you share with 2 or 3 others. WARAK ENAB - 12 This was grape leaves stuffed with rice, tomato and parsley. The flavor of grape leaves is very unique. It's not one I can describe well because I don't eat it often enough. Each order comes with six nearly wrapped grape leaves and my friend enjoyed this a lot (since she is a fan of it). I would recommend it to try! LAMB SHANK FOR TWO - 56 For this price, the portion size was pretty worth it. We got a fat lamb shank that was super tender and juicy, sitting on top of a savory lamb jus that was delicious. The lamb was very good and we enjoyed that with the saffron rice we got with it (topped with pomegranate seeds and scallions). Again, lots of meat on the shank and we ended up having enough for another meal. The vegetables on the side was steamed and salted well. I enjoyed the broccolini, asparagus, and carrots. I would recommend the lamb shank if you're looking to splurge a bit. In terms of ambiance, it would have been better if they opened the windows and doors because the voices of other groups/parties were definitely amplified based on the interior structure. It was really hard to hear one another since it was so loud inside. Overall, the food was decent, but we both agree we'd try other Mediterranean restaurants before circling back to this one. read more

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Absolutely incredible! I've never had a better falafel--perfectly crispy on the outside and moist inside. The sausage with pomegranate molasses and lemon was phenomenal, as was the stuffed zucchini. We also tried the trio of dips and the Aleppo eggplant, both of which were fantastic. The drinks were creative and delicious. I wasn't drinking that night, but I tasted my husband's and son's cocktails--the Baklava Old Fashioned and the Pesto Sour--both unique and absolutely worth trying. My only small gripe is that the mocktails were listed on the dessert menu rather than with the cocktails. I would have loved to consider one at the start of the meal. Service was great, and the atmosphere was fun, though the music outside was a bit loud, if you wanted to have conversation, might have liked to dance though! Lol!. If I had one other wish, it would be for a bigger table--or a bigger stomach! Overall, an easy 8.5/10. Highly recommend! read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Pesto Sour! - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Our Uber driver dropped us off at the wrong intersection while visiting DC and noticed Layli Mediterranean restaurant next to us. It was an hour from closing on a Tuesday night, but lots of customers enjoying their meals. We reviewed the menu at the hostess counter and was quickly informed the kitchen is closing soon and if wanting to order to do so asap. We were seated and quickly ordered our appetizers and drinks. We placed our orders while appetizers were delivered and enjoyed the trio dip with warm pita bread. We did notice they forgot my order when they delivered one of the meals. Our server didn't check on us as someone else delivered the food. It wasn't until 20 minutes later my meal was served and no apology not that I was expecting one. Overall the food was good, but service was no where near what DC restaurants usually have. Will try other restaurants in the area, hopefully their service will live up to DC expectations. read more

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Looking around for a cool spot nearby and this came up. Turns out it's fairly new-ish, I don't even remember what's as here before. We got a bunch of plates to share, then the meat plate for two. We tried a bunch of different drinks, the cucumber one was a winner. Definitely a great spot and would be a fun place to day drink if the weather is nice, the outdoor section is massive. read more

I was hoping to enjoy this location, but I found myself fairly disappointed. I tried a number of their small plates to share, and they were all okay, nothing to write home about. I ordered a glass of wine but it had gone bad. The waiter was apologetic and replaced it with an alternative. Ambiance wise, the music here is very loud. I wasn't exactly sure what kind of vibe they were trying to create, as it was fairly empty at the time we were there (earlier in the evening). When walking by, I've seen it busier later into the night, so the louder music could make more sense to me then... but listening to loud deep house made for an odd dining experience. The overall experience was middling in terms of food and ambiance, but considering they're a newer restaurant, I hope that they're able to improve as they get their feet under themselves. read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Dip Trio - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Incredible hidden gem! I visited Layli for date night and it did not disappoint! Not only is the food incredible but the spot itself is really cool. They have indoor and outdoor seating (the patio is quite spacious!). For food, we share the hummus & duck appetizer which was delicious (wish they had gluten free outta bread but the veggies worked for dipping). My bf got the lamb chops and I got the scallops. The lamb was cooked perfectly and the chops were quite huge. The scallops were pretty large and served over a cauliflower puree. Everything was very delicious! The he service was wonderful and our server provided great recommendations and was quite attentive. read more

Layli waa fantastic for happy hour. Really great deals during happy hour so I would recommend going during that time. The hummus and tzatziki were really good and so were the fries read more

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Beware of the posted hours. Only the bar is open until midnight. Kitchen closes at 10pm. Super disappointing.

I think the food was pretty average for a Mediterranean restaurant and mezzes but the restaurant's set up is superb. There are indoor and outdoor seating, with a little booth on the border that sells pastries, coffee, and gelato. Not sure if I will be back for the actual dining experience but overall the place is conveniently located and has a nice ambiance. read more

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This open concept restaurant is interesting and has a great vibe. I sat at the outdoor bar and was serviced by Lina and Michael, they were phenomenal and very fun to talk to before my friends joined me. I ordered a lemon elixir to start and loved it! It's like a lemon drop but creamy, I then ordered the tzatziki and Michael recommended the pistachio espresso martini for my next drink. The tzatziki was very disappointing and lacking in flavor and the pita bread wasn't anything special, just straight out of a package it seems. The martini was good! A little sweet but I like that. Overall I had a good experience and will be coming back to see Lina and Michael again :) read more

We found the coffee bar opened outdoor during the day. They had baked goods, Gelato and various drinks (hot and cold). You can sit in the patio area while the restaurant is closed. Drink and baked goods was delicious. Looking forward to trying their dinner/restaurant soon! read more

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I'm surprised how busy this restaurant is, as it didn't particularly impress me. I got the spicy prawn mezze, ma'anek, and beef tenderloin shawarma. The beef tenderloin was probably my favorite, but overall the plates lacked special flavors, especially considering the high price. The pita is alright but very thin and gets stale quite quickly. I also felt like the service was all over the place, as our server changed 3 times and we had to flag someone down for the check. read more

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This place has incredible food, drinks, service and decor. My highlights were the kibbeh nayeh, the lamb Kefta and the duck shawarma. The indoor/outdoor concept is very good and the interior is light filled and open. read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I ordered the grilled Amish chicken with vegetables and couscous. It was really delicious. Usually when you honor take out food it's not really good. It's cold or soggy or just ordinary but this was so yummy that I have to say I would order it again and again, the presentation was great as well so if you're having gas or you just want to have a special man for yourself really healthy try the chicken dish. read more

Authentic Lebanese, the owners, the Zaytoun's and their family oversee every detail to make sure the food, service and atmosphere are all outstanding. Dining al fresco on the patio makes you feel like you're in Miami Beach. We loved the Mixed grill, added the lamb chops and shrimp. That along with a Greek salad and tabbouleh salad was enough to feed our family of five. Take your family and friends you will love it! read more

Wonderful restaurant and great authentic Lebanese food. Hummus was great and the owners were fantastic

The bright purple lights and just opened sign drew us in to try this new restaurant. There was a live dj playing vibey music and great outdoor space. We sat at the bar and got drinks and a few apps. The drink was fine but the food was incredibly bland and not anything to call home about. I hope the food gets better the longer they are open but will probably not be back to try because for the price, it's not worth it in my opinion. read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Shawarma sliders and spinach filo bites - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Tons of potential. I miss Bar Ivy. Drinks and food great so far. Ive been to 5 happy hours here.

We saw a new place open in Clarendon on Saturday 10 May. They were playing great music in the outdoor patio! Decided to stop in and check it out! Approached the hostess asked about seating and where we can get drinks. She states " you can sit at the bar or any table inside or outside, seat yourselves." We take a seat at a table inside, near the outdoor patio area. Sat for 3-4minutes. Saw a couple waiters walk by, no one said anything to us. We finally stop a waitress and ask her how do we order drinks?..... she stops and stares at us.....She looks over at the hostess and speaks in another language. The hostess comes over and asks if we want dinner and proceeds to say the table we're sitting at is reserved for dinner only. (Nothing on the table indicates they were reserved tables). We told the hostess again that we only wanted drinks as we said it when we arrived. She continued to say that if we want dinner we can sit here but need to move to the bar for drinks only. The context of the experience was not professional or customer service friendly. This could have been a result of misunderstanding or miscommunication. It's sad to say that professionalism and customer service has lost its way when you TRY to patronize an establishment. Based on how we were treated and I will add "judged" we will not patronize this establishment and I will encourage others not to do so. Why spend your money at a place whom disrespects you at first sight. I had to click on a star to finish my review, I would give Zero 's. Hard pass on this place! read more

Tried Layli tonight for the first time. Had a great time. Sat on their large patio as it was a beautiful evening. We just had several meze's and spreads (which were all good), but their mains looked good also. Services was attentive and friendly. And... we brought our dog and they took good care of her too! We'll go back for sure. read more

I've been here a few times and they are so kind and the food is great!! Service is always wonderful. They are so kind and attentive. The food is so good. Not cheap but delicious! Definitely ask your waiter for recs read more

We stopped in for dinner and sat outside on the lovely (gigantic) patio space. The food and service were excellent. We've tried several other Lebanese / Mediterranean places in the area and this was much better than several of them. We'd definitely come back. read more

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Láylí LebaNOM NOM NOM 4 stars for forgivable growing pains. A really beautifully decorated indoor/ outdoor seating arrangement. Music playing loud enough to provide ambiance but not inhibiting chats. We had 6 small plates between 2 and were just nicely full. Overall very high points for well seasoned tasty and interesting food. Our favorite was the hot prawn mezze . Really well seasoned fresh prawns with a pita chip " salad". Different and delicious. Battata Harra was also a winner. Lots of raw garlic and cilantro with a mild hit of spice. The low points included the bread- thin, cold and not enjoyable. The fillet beef "shawarma" was a wonderful piece of meat done dirty by lack of flavor to accompany it. I would pass on this and go for an extra portion of zatar fries. The Fatayer was lighter on flavor and didn't add anything to the meal. Definitely a go to for a date night/ girls night/ summer glass of wine and tapas style hang out. Service was trying but lacking. We waited too long for a second drink and for our bill, but as this was their opening week I would happily overlook this. Each dish should be named by the person dropping and bussing service was exceptional. Friendly and attentive without being overbearing.Price point is appropriate for the area. We will be back, hope to see you there! read more

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***Dined here on 06/07/2024 @ 8pm. This was their first week open. -Food: 5/5 I had the Chicken Shawarma Sliders and they were delicious. -Service: 5/5 Our server, Jack, was outstanding -Ambiance: 5/5 Best outdoor seating in Clarendon, lighting is great, music by the DJ was also great and NOT too loud (you can still easily have conversation) ***Dined here again tonight on 06/28/2024 @ 8:15pm -Food: 3/5 food was not as good as the first night -Service: 5/5 We had the same server, Jack....he remembered us and what we had ordered from our first visit.... can't say enough -Ambiance: 5/5 Still the best outdoor seating and I would love to know what is going to happen to this restaurant given that the building is apparently set to be demolished- they just opened so I would hope that the landlord didn't falsely lease them the space knowing that the building would be converted and their lease suddenly terminated given that they just hired staff and spent money renovating- here is the ARLnow article: https://www.arlnow.com/2024/06/27/clarendon-ups-store-closes-citing-redevelopment-plans-for-office-building/ read more

Patio area was cute and shaded. That the only good thing about the place that experienced. I ordered the NY strip and eggs. Not much of flavor in both. The strip looked like it was reheated, not cooked at the time of ordering. Small portion I felt like I didn't even eat. Service could use a lot of help. Server (Hafsa) could learn from the experience. She dropped the bill and walked away with no time to explain we wanted to slip. Had to chase her down. Then some of us got gratuity charge for a table of 4. Had bad experience getting that removed. Will not be coming again. Not even for drinks. read more

The drinks here are incredible! The service is even better! Love the vibe here and it's a beautiful restaurant! read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The service and ambience are really, really great at this place. But, unfortunately the food needs improvement, as our meat dishes were dry and many of the food items we tried were just downright bland in lacking basic salt/seasoning and therefore lacking actual flavor. It's a shame because if this restaurant were to just make better and more flavorful food, then this place could then be a real hit and good addition to the neighborhood..... read more

The orange dreamsicle is my favorite drink ever. I think about it almost once a week. Great place for tapas and fantastic drinks

Had a wonderful pistachio ice cream coffee. delicious! Very nice owner- it's a family business. Great place for a baklava and coffee

My neighborhood spot. So much culture and delicious mediterranean food. Incredible service and atmosphere I absolutely love everything on the menu. The cocktails are delicious every time - the pistachio martini is an absolute must. Always a vibe with the playlist and service is top notch. Rohat is so kind and hospitable! Can't wait to see what's in store for this spot! I'll be back over and over! read more

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Láylí's atmosphere is amazing! The cocktails are superior, and the food is great. I do wish there was more value for the money, but overall, it's really good. A happy hour would be a fantastic addition. read more

Amazing food. Beautiful decor. The chicken was out of this world. Yum. I definitely recommend this place.

I was attracted to the ambiance of this new restaurant, which encouraged us to try it for brunch. FOOD Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. I ordered the NY Strip & Eggs, but it was underwhelming; half of the steak was cold, suggesting it had been reheated. The high prices didn't reflect the quality, with small portions and a lack of flavor. PLEASE CHECK YOUR BILL Our waitress, Hafsa, dropped off our check in a hurry and upon review we noticed there was a charge of $9 for WATER and a 20% gratuity to our table of four which was later covered as an "accident." SERVICE Hafsa did not check in on the table for lengthy periods of time. We had to get up and find her to address our check and pay in which she followed with "she didn't plan to return to the table" comment. My suggestion for this restaurant if it wants to stay in business is to revisit the quality of food and service as it seems to be a theme in the reviews read more

If you're looking for a wonderful Mediterranean restaurant with a chic, sophisticated vibe, this is the place to be. We sat on the outdoor patio, where the ambiance was enhanced by great music and an inviting atmosphere. The small plates were perfect for sharing, and I highly recommend the grilled platter for two--it was not only delicious but also beautifully presented. The selection of wines by the glass added to the experience, making for an all-around enjoyable and memorable evening. read more

Láylí Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The good: I'll be honest, I think the patio was the only reason we even thought about going here to begin with, and it was by far the best part of the experience. The bad: The staff was alright, they just seemed a little scattered but that is to be expected since it's a new place and this was the dinner rush. The ugly: The food. Until tonight I didn't know you could make chicken that dry. Other dishes lacked flavor and were just underwhelming. Best thing I had was the stuffed zucchini and even that was only alright. If this restaurant wants to stay in business through the next winter, and are going to keep charging as much as they currently are for food, they need to spend less time on plating the food and more time on making it taste better. Recommendation: If you absolutely must stop here, just stay for one of their $15 cocktails. I'm not going to suggest an alternative Mediterranean restaurant but almost any other place would be of better value. read more

Location isn't enough to remedy the problems at Layli. The kitchen and service are understaffed so wait times are long. The bread was cold and inedible. The food and cocktails are just average, but pricey. Pass on Layli. read more