Outstanding experience featuring delicious food, beautiful presentation, and excellent service…read more Everything felt thoughtfully prepared, creating a memorable evening that exceeded expectations and made us eager to return again soon.

Following a recent visit, my friend and I popped in following the pride parade and were able to…read moresnag two seats at the bar. The environment was very comfortable and service was great and quick. We had some great recommendations with the cocktails. I had the 50 shades of purple and it felt so festive. I shared the tuna crudo with a friend and we both loved it. It was so bright and vibrant, I could not get enough of the sauce, so delish! Following my prior review regarding a friend's allergy, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was now noted as an allergy on the menu. Awesome job by management!

Lovely little spot for grabbing some takeout. Called ahead and they had it ready in 10 minutes…read more Prices might seem a bit high at around 18/20 for some of the meals but they really give some very generous portions. Nice char on the meat, well seasoned, big portions overall, tasty sauce on the side... will definitely be back to try some of their other offerings - especially from the small bites/sides category.

Great kebab takeout place across Eastern Market metro station. Juicy kebabs, nice mix of veggies in…read morea salad, large portions, everything is cooked on site ( kebabs are grilled to order), short waiting time. Great place and better tasting than my used-to-be-favorite Moby Dick

I treated my friend to brunch after seeing all the hype on TikTok, Yelp, and Instagram, and it…read moreabsolutely lived up to it! This was easily one of the most entertaining brunches I've experienced in the DMV, while still maintaining an upscale vibe. From the singer taking special requests during brunch to the live entertainment afterward, drummers, dancers, and a saxophonist turning things into a full brunch party...we were thoroughly entertained from start to finish. What really stood out, though, was that the food matched the energy. At some places, you get great entertainment but mediocre food - not here. Everything was beautifully presented, served at the perfect temperature, and genuinely delicious. My friend was so impressed with her birthday celebration that she thanked me for days afterward. The service was impeccable, the space is stunning with plenty of Instagram-worthy moments, and despite how busy it was, it somehow still felt warm and welcoming. If you're in the mood to get dressed up, enjoy an upscale brunch, celebrate a special occasion, or impress someone on a date, this is definitely the place. I'm already looking forward to my next brunch party here!

Gorgeous restaurant! I felt very underdressed but I loved the vibrant atmosphere…read more STARTER: Prosciutto - very large portion, had plenty to take home, thinly sliced and addictive ENTREE: Hanger Steak Au Poivre $56 10 oz black angus hanger steak, pomme frites & green beans, green peppercorn sauce *I really enjoyed the steak but I didn't finish it because I polished off 2 trays of bread by myself...andddd I don't regret it. COCKTAILS: Smoked Old Fashioned $18 BB Bourbon, BB House Bitters, Syrup, Smoke *I loved the smokiness of the drink and it went great with the bread because I had no self control... Our service was consistent throughout dinner and they packed up all of our leftovers very nicely and set them aside on the counter while we chatted and they didn't rush us with the bill like a lot of establishments do. **Would you believe it that the server packed me a to go box of bread? I am dead. I could not stop laughing when I saw that. I will definitely be back! ;)

MEZ come again! Their new Honey harissa chicken was delicious. They let me sample the meat before I…read morewas able to purchase. The place was clean and well run. The staff were pleasant and seemed to enjoy the work that they do. I had problems with the app, and it does not work when I went to make an account. I also had reception issues in the store. You should eat here if you are into fast, casual quick bowls or burritos similar to Cava.

Was on a mini vacation and was walking through and everyone outside was eating from this…read morerestaurant. We had already eaten, but noted that we needed to come back tomorrow to check it out; and we did! We went around 7:30 and the line was to the door. There were only three people working so it moved fairly slow. The concept is like cava; they have bowls to pick from or you can do the create your own bowl. I ordered the chicken chicken bowl, that came with double chicken, rice, hummus, corn salsa & pickled turnips. You can choose a sauce and I chose the lemon garlic. You also receive a tortilla with it, but we ordered the pita chips also. The food was very fresh, a lot of choices to choose from. I also liked that they have a junior bowl in case you don't want a full bowl. Even if I didn't get the double chicken bowl, it was enough food for two meals. I wish we had this place in Raleigh.

This place is a complete joke not saying that people need buffet size portions, but you're feeding…read moreadults and you portion the food as if you have a ration you're not weighing the food you gave me the saddest excuse for a salad I've ever seen. It looked like a complete afterthought, five leaves of lettuce and barely any protein and when I physically come to the location, the manager on duty throws a little more lettuce on top and five chickpeas, complete joke will never order from here again.

Tooooootally OBSESSED with the lamb kefta and falafel! Both are perfectly seasoned!…read moreFood is always fresh and delicious! Always greeted cheerfully and it takes no time at all to get my order (from my entry to departure)!! In here at LEASE 3 times a week. I'm a "believe it when I see it" kinda girl!! Living East of the River has new meaning these days! We got Busboys and Poets, Starbucks, CapOne Cafe, Sapodillas, DCity Smokehouse and Kitchen Savages and The Arts Center at the Anacostia Gateway! Skyland is built up and thriving and one of my absolute FAVE food spots MEZEH is now just a stones throw away! We were sold the vision but now to have it all come to fruition...I'm a HAPPY GIRL!

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

I've been to illi MULTIPLE times and I always enjoy myself!…read more The decor inside is beautiful, and the food is yummy too! Majority of the menu includes platas (small plates), so my friend and I just ordered a few plates of different things to share amongst us and it was really nice to try the various meals that way. We got: - hummus with jalapeños and crab falafel (and pita) - octopus - Brussels sprouts - Cod - Lamb filled grape leaves We had a nice time, and illi is one of those restaurants that I keep in rotation if I want a nice dinner out by the Warf.

Brunch review ahead!!!!!…read more Ambiance- perfect for a cute date, time with friends, family members, or coworkers. The ambiance welcomes it all. Hospitality- The hostess was incredibly friendly and seated us upon arrival. Waiter- Eric was an AMAZING waiter. Bubbly personality, very polite and personable. His service was definitely a 10/10 Brunch- My friend and I decided to try their Easter Sunday brunch and my only regret was not visiting here sooner and not selecting an earlier time to dine, LOL! The entire experience was phenomenal! Bottomless mimosas- SO worth the extra $ Standout dishes: Adana meatballs Braised lamb Chicken Golden cauliflower Crispy Falafel Desserts: Baklava Brownie Kadayıf Sadly we did not get to experience all of the brunch menu items because brunch ends at 3pm and our reservations were at the heel of this time. Nonetheless, the standout dishes and desserts were enough for me to come back. I've enjoyed their happy hour, cafe area, and now their brunch. Can't wait to return.

Three stars isn't the actual rating; I'd say more 3.5. Stopped by after visiting the Dupont…read moreCircle's weekly farmer's market to try their Sunday brunch buffet. Was warmly greeted, seated, and given an overview of the menu and brunch package options; decided to opt-out of the bottomless drinks, which had an alcoholic (mimosas and Bloody Marys) and NA (juices, sodas, drip coffee and black tea), as I wanted to try their more speciality coffee and tea. The drinks I ordered were the Turkish coffee, Levantine-style tea and digestive tea. All were quite solid. The Turkish coffee was as robust as espresso, yet not overwhelmingly bitter and slightly sweetened. The Levantine tea was a smooth black tea with natural sweetness and layered with a mint steep and floral notes of hibiscus, and rose petal. The digestive was more herbaceous with fennel and pomegranate zest, in addition to a steep of spearmint. The food was more hit-or-miss. On one hand, the meat and seafood was all very delicious and well-made. The braised lamb shank is their speciality, and well-deserved, as it's moist, savory and tender. The short rib similarly so, and the chicken casserole, lamb biajeen, Adana kebab and steamed lavraki (sea bass) were all similarly flavorful. On the other hand, the sides and mezze options were more mixed; the dolmas and fresh bites cheese with za'atar/nuts were delightful, however, the borek, cheeses, and some of the dips tasted reheated and/or not super fresh, the Brussels sprouts were quite scorched, and the savory salmon waffles were bone dry and flavorless. The French onion soup had the right flavor profile, but not the intensity; it tasted watered-down and even looked it, due to the noticeable oil blebs on the surface. Dessert was similar; the melon and fruits were fresh enough, the yogurt bar was quality, the kadayif nutty with the sweetness balanced, and the layali lubnan was intoxicatingly tasty, but many of the baked goods looked rather packaged and the fondue station was mediocre. The staff, however, were extremely friendly (my special regards to Mia, she's a great conversationalist and a sweetheart!). They answered all my questions, and one of the bartenders even gave me half a lemon to zuzh up my tea with. As I said at the start, more 3.5 stars than 3 stars. The core of their offerings are all quality, so I can't quite dock them a full two stars for the food quality because they had buffets aren't usually renown for said quality. You really can't expect perfection from AYCE, even though I naturally encourage the management to avoid sourcing pre-made items from Sysco if possible. The friendly staff and eloquent Eastern Mediterranean ambiance allows me to still say I enjoyed this experience, and may be back for dinner in the future.

Came here with 2 other friends for a Saturday lunch based on a friend's recommendation. It wasn't…read morepacked and the weather was nice so we took an outdoor table. We got the ottoman experience which included unlimited foods and drinks on the menu. I didn't know what to expect but the experience is mindblowing good! They served us everything included in the experience menu which has cold mezze and hot mezze plates, omelette, various skewers and desserts and sides. Everything is so fresh and tasty. I especially enjoyed the muhammara, the pink dip, and the omelette. The pita breads are warm and fluffy, perfect with the mezze. We also got a lot of mimosas and the honey yogurt dessert was not heavy and perfect end to our brunch. We all ended up so full but very much satisfied with the experience. If you go with friends or a group, get the experience you won't regret!

Heard this spot had received some recognition from Michelin, and while I was in DC, I went out of…read moremy way to give it a try. Unfortunately, I felt pretty let down. Stopped by on my way out from DC before heading to the airport. I got to try their ayran, lahmacun, baklava with ice cream. I will first say that the interior of the place is certainly beautiful, and the staff seems to be fairly nice as well. Bit formal. But, in terms of the food, I just wasn't that impressed. The lahmacun just lacked flavor. There was very little spice; in fact, for whatever reason, it almost tasted a bit sweet. The ayran was also a letdown. Usually, I love ayran, but this one just tasted like milk. At least it was served in a cool metal container. They served some complimentary bread too, which was nice, but even that seemed a bit industrial. For dessert, I got to try the baklava with ice cream. It's nothing to write home about, in full honesty. Bit dry, not much flavor. All in all, I was a bit disappointed. It s a gorgeous spot, but the food just fell a bit short for me. Maybe I'll come back to try some kebabs.

The service was wonderful -- all of the employees were friendly, happy, and kind. The atmosphere…read morewas really welcoming, and they were very accommodating. The food was good! I got the chicken shawarma bowl. The roasted cauliflower was definitely the best part of the bowl! The mint lemonade was also AMAZING and one of my favorite things I ordered. It's such a cute spot with both indoor and outdoor seating. I would definitely go again!

It's been a few weeks now since my visit but I can still remember and taste the fresh ingredients…read more It's a small shop in del ray but with plenty of seating inside and outside. The staff and extremely friendly. They were so welcoming and really patient with us as we had lot of questions. Even gave us a sample of their lemonade which was refreshing and so delicious had as craving more! Complimented the food so well. We all were so full by the end of our meal but wish we didn't so we could have more. You can tell everything is made in house with so many veggie toppings which I love!! You can get as much toppings as you want, either into a wrap, bowl, or salad. 10/10 recommend!! We also tried the cookies. She said to give them 6 or 8 minutes (can't remember) and they will be ready. Cookies are fresh fresh and always warmed up per order. They were perfect. If you go to their website they have a rewards program check it out first!!

I must say that this location has changed my opinion of the restaurant after a poor encounter at…read moreanother location. This location was much better and their staff were very friendly and helpful. It's a large location and who wouldn't want to grab a bite here and then find a seat at the beautiful waterfront. I ordered the falafel bowl with a side of hummus. Let's just say that for $5 that bowl was extremely generous in quantity and the fresh quality of each item was AMAZING! I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl. The side of hummus was sinfully good! Something I wouldn't mind ordering again to enjoy with their delicious pita chips Overall, I don't think I'll be visiting any other location but this one because they were fantastic!

This is one of my go to's and will continue to be! Love their falafel sandwich (with pickles!) and…read morefries. Appreciate you can try different sauces to dip your fries or add to your sandwich or bowls. Only reason they didn't get a 5 star on this last visit was how long it took to get our order. It was a Saturday night, so we did mobile ordering and pickup. It said it would be ready within 3-15 minutes. I arrived 12 min after our order was placed. They were quite busy - and seemed the two employees working were a bit overwhelmed. There were a few people waiting for food, a line to order, they were out of containers for sauces, and some of the sauces were empty. I ended up waiting for an extra 25 minutes until I asked to check on an order - it was apparent from their reaction, our order got lost in the shuffle. Once they realized, they made it right away, which was appreciated. However, they grabbed a bag of fries that had been sitting on the counter since I walked in - so they were cold. Good thing - they do great in the air fryer! I've never experienced these issues before and it won't stop me from returning, definitely felt like a bit of an off night for them. Solid food, great cause, and one of the best affordable options for a quick bite at the Wharf! Recommend them!