This place is amazing. I thought I had good Turkish food when I tried some other Turkish places,…read morebut this was next level. It was packed but we found some nice people who offered to let us sit next to them. We got to the Kebab and pizza. Manager was also very kind and offered free sweets when we left. Coming back soon.

I came for a late lunch with my boyfriend and managed to snag a table. We ordered the Lahmacun…read more(round flatbread topped with seasoned minced meat, herbs, and spices, served with fresh tomato slices, greens, pickled onion, and a lemon wedge) and Mix Chicken & Doner Shawarma Pizza to share. It's still a great place to swing by for food. We didn't wait too long for food and they came out piping hot! Both items were great, although I preferred the Lahmacun a bit more due to the overall flavor profile and vegetables. The tea was a bit too bitter for me even with one pack of sugar. Although the space is on the smaller side, it was clean. There were lots of people in and out for both the food, bakery, and deli. However, it was served as a nice background noise without being disruptive. You can easily converse with someone unlike some places where it can get really loud. Can't wait to try more items on their menu and perhaps finally start making my way through their bakery items.

My friend and I had such a great experience at Dolan Uyghur Restaurant in Chantilly. Dolan is one…read moreof the first Uyghur restaurants in the D.C. and Fairfax area, and the greater D.C. area is home to the largest Uyghur community in the United States. Parking was easy, and the restaurant was very clean, spacious, and peaceful. It was quiet enough that we could actually enjoy our conversation and hear each other. Ali was our server, and he was incredibly kind and helpful. The menu has so many options that we probably would have sat there forever trying to decide without his recommendations. Our favorite dish was the lamb, which can be ordered by the pound. It was so juicy, tender, and flavorful. We also loved the mild Korma Chop, the pumpkin Kawa Manta, the Cold Egg Noodles, and the beef and tripe. The Dolan Gul Chai was incredible. My friend and I finished the entire pot and refilled it with hot water twice. For dessert, we shared the Dolan Cake and the Sütlaç rice pudding. My friend preferred the cake, while I especially enjoyed the creamy texture of the rice pudding. There are so many more dishes on the menu that we want to try. We will definitely be back. Thank you, Ali, for the wonderful recommendations!

A nova staple. Been very excited to try this place for a long time. Interior is beautifully…read moredecorated and very cultural. The restaurant owner was super kind. We arrived a bit before opening and the owner let us in early to get seated and escape the summer sun. Food was delicious and staff had good recommendations.

Don't let the name fool you, Ocean8 is just as much a restaurant as it is Hookah lounge, if not…read moreeven more of a restaurant! It's criminal that this place has so few reviews. The atmosphere is modern and inviting, and not overwhelming. I ordered food to-go because I did not want to deal with the Hookah smoke, and this is what I suggest for anyone else not comfortable with Hookah. The food is absolutely worth it! I ordered the Uyghur Samosa and Lamb Kabob. Uyghur Samosas are flaky, buttery pastries packed with a ground meat mixture(just like Vietnamese Pate Chaud!). Super delicious. Now, I'm not a lamb guy but the lamb kabob just blew me out of the water. Not gamy in the slightest, the meat is tender and has plenty of spice. Pickled onions and pita are a nice compliment. Could not recommend the lamb enough!! Please do yourself a favor and visit Ocean8, they deserve more recognition.

Ocean8 Restaurant went beyond our greatest expectations in food, service, & ambience. Incredibly…read moregratifying especially in the rich flavors and succulent taste & textures of the food served at dinner. Ali, Raoul, and the spectacular staff of Ocean8 for created a superb dining experience & introduction to exotic Ugyhur & Afghan cuisine. The staff and people we met there and dined with were very kind & gracious towards us. It was our first experience with Uyghur and Afghan cuisine and food we never had. All of the food was highly delicious. We had appetizers, dinner, and desserts in a buffet style. Servers came to our table and provided cups of ice and canned / bottled drinks of water and soda to us. The manager, Raoul, went from table to table to talk and provide assistance to us and all of the guests. Despite the huge crowd of diners, the staff were very professional and made sure all the guests needs were met. The appetizers we sampled were the: *Turkish Cheese Rolls The Star of all the appetizers. We loved the rich, lush, and creamy flavor. It was ideal to eat this appetizer first before sampling the other appetizers. ( Crispy, thin pastry rolls filled with creamy feta cheese and fresh parsley, lightly fried to perfection - reminiscent of the Italian version of a mozzarella stick) * Punjabi Samosa This appetizer gave an intense punch of flavor & spice in the first bite. It was the spiciest, unique, & most memorable flavor among all the appetizers served. ( A Punjabi Samosa is a crispy, golden pastry filled with a spiced blend of potatoes, peas, and aromatic herbs. Deep-fried to perfection and served with tangy tamarind and zesty mint chutneys. A classic North Indian street food favorite. * Uyghur Samosa Very easy to eat, delicious, and reminded me of a hand held version of chicken pot pie. My least favorite yet still a good appetizer. ( It is a breaded appetizer filled with seasoned minced beef and onions, topped with sesame seeds. ) This was the last appetizer I ate, and it reminded me of an Asian & Arabic smaller version of a chicken pot pie. Very tasty. ) * Afghan Homestyle Bolani I love how it was mildly flavored with spice and it was like an Afghan version of a quesadilla. ( An Afghan Bolani is a crispy, stuffed potato flatbread from Afghanistan filled with potatoes, green onion, chili peppers, and fresh herbs. It's pan fried until golden brown and crispy then cut into wedges.) * Garden Salad - A fresh and vibrant mix of cucumber, tomato, onions, and peppers. Dinner was Uyghur Pilaf Rice, Lamb chops, Uyghur Lamb Shish Kebab , a meatloaf like burger with an onion filling inside it, Ocean8 Chicken Chops, and Cacık Yogurt. The dinner entrees had more spice and intense flavors than the appetizers. My favorite entree was the lamb chop especially when eaten with the side of Uyghur pilaf rice and the cacik yogurt. The other meat dishes were superb in their flavor, spices, and presentation as well. Cacik, pronounced ja-jik is a Turkish yogurt and cucumber dish that's very common in almost all regions in Turkey. It was my favorite side & condiment to combine with the rice and dinner entrees. It reminded me of raita, and I ate the cacik with my dinner entrees the way I would eat raita. Raita is a classic Indian side dish made with cool, creamy yogurt, crisp cucumber, onions, and fresh herbs. It's a flavorful way to balance out the bold, spicy flavors of Indian food. We ordered two takeouts of the dessert we wanted to try at home after eating so much at the restaurant - the Tiramisu Cake. It was light, airy, and melted in your mouth - dessert perfection in taste and texture. I usually skip dessert but I could resist not trying this dessert. Overall, we were very highly satisfied and grateful for our dining experience at Ocean 8. We look forward to having future food experiences there.

We had a wonderful breakfast in Virginia. We tried the eggplant toast and the pulled lamb, and both…read moredishes were excellent. I was surprised to see some of the lower ratings on Yelp. My guess is that many of those reviews were left during the restaurant's soft opening period. Before deciding, I would recommend comparing the Yelp reviews with the Google Maps reviews. The reason I'm writing this review is that I genuinely believe this place deserves its current 4.6-star rating, if not an even higher one. The service was attentive and professional, the presentation was beautiful, and the quality of the food exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend this spot for breakfast.

I've been here twice, and unfortunately both experiences were disappointing…read more The biggest issue is the service. It's confusing because you're given an iPad at your table, but then you're told to go to the front to place your order anyway. The staff were also unfriendly and didn't make the experience any better, and were ambiguous with the instructions and questions about ordering. The second time I went there, they didn't have any of the items on the iPad, and it took a very long time for the staff to inform me, which just made it more confusing and worse. The food itself was okay, but it was slightly overpriced for the quality. Nothing stood out enough to justify the cost. Overall, It's a nice restaurant! I would recommend it to anybody, even with my experience; however, after visiting the restaurant twice, I was honestly disappointed given how many good things I'd heard about this cafe.

Great location, amazing food, hospitable service, family friendly environment. The owner is very…read morenice and just wants you to have a Turkish experience. Already went back for more.

Started off with a staff member who asked if we had any questions about the menu when we were…read moredeciding whether to eat here. We were placed at a table for 2-3 people (though we were 4) but then moved us when a bigger table came available. The food was okay - the beef piroshky was good but not something I need to order again. The mixed grill doner platter was boring. The spinach pide was good as the other platters. The pickles/salad was very tasty. We were asked if we wanted bread. Then it was forgotten. We got it after we asked about it. Nothing great - should come with tzatziki. Also we were asked if we wanted dessert and then never given a menu. We found one on the table but then no one came by to find out if we wanted a dessert.

TLDR: Great Turkish food with standout chicken kebabs, flavorful rice, generous mezze portions, and…read morefriendly service. Bonus points for the relaxed patio and late-night Sunday hours. Taste of Istanbul was a delightful experience. I ordered the combination kebab platter to sample a bit of everything, and not a single item disappointed. The real standout was the chicken, it was cooked to perfection, incredibly juicy, tender, and full of flavor. Even the rice exceeded expectations, as it was well-seasoned and genuinely delicious rather than just a side dish. The service was attentive, with the staff offering thoughtful recommendations and ensuring we had everything we asked for. The ambiance is relaxed and inviting, and the outdoor seating makes it an especially enjoyable spot when the weather is nice. The mixed mezze platter was another highlight, offering generous portions that were easily enough to share among a few friends. The bread was fresh, warm, and crisp. It's also worth noting that they're open until midnight on Sundays, making Taste of Istanbul a fantastic option for a satisfying late-night meal.

The food was lacking the authentic Turkish flavors and atmosphere that I had anticipated. The menu…read morewas not as traditional as we had hoped. However, the service was exceptional. A hardworking young girl behind the counter efficiently took orders, served food, and cleared tables. I hope she knows her work is appreciated by customers and that she's running the place incredibly well on her own. It was frustrating to see others mingling with customers while she was so busy. The place filled up quickly during lunch, and things moved too slowly for some of us. I hope they can provide her with some assistance to help her manage the workload better.

Our waitress was so kind! We arrived there past lunchtime, around 1 PM. Fast service and the foods…read morewere sooooooooooooo delicious!!! It was our first time trying Turkish cuisine and we didn't have any regrets! We'll come back again.

This place was amazing ! The app platter and the meat dish were so yummy hearty and not too big or…read moresmall. Perfect size for my girlfriend and I ...though my husband would prob complain of it being too small. The baklava was huge and delicious !! Coming back

You will notice there's no photo attached to this review…read more.. That's because my salad did not survive long enough for a picture. The Lebanese Salad was so simple, but so good!. Delightfully fresh and filling. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced red onions, chickpeas, dill, mint, a bit of lemon and some olive oil... and I got mine topped with a generous portion of gyro meat. Absolutely amazing. The gyro meat was tender and flavorful, and the lemon and herbs in the dressing gave the salad an extra brightness and freshness that made the whole thing so delightful. I didn't think it was possible to enjoy a simple salad so much. I'm sitting outside of the restaurant right now seriously deciding if I want to go back in and order one more to take home.

W have been here before. Love their good.Placed an order of Mixed Shawarma. Served with pita ,…read moresalad and beef and chicken and french fries .Large portion you can share. Dish was yummy and tasty freshly made .Thin pita which I liked. liked their salad also .

This place is absolutely AMAZING!!! There are so many types and choices of food (Greek, Italian,…read moreMediterranean, Afghani, Indian, etc.). Staff is very friendly and accommodating! Atmosphere is very relaxing! Because they make everything from scratch, if a dish can be made vegan (or vegetarian), they will make it for you accordingly. My family is vegan and we LOVE their food!!! But, there are plenty of meat-eater items on the menu!

Superb array of options from Persian-Afghan to Middle Eastern, and recently, Italian. Excellent…read moreservice, pleasant atmosphere, and fair prices. We've had the tea menu as well as lunch and supper--and we recommend them all.

We were looking for a new experience and after searching we found this nice little cozy resturant…read more We ordered meat lovers pizza and made sure with only halal meats. We got the kabob combo and chicken Alfredo. The dishes all tasted good but the star being the chicken Alfredo followed by pizza. The one complain I have is the portions were small. We are not big eaters but amount barely is enough for one person. Would love to try new items in the menu in the near future.

I made a mental note to try the Alfredo after reading someone's review that it was the best they'd…read moreever had- uhm, sir or ma'am, it sucks. Chicken was dry and sauce had a weird spice and kick. Maybe I had it in an off day? Hard pass.