Again. Time after time. This is my favorite place in D.C! I might be a bit bias but I've brought so many non Turkish people here who absolutely fall in love. Alp, Ali, Elif, Yunus, Jennifer, everyone is fantastic. This place gives you the best food AND the best service. read more

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Great restaurant! Food was delicious. We had beet salad appetizer, hummus, bread was delicious and moussaka was to die for. A little noisy but was crowded. I'd go back in a heartbeat! Service was okay. read more

Great food, nice ambiance, pleasant employees, would probably go back..... but I won't. Service fee of 20% already included in the bill!!! Would've probably left 20% anyway, but what if someone wants to leave 18% or 15%? A restaurant makes its profit from the food they sell (which wasn't cheap), and alcoholic drinks, and they should cover their operating expenses (including employees' wages) from their income. I absolutely disagree with the idea that the customer, on top of paying for the consumption, needs to separately pay employees salary. Our service was good, but what if someone gets bad service?! They are still forced to pay those 20% service fee... read more

While the food was good, they charge a 20% service fee for takeout that I walked to pick up(!) that is not conveyed on their website, and it was not conveyed when I called to ask the price of the Adana kebab plate I ordered. When I asked, it was not taken off, but instead I was just told it was a fee that is included, that does not include tip. I looked it up later, and This hidden fee is in clear violation of the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act. Unfortunately, while the food is good here, I do not see myself supporting a business that engages in practices like this. Once they change this practice, I am happy to continue supporting them. read more

This restaurant has everything you look for when going out for dinner - amazing service and even better food that is all halal. We did the four course menu "Trip to Turkey" and everything was SO GOOD. The food started arriving from the minute we sat down in perfectly timed succession as we went through the courses. The main course dishes were Adana Kebap and Tavuk Sis Char Grilled Chicken. The chicken was super juicy and flavorful and the kebab was outstanding. Definitely try the rice pudding dessert, it was very light and a perfect ending to a great meal. Perhaps the only downside is how stuffed I was . The food was very filling even though I hadn't eaten all day when I came. It's also extremely reasonably priced (maybe even under priced) for the quality of the food and service. I see why they are on the Michelin Guide now. read more

This restaurant is really worth 5 stars. I would highly recommend it. It was my first time in this restaurant. Because of the pandemic, we had to sit outside but the inside ambiance was very fancy. There were too many options in the menu. I decided to go with my server Cengiz's recommendation, Beyti Kebab. While we were waiting we had the cold mezeh platter, everything in the plate was delicious. Service was right on time, while we were busy with the mezeh platter, we didn't feel like we waited any time for the main dishes. Food and presentation were outstanding. I lived in Istanbul and tried Beyti Kebab there but if you live in the DMV area, you don't have to travel for Turkish food anymore. Anything you desire in Turkish cuisine, you can find it here. The manager Alp was explained the desserts. I ordered Kunefe as dessert along with the Turkish coffee. That was the best decision I have ever made. Crispy, sweet and stuffed with cheese. That was remarkable. After the amazing meal, I wanted to meet the Chef. I had a chance to talk to him, his name is Mustafa. He is a very skilled and talented Chef. I couldn't believe when he said he was 27 years old, studied Culinary Arts for 4 years and worked in multiple famous restaurants for long periods of time. When I glanced over inside the kitchen looked very clean and tidy, you could tell they worked professionally. I had a great experience. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Beyti kebap - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a beautiful restaurant and we loved the Mezze. Had Dolmas, Falafel and atom spread. all delicious. only three stars because the mains were not great. my meat was really dry and theyd put it on a bed of their house bread that had been cut up. the bread is delicious, but it was described on the menu with white rice. mostly it was a plateful of disappointing meat. go for the mezze! read more

The 4 course menu shared gave us a great experience! Falafels we're the only thing I thought were mid(-level). Phenomenal & authentic though. read more

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I always like their food and service. I sometimes feel that the meat could be cooked slightly toward the medium or medium-well side instead of well-done. Great kanafeh. read more

Ottoman Taverna - The mix grill! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Classic Turkish breakfast! Yum and just enough especially with eggs with sujuk. Traditional Turkish Breakfast read more

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My go-to restaurant to bring friends to! I grew up in Istanbul and dining at Ottoman Taverna is always like coming home. Excellent service and amazing meals. Never disappoints. read more

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TLDR: High-class atmosphere and attentive service leads me to disappointment in dishes that lack the basics. With all the raving reviews and being on the Michelin guide, my hopes were high for this restaurant. However, I left feeling like the place was a bit overhyped. On the positive side, the service was great and there was a wonderful assortment of food. We got the Ottoman experience bottomless brunch, which definitely leaves you feeling full to say the least. However, the caliber of the restaurant and pricing led me wanting more from the food. To put it plainly, the food was nothing special. Now, the flavors more mainly on target, but most of the dishes just failed to hit the basics of what makes them good. The mezze (particularly the hummus) lacked olive oil, making them feel a bit dry and hard to get down. The bread and many other dishes weren't even warm. The falafel was mushy, not any bit of crisp! One of the beef dishes tasted like it was covered in marinara, not exactly the kind of sauce I want. Most of these things aren't exactly difficult fixes, but they really did degrade the experience, especially when expectations are so high. If the bar was raised to provide that crucial layer of excellency, I would definitely be back. But for now, this isn't on my return-list. read more

10 stars for this restaurant just amazing atmosphere good food and excellent Customer service I will be back that's for sure read more

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4.7/5 Oh I'm so happy not too many people know about this place, it's a gem Food - it is simply delicious and amazing. The menu is great and had something for everyone. Everything on the menu is halal. I highly recommend doing the bottomless brunch. Cannot wait to come here for dinner! Atmosphere - very cute, spacious, and lively. Extra points for majority of the personnel actually being turkish. Service - this is where this place took a hit, even though food was so delicious I couldn't take a star off. It took a long time for our waiter to come to us. Water was not refilled regularly. We did bottomless brunch and our waiter said "I will send everything on the menu out" but only first round made it to us, making us full off some cucumber and grassy salad. Pro tip - if you are doing bottomless brunch identify a few dishes you are interested in trying before agreeing to "everything" to be sent out read more

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Great lamb chops. Friendly staff and drinks were awesome. Definitely worth the trip.

We were on a quest to find doner kebab sandwich in DC AREA (often found in Germany with street vendors) for a piece of nostalgia. Though, Ottoman Taverna doesn't serve the sandwich during dinner, the traditional doner kebab (pictured) with rice was very tasty. They do have happy hour (as of 6/28/2021) from 3-6 pm M-F however it's only served at the bar. Beautifully decorated restaurant. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Doner Kebab (6/28/2021) - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great food! Will be back. The decor is so beautiful, and everything we ate was flavorful and quite filling. Will certainly be back! read more

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Very good creative food. Nice ambiance. Attentive service. Unfortunately no parking but it is worth it to uber here. I should mention that the address given and where our uber driver dropped us off was actually around the corner from the entrance. I'd go back in a minute if I lived nearby. read more

First time trying Mediterranean-Turkish cuisine. I didn't know what to expect and was extremely happy with selections! I did the 4 course meal starting with the Emze, then Patates Kofte, the Mousska as my main course and finished with baklava...of course! Can't wait to visit this restaurant on my next trip to DC. read more

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Wow! This is the place! The space is roomy and elegant and the staff is very friendly. We kept it simple and did the cold meza and chef's special for two and were not disappointed. The Turkish bread went well with the cold meza appetizer and the meal. We finished with hot tea. I regret not getting dessert. We'll be back for sure! read more

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A group of us met here one Friday night to celebrate our friend's birthday. What a great dining experience! Beginning to end, the food was fantastic. We pretty much ordered everything possible on the menu and shared plates. I can't think of a single thing that I didn't enjoy! read more

Arrived on time Friday for our rez. The outside of the restaurant is unassuming, looking nothing like what you'd expect once inside. If you're a couple reserve a booth along the back wall. Surprisingly romantic with a great view of the kitchen and restaurant, which is so aesthetically well done. If I lived in dc I'd be eating here all the time. From the food to the service so inviting. The sigara boregi is always my weakness. We also got the eggplant appetizer, potato pancakes, and Shepard salad. The manti is such a comfort dish and the chicken Adana so fresh. Dessert was baklava and kunefe, recommend both. read more

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Ottoman Taverna offers the trifecta of great dining - delicious food (in generous portions even), excellent service and a comfortable environment.  Our dinner was truly a relaxing and tasty experience that we look forward to repeating and sharing with friends.  We started our evening with the bodrum bodrum cocktail which is fruity and not too sweet and comes in a unique holder meant to keep it nice and cool - very cute and very practical.  For appetizers, we enjoyed both cold and hot mezze.  The cold was a trio of dips.  The first was a yogurt, mint and dill combo, the second a harissa pepper/walnut combo and the third featured beets.  The dips were great with the generous bread basket that is brought to the table as you sit.  The dips were great and the portions so generous.  We actually ate only half and then asked for a to go container.  If these dips were any indication, we knew there would be lots of tasty food ahead and we needed to save room.  I need to mention the adorable dip to go box with little cut outs for each dip scoop.  Again, very cute and very practical.  I also have to mention the balsamic vinegar/olive oil dip that came with the bread.  Truly, this is the absolute best balsamic vinegar I have ever had and it is my new obsession to find where I can buy it.  The hot mezze were a duo of light and crispy phyllo dough wrapped around a feta yogurt mixture and grape leaves filled with rice, pine nuts and raisins.  I am not a grape leaf fan normally, but these were really good and not briny.  The rice inside, I heard someone say, takes four hours to prepare from first rinse to final product.  The filling of the phyllo cigar was deliciously tangy which is a flavor we enjoyed throughout our meal.  Next we had these adorable little tortellini pastas which were filled with ground beef.  The sauce was again a delightful tangy and creamy compliment to the course.   Our main entrée was iskender kebap with featured beef surrounded by a great tomato sauce.  Interestingly, the beef was also accompanied by pita bread that was cooked or soaked in the sauce as well.  It was delicious and unexpected.  For dessert, (and we only had room for dessert because we continued to pack up half of the very generous portions to be enjoyed later at home) we had katmer, a phyllo triangle filled with cream and pistachios and topped with ice cream.  What is not to enjoy?!  To make the meal more special, the service at Ottoman Taverna is professional, friendly and very attentive.  They were great!  The seating is comfortable and the rooms were a little bustling and filled with chatter which is what most diners want nowadays (we are a little older so maybe a tiny bit quieter would have made conversation easier.)  The chef and the owner who stepped into the dining room to say hello and discuss some of the origins of Turkish cuisine were very amiable and understandably proud of their restaurant.  Our thanks go out to them and the whole team for a truly delicious and special dining experience. read more

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I ordered takeout from Ottoman Taverna's express lunch menu. I got the hummus for my first course, the Tavuk Sis cubed grilled chicken dish for my main course, and baklava for my dessert. The hummus was really good and the chicken was well seasoned. Overall, the food was very delicious and filling. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Hummus, Tray of Tavuk Sis, Baklava - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The best Lamb Chops on the planet. If I could eat here twice a day every day, I would. The manager Alp is always fantastic and makes an amazing old fashioned. Yunes, Furkan, Turkesh, Elif are all phenomenal servers and enhance the service. Recommend the Old Fashioned with a Hot Plate App, followed up by the phenomenal Lamb Chops as your entree. Great team, great food, great atmosphere! read more

Awesome!!! I mean Wow! Service... Expectional we need more places like this philly for brunch. The entire table has to participate in the special. You can order any and every single thing on the menu as many times as you want 2 hours! Every single dishes was so tasty... You should pick anything that sounds like it might be good. Drinks were flowing constantly and we couldn't be more happy. I love this place and highly recommend... Also I want to add something, being able to see the kitchen while sitting at the table feels safe and hygenic. read more

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Excellent food, excellent service, and great ambience! I ordered the donor kebap and it was absolutely delicious! The beef was tender and juicy, which paired well with the white rice and the acidity of the red cabbage slaw. I have taken different friends to this spot on multiple occasions and they all unanimously agree that the donor kebap is the right way to go! You can't go wrong with a lot of the items on the menu, but if you're a fan of beef, and beef done well, then donor kebap is your best bet. For dessert, I had baklava, and that was also an excellent choice as well. Their baklava is sweet, but mostly savory and authentic to some of the finer quality restaurants that I tried baklava in when I was in Turkey. This restaurant is an easy "return to" spot for me! read more

Ottoman Taverna - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am something of a brussel sprout connoisseur; if I see brussel sprouts on the menu you bet your liras I'm going to order them. I also cook them regularly at my home. And let me tell you - the chef at this restaurant does NOT have a clue how to cook brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts should be fully cooked all the way through. Generally it takes 30-40 minutes cooked in an oven on high at 375-400 deg. for brussel sprouts to soften on the inside and char on the outside (I can't believe I have to say this but someone has to). Good brussel sprouts could be eaten without teeth: they should be soft and melt in your mouth. Zaytinya has exceptional brussel sprouts (Mediterranean); so does Ambar (Balkan). Ottoman Taverna is the outlier here. The brussel sprouts at Ottoman Taverna, and this is not an exaggeration, were completely raw. They had a discernible CRUNCH as if they had not been cooked at all. They tasted like they had just been bagged from the produce section, tossed in the microwave for 30 seconds and seasoned. When I was 19 and I had my college girlfriend attempt to make vegetables for me without knowing that they had to actually be baked in an oven with olive oil for longer than 5 minutes, that is what they tasted like at this "Michelin star" restaurant (clearly they didn't order the brussel sprouts). Please SOMEONE tell this chef, cook your brussel sprouts! It sounds like a small thing but I can promise you I will not be returning until they do. I will go to Zaytinya or Ambar instead where they actually cook their vegetables and don't just serve them on dishes straight from the produce section. read more

Really good food and something different. My friend is a vegetarian and there were actually more vegetarian options than meat options, which was nice. Once we ordered, the food started coming out quickly, but it took a long time for our server to initially greet us and to get drinks. Fun spot for brunch though. You definitely won't leave hungry. read more

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We went for restaurant week. Three courses for $25 - impeccable deal. Food was delicious. Service was unfortunately subpar -- forgot half of our mezzes; had to ask for water; the wait was extremely long. Might be because of restaurant week but if the service is the same during dinner for a higher price ~$40-55, makes it not worth it. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Kofta - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is a little tricky, don't know whether to give it a three or four star review. The food was delicious, and our server was very attentive and friendly. The room is nice also, it might not be quite as pretty as another restaurant we visited while in DC, but you could hear yourself talking, which we really appreciated. The other restaurant in the Wharf area was super loud! So all in all a good experience, however, they charge 20% as a flat tip which is fine except that we weren't told that so our server got a 40% tip which I think is a bit much. So be aware of that extra charge if you go there. read more

Best food ...went for Anniversary Dinner ...exceptional customer service ...made our day...place is very warm And inviting ...perfect for date night read more

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Came in without a reservation for 4 people. We were accommodated for easily. We chose the three course lunch express. It has various options for the first two courses and then the last course is a choice of a dessert. I got the red lentil soup, tavuk adana kebap, and the baklava. The soup was creamy and tasty, a perfect way to start the meal. The tavuk adana kebap was presented beautifully and tasted great. Good portions and very filling. The baklava was something I was going to be picky on as someone who has eaten a lot. However, this was one of the best I've ever had. Very light and easy to cut through, not too sticky. The perfect balance of crunch and moisture. The servers were very attentive and answered our questions well. They made a warm and sweaty DC day bearable. Thank you! read more

Ottoman Taverna - Tavuk Adana Kebap - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A hidden brunch in DC! $40 for bottomless brunch which included drinks. The brunch is delicious & they give you everything on the menu starting from cold, hot, eggs, salads, meat and then endless drinks. It's an awesome deal to try a bunch of different foods. Service is impeccable and the restaurant is beautiful inside. Street parking all around too. read more

What a pleasant surprise! I have walked past this restaurant numerous times but this was my first time visiting. I did not know the Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant a Bib Gourmand until I read the menu. After having received excellent customer service and a delicious meal, it is quite apparent why. I sat at the bar and received top service from Leslie. I ordered the skendar kebap, red lentil soup, and baklava. My meal was hearty and authentic. The lentil soup was just what I needed on this cold day. The skendar kebap was flavorful and tender. I also ordered a signature cocktail, the du'man. The presentation was very impressive. I received A+ service along with an exceptional meal. I will be sure to ask for Leslie the next time I come. I am eager to try their bottomless brunch. That's right up my alley! Two thumbs up! read more

Ottoman Taverna - Doner Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fantastic restaurant, no doubt about it. Food was delicious and I absolutely loved the way the restaurant was decorated. The lamb chops, vegetables, and eggplant puree was one of the better dishes I have had recently. The moussaka was good but nothing to write home about. Bread was a nice balance between doughy and a touch crispy which was a pleasant surprise. Service was solid for the most part. The restaurant itself is absolutely stunning. From the lighting to the details on the movable walls, everything looked great. A good mix of small tables and bigger ones for large groups. Only thing is during the winter, don't sit next to the windows if you get cold easily. After eating here I was shocked that it was only half full around 6 pm on a weekday; the food is that good. Ottoman Taverna will be high on my list any time I am downtown. read more

I found out about this restaurant through Yelp, and we came here without a reservation after not being able to get seats at Maydan that night. It was about 5:30 or 6pm on a Saturday night when we came in, and we were seated immediately. The restaurant was about a quarter full at this time. The restaurant is large, with modern and chic decor, and they played a strange sort of lounge music while we were there. In addition to the regular dinner a la carte menu, they had a special 4 course dinner menu for the price of $34.95 per person, which was a great steal, as most entrees on their a la carte menu are nearly this price. We opted for the four course menu, and our expectations were by far exceeded. The food came out very quickly, and the first spreads were amazingly delicious, and paired with fresh, warm complimentary bread. Both the potato and zucchini cakes were perfect, neither of us could decide which we liked better. For mains, my husband had the ground lamb kebab, and I had the cubed chicken. Both were good, but the lamb was better than the chicken, as the chicken was simply grilled, I felt like it was a dish I could have made at home on my own. The desserts were good, but the worst part of the meal compared to the great savory items. The baklava was not bad, but not as good as other places I've had it at. The rice pudding was served cold, and was quite mediocre. I would not recommend ordering dessert here, but the four course menu is too good a deal to pass up. The service was outstanding, very attentive and polite. Overall, highly recommended, and would come back next time am in the DC area. read more

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A rare 5 star. Great food, great quality, great service and a great price. It doesn't get any better than that. I want to this location for brunch and it was a very delightful experience. I ate way more than I should have but I have no regrets because of how good it was. I Seriously recommend the brunch. read more

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Good vibes and incredible food. The ambience is in between cozy and more formal and the dining area is much larger than I expected so don't expect to wait long if you walk in for dinner on a given evening. This place has a lot of very legit food, but here is what we got: 1. Lettuce wrap with red pepper spread (complimentary) 2. Cold Meze platter (lots of tasty spreads, stuffed grape leaves, etc.) 3. Patates Köfte (each Köfte has a different spread on top - the spring roll threw me off) 4. Iskender Kebab (tasty shaved meat with perfectly cooked rice) 5. Moussaka (creamy and just right) 6. Tavuk Köfte (each Köfte was very succulent) 7. Kunefe (perfect for dessert, don't let the description fool you) We finished the dinner with the usual Turkish coffee. Parking can be tough here so we just parked in a garage and walked to the restaurant. read more

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I had the lamb chops here and enjoyed them tremendously. They are well seasoned, juicy and tender. The purée was smokey and delicious. The bread is also tasty. The desert was sweet, but not very memorable. Service was fine. Long tables here, they seem to get a lot of groups. read more

Ottoman Taverna - Lamb chops! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia