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    Shawarma District

    4.2 (85 reviews)
    InexpensiveMediterranean, Salad, Wraps
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Shawarma District Takeout or Delivery

    Shawarma District Photos

    SHAWARMA DISTRICT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Shawarma District

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    Menu April 2024
    Susan C.

    Came here around 2pm on Friday. There are only 3 tables inside and they were all taken. It's chilly & windy today so the tables outside were not set up. Didn't phase us, we can eat standing! You choose between shawarma in a pita ($10) or bowl ($13). You can customize the topping - some are extra: grape leaves, tabouleh or chickpea salad. In my shawarma, I chose both chicken & beef/lamb, garlic spread, pickled onions, parsley, cucumber and hummus. They rolled it up and put it in a panini griddle like press. It was very good! The zataar fries was very good too! We'll be back!

    Dozen Mini Falafel Balls - Delicious!!
    Angela C.

    Love love love this place! I came here first day and fell in love with the food. I ended up coming here for lunch 3 days straight. The food, meat, toppings are all very fresh. I get the meat combo bowl with a side of falafel, freshly fried and baklava! All so delicious!! The customer service is wonderful. The owner is very friendly and humble. Hoping they will open more shops ... maybe in the Tysons, Mclean, Reston, Sterling area!

    Shawarma Bowl
    Jordan N.

    I had a mixed bowl that had chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, baby falafels, greens, rice, and hummus. And honestly, it was all tasty! My most favorite part was the thimble-sized falafels - they were crunchy, and packed a flavorful bite, much to my pleasant surprise considering it's size. I would favor these over most larger (aka normal-sized ones) and they're fun to eat. The chicken and the beef shawarma were both seasoned well and had authentic flavors. The greens and the rice was also good. The hummus was my least favorite part - but only because hummus is often a personal preference and I like mine with more lemon juice. Even Cava and Little Sesame, both shops specializing in hummus, had more lemon juice in it. But seeing that this isn't a hummus shop, but a shawarma one, I'll be judging it on that - and the blend of flavors that make up a traditional shawarma wrap meld well, including the hummus. Flavorwise, it's as close as you can get in DC to a shawarma wrap in the Levantine Middle East.

    Salad
    Shawn B.

    Stopped by this establishment for a quick bite to eat for lunch and it did not disappoint. The flavors were good and seemed pretty fresh. I had lettuce and chicken with some or their signature toppings. My salad came to it to around 14$ and change which to me is pretty pricey for some salad but would definitely do it again. The service was also very quick, in and out.

    The wrap with Beef and Lamb. Many choices of ingredients to choose from!  It's toasted and served warm!
    Alberto S.

    What????????? I did not know this could be so good!!! The flavors are out of this world. Too bad I don't live in DC otherwise I'd be here more often.

    Sam A.

    First time, and I hope that when I visit DC again, I will stop by and enjoy their delicious Shawarma

    Not a spinning meat spit to be found...
    Brian S.

    It's good, but it's noon and there is not a meat spit to be found turning in this place... so where does the meat come from?

    Falafel
    Steve A.

    Good falafel. Shawarma District is another Mediterranean and Middle Eastern place. It has more than falafel, but that's something you still need to get. Most times it doesn't seem that busy inside. This seems to be popular for takeout. Eating stuff like falafel and pitas is convenient. It's easy to eat these on the go. This is probably why there's never too many people inside. It's order at the counter. You tell them what to put in yours. One choice is the bowl. The other is a pita. It's about $10 for a meal. Thankfully you get a lot in a portion. It has many vegetarian choices. My favorite is the falafel. They also have a few sides.

    Chicken and Beef Shawarma sandwiches, 1/2 Dozen Mini Falafel Balls and Zaatar Fries

    To preface: Back when I was in high school, many years ago, my Lebanese friend introduced me to shawarma and life has never been the same for me since. It started a life-long love for shawarma and a never-ending quest to find the perfect shawarma spot. Now with that being said, I have to say that Shawarma District in DC has taken the top spot on my list. Don't let the sleek branding, clean and modern interior and fast-casual style of service fool you into thinking this is another overly commercialized and Americanized corporate restaurant; the food is as authentic as a hole-in-the-wall, family-run local hidden gem. I've been fortunate enough to have traveled quite extensively across the Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East, so I've sampled authentic cuisine and let me tell you; the shawarma here has kept me coming back over a dozen times over the last year or so. Besides their mouthwatering shawarma, the falafel deserves special mention; sometimes I get both! And before I start getting too hungry thinking about it, I must mention my guilty pleasure: zaatar fries, which are fries sprinkled with fragrant zaatar seasoning. Hard to describe just how good they are, but I highly recommend you get them as a side. I've pretty much sampled the entire menu at this point and I don't really think you can go wrong with any choice. The pita bread they use is also incredible; soft and fluffy and a perfect vessel for the shawarma to be delivered to your mouth. In terms of service; I've always had a good experience. The employees are friendly and prompt and I'm never made to feel unwelcome or as if I got second-class service since I'm not middle eastern (like some other reviews seemed to have implied..). To conclude... check out this place! If you like shawarma, then Shawarma District is the spot and if you've never had shawarma... then Shawarma District is the spot to have your life changed for the better!

    Zaatar fries

    This is my favorite shawarma in DC! The ingredients are so fresh and remind me of authentic shawarma from the Middle East. The service is chipotle style and was a great experience. There's a couple tables inside and outside to have a quick bite. Very clean and welcoming place.

    Beef shawarma
    Giovanni F.

    This is definitely the best Lebanese shawarma I had so far in the USA (yes, better than the stuff in NYC!) They have a selection of chicken/beef shawarma, all the good sauces, the garlic spread, vegetables and pickles to make it an authentic lebanese sandwich. Also has falafel and hummus and tabbouleh etc which I didn't try but are next on the list!

    Shawarma bowl with Mediterranean salad mix - large stems of parsley

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    8 years ago

    Foood was ok but little overpriced! Portion size is small compared to similar restaurants such as ROTI.

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    8 years ago

    Yum! Went for the first time today for the lamb bowl with all the toppings and it was delicious (enjoyed far more than comparable Cava).

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    8 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Shawarma District

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    A complete vibe! I…read morecame here with a coworker of mine the day before 4th of July for lunch and drinks, and I left full and happy. There is a parking garage around the corner of the restaurant so that makes things very convenient. The inside decor is gorgeous and is chic but also funky fresh. I got grilled octopus over a bed of bean salad that had pieces of pomegranate in it - 10/10. The savory taste of the octopus paired against the sweetness of the salad was really delicious. For desert I got the baklava option that comes with ice cream - INCREDIBLE. You have to order it if you come here.

    Went there twice to taste different kinds of Turkish dishes. One time for dinner and the other for…read morelunch. Overall the food was good. The serving size of the dishes I ordered were medium to small. The service was far less satisfactory than food. I tried the following dishes: 1. Complimentary pita: ~40g per piece. Not salty and paired well with the other dishes. Definitely get some! 2. Lahmacun: The lamb+beef mixture was tasty. It came with 4 pieces. 3. Branzino: ~6oz. The fish was grilled to perfection; juciy tender, and the skin was nicely charred. It was served with freh parsley and seasoned grilled tomato (salt+oregano I think). 4. Imam Bayildi: Half of an eggplant topped with sauteed onions and tomatoes. While itself was pretty normal, it went so well with the Ottoman rice. 5. Ottoman Rice: The true highlight of all the dishes I tried! It was basically Basimati rice cooked with dried apricots, raisins, almonds & pine nuts mix, and seasoned with black currant. Overall it was warm, earthy and lightly smoky. The apricot slices added some delightful sweetness and juiciness to the dish. Should pair well with Labneh, chicken and seafood. But to be honest, I can simply eat this stuff along for a whole meal! 6. Tabbouleh: They went against the traditional recipe by substituting the bulgur with quinoa and added some pomegranate arils. I liked the special texture of quinoa. The sweetness of pomegrante arils also enriched the flavors. However, I had to constantly spit the seeds when enjoying the salad. 7. Kofte: Adana style ground beef patties. Just like what I make at home haha! I ordered it as an add-on to my salad at lunchtime. It came with only 2 pieces which weighed no more than 3oz in total... Despite the delicious food, service was disappointing. The first time, the dinner, was Okay. While my food came out slowly, at least my server was aware of it and asked me how I liked the dishes. The second time, the lunch, was horrible. Even before I was seated, my server made me feel that he was reluctant to serve me, and emphasized that I had to order asap. "Luckily", I had already decided what to order. After I got my dishes, no one in the restaurant asked me if the food was Okay. And at the check, my bill was thrown onto my table. In comparison, the two ladies dining next to me came even after I started eating, but were greeted warmly and were given lots of time to decide what to order; not to mention that the staff gave them lots of suggestions, asked about their dining experience, and even chatted with them about sightseeing in DC, etc. Such discrimitory treatment is really unacceptable.

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    4.2(1.2k reviews)
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    Small plates middle eastern-fusion restaurant with a cool vibe and great food…read more Table, booth, and bar seating I came here with my fiancé and we split small plates of hummus, falafel, brussel sprouts, and a chicken skewer. The hummus and Brussel sprouts were the best, and the chicken was solid as well, but we didn't love the falafel. Solid selection of drinks. My fiance got a passionfruit cocktail but thought that it was too sweet for her taste On inKind!

    We were only able to secure outdoor seating, and unfortunately the ambiance outside is not great…read more The patio was wet even though it wasn't raining that day of the day before. There is nothing pretty or appealing about seating outside. The buffet is inside the restaurant which also makes it a bit of an inconvenience. The restaurant inside is on the smaller side and feels a bit crowded near the buffet area. They had a lot of food selections which was great, however, we were disappointed that the taste of the food did not match the great presentation of each dish. Overall the dishes were bland, lacked flavor, and were too oily. Even the mashed potatoes were bland and not tasty. Nice selection of desserts too, but again, nothing exciting, juts a typical dessert buffet selection (brownies, cupcakes, chocolate fountain..). The standout were the baklavas. The highlight of our outing was the service. Everyone was very attentive and nice.

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    4.2(6.3k reviews)
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    I was in Washington D.C. for the weekend and tried this amazing Mediterranean place for lunch. My…read morefriend who recommended this place has been obsessed with the food here and I can totally see why. We ordered mushroom kapnista, Halloumi pide, zaatar pide, htipiti and everything was so delicious. I'm not sure if I enjoyed the combination of dates and mushrooms together but really loved the smoky mushroom by itself. I was also very impressed with the Zaatar pide, it was cheesy and delicious. For desert we ordered greek yogurt with apricot and it was probably the best thing we tried here. The ambience is classy and they have ample of seating space. The overall meal didn't cost us as much as I thought it was, the prices were fairly reasonable!

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    Iron Gate

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    Fantastic service, mixed results on good and drink, for restaurant week during summer 2026. Long…read morestory short, it was overall a good experience and I'd try it again in a different season. I think I'd prefer to sit outdoors although maybe when it's less hot and humid, as it was a bit loud indoors. The sesame feta with watermelon was delicious and maybe our favorite dish overall. The tomato panzanella was okay but the tomato could have been more ripe. I'd heard about the focaccia but something was off when we went--something was very clearly missing, maybe salt, and it just tasted like a pretty dense vehicle for oil. They change the focaccia seasonally and may have just been having a bad day so I'd try it again but it was not great. The gnocchi was very good and very filling. The chicken was good, and the dill lemon sauce was nice. The desserts were all good--the phyllo cheesecake with peaches, a chocolate pudding, and a cheese plate with blue cheese and a Pennsylvania pecorino. Two of us tried the Hermes drink first and unfortunately it was very underwhelming. It tasted like slightly alcoholic water, but didn't have much flavor. The blueberry lemon cocktail was much more interesting.

    If I could give Iron Gate 10 stars, I would. First off, the interior is absolutely stunning…read more There's a lot of history to this building and on top of that, it doesn't take a lot to decorate this place, because the place itself has so much charm instilled. My s/o and I were also greeted by the bartenders and GM, and they were all so professional, approachable, and overall just wonderful in terms of their demeanor. This is the type of place where all the servers, hosts, and other employees just love their job. You can really tell that the energy is extremely positive here. Now the food. Wow- I am sad that I haven't tried Iron Gate sooner. Everything on the menu was so intentional and it all made sense. My s/o decided to go family menu as opposed to à la carte and we're so glad we did. Some of the stand outs (of all stand outs) were the grilled oysters, watermelon and feta salad, and the cheesecake. It makes me want to go back immediately. Thank you to the team at Iron Gate. I don't want to gatekeep this place. Everyone should try this hidden gem out. This has easily become one of my favorite restaurants in the DMV area. Hope to be back soon.

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    Shawarma District - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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