Maydan was one of the most anticipated dining experiences for my partner and I on our DC trip and…read moreit was even better than I expected. Gorgeous restaurant centered around a giant hearth, the heart and soul of the space where much of the food is cooked. We went with two friends and opted to do ala carte, and ordered a bunch of items to share. - Muhammara & hummus spreads were both phenomenal - creamy, delicious goodness served with piping hot, generous portions of freshly made pita bread. - Halloumi with a nutty honey glaze - perfection - Sweet Potato - soft and just melts in your mouth - Mushrooms - super unique preparation, definitely worth a try. Very delicious. We also ordered every kabob on the menu (shrimp, scallop, chicken and lamb). The shrimp and chicken kabobs were excellent - charred to perfection and bursting with flavor. Paired with zhoug sauce, I was in heaven. Do not miss these! Scallop and lamb kabobs were just okay. Incredible service, beautiful ambiance, and a memorable meal that will stay with me. Grateful to have experienced Maydan!

Finally! I've been trying to make it to this restaurant, and my gfs took me for my birthday…read more The best experience. I can't quite tell you that you'd have the same experience each time you go because it all depends. I believe it also depends where you're sitting how impactful it will be on your experience as well. Whatever you do come back each time and try something else because I will Love Amb

Been eyeing this place for a while and finally got around to trying it! We ordered the Chicken…read moreFreekeh Maqlouba and the Fattet Jaj. The Fattet Jaj was okay, the rice was a little clumpy, but the Freekeh was pretty good and tasted authentic. It's also connected to El Secreto de Rosita, so there's a combined menu and you can order from either place, which gives you plenty of options. The service was great; our waitress was very sweet and welcoming. The ambiance was chill, and there was live music playing, which was fun to watch. Overall, a cozy spot for a relaxed night with good vibes and live music.

Braving a bone-chilling cold yesterday evening, we ventured with friends over to Nabiha in the…read moreDistrict. This was my first experience with Palestinian cuisine. Nabiha is a family-owned restaurant connected to the other restaurant the family owns, El Secreto de Rosi, which is Peruvian cuisine. As a matter of fact, the menu has Nabihi dishes on one side and El Secreto dishes on the flip side. Our server was a lovely young woman who told us the restaurant was named after her grandmother. After we placed our orders, she took us around both restaurants to show us the wall art. One wide painting in El Secreto is quite naughty. I understand the restaurants have separate kitchens. Unfortunately, our server's service left something to be desired. She never checked on us during the meal, except for one time she came to refill water glasses but only refilled glasses of two of the four people at the table. That was kinda rude. Largely because of the service, I can only give three stars. They had a food runner who brought our food out that knew nothing about the food and was unable to tell us which dish was which. On the other hand, another gentleman who helped out was entirely professional, energetic and proactive. As far as ambience it was fine. If there was music playing, I didn't notice it. In other words, you could easily hold a conversation. So as far as the food? Pretty good, for the most part. As a matter of fact, the hummus was freakin' delicious! We all ordered the daily soup which was broth, onions, carrots and lentils. Three of us thought the soup was tasty, but picky me thought there was just too much cumin. We wanted to try the Mujaddara Freekeh, but they were out, so we went with the Fattet Jaj. Containing rice, yogurt and chicken thigh meat, it was delicious. However, the toasted pita chips atop the dish were scorched but they still sent the dish out anyway. The mildly seasoned ground beef Musakhan Wraps were very good. Our desserts, the Yafa Orange Walnut Cake and Knafeh Nabulsiyyeh were excellent. The Chicken Freekeh had pungent spices. Would we come back? Maybe, but prices are high.

This place is in a great corner location, the food was delicious, and the staff were friendly…read moreoverall. We had a reservation to make sure we got a table, and the restaurant was completely full when we arrived. The only downside was that after being seated outside, we felt a little forgotten for the first 30 minutes or so. No one came by with water or to check in, and it seemed like the staff may not have realized a new table had been seated until we flagged down the outside host. There were also swarm of flies hovering around the outdoor tables, which another table pointed out and then we started noticing too. Aside from that, the experience was good overall. The inside dining area definitely had a dressier vibe compared to the patio seating, and once we were helped, the food made up for the slow start.

A coworker recommended Zaytinya, and I quickly agreed--without realizing it's under the direction…read moreof celebrated chef José Andrés. That made the experience feel even more special in hindsight. We walked in on a Monday night without reservations (clearly a theme for us!), not knowing they were needed. Thankfully, they were able to seat us in the bar area, which turned out to be a perfect spot for a relaxed dinner and a glass of wine. We ordered a mix to share: hummus, spanakopita, kofte kebab, and adana kebab. Everything was delicious, but the spanakopita really stood out. It was a bit unexpected--not layered like the traditional version, but more of a rolled presentation. Even so, the flavors were wonderful and elevated in a way that made it memorable. The only slight disappointment for me was the wine selection. The red wines leaned more dry than I typically prefer--I tend to go for something more fruit-forward--but it didn't take away from the overall experience. Dessert was the one miss. We were really hoping for baklava, which wasn't on the menu. Instead, we ordered the walnut delight. While it had all the right flavors, it didn't quite deliver the wow factor we were hoping for. That said, the food, atmosphere, and overall experience were still impressive. I was excited to learn that Zaytinya has locations beyond D.C., including closer to home in the Bay Area--so I'll definitely be visiting again. Highly recommend, and maybe make a reservation!

The food at Mama Ayesha's was delicious, and packed full of flavor! The service was also…read moregreat--very attentive and kind. The restaurant itself is a bit dated, both the patio and dining room. It looks like the decor hasn't been refreshed in a few decades. Mouzat, 5/5, delicious, tender lamb with seasoned rice Maklouba, 5/5, tender chicken that fell off the bone with delicious rice and vegetables Pomtini, 2/5, somehow tasted like Hi-C or some kind of chemical citrus

This is my new favorite restaurant. It's tasty. Clean. The staff is excellent. The food is…read moreincredible. My wife loved it too. So, yes I'm looking forward to going back there.

The place does not disappoint, I would fix that citrus shrimp thou. The staff is really welcoming…read moreand the wait isn't that long for food and drinks. The night time really opens up ... Reggae on the Roof is something to experience on a Sunday

Yalla to Yalla!…read more This place is immaculate! We walked in right when it opened since it opens around 5pm. We were the first people there and honestly felt like we were treated like royalty! We got to decide where we wanted to sit since there was about 7 of us! I didn't think my party was hungry, but the second we saw the menu our mouths began to drool. We ordered - Fries: 5/5 - honestly, you can never go wrong with fries, but these were hot, crispy and seasoned well! Hummus: 4/5 - nothing to rave about here, just your typical hummus Falafel: 3.5/5 - I've definitely had better falafels Halloumi: 10/5 - this was the best item on the menu! So good, we ordered a second plate! It was seasoned and cooked to perfection! They didn't have our usual flavors for hookah so we ended up with Double Apple and Watermelon mint. Not my favorite flavors, but this was probably the smoothest hookah I've ever had in the DMV! I was genuinely so shocked! Besides all the above, the place is super aesthetic and fun cute post brunch vibes. I'll definitely be making myself back here for the halloumi and smooth hookah!!

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.

Delicious and authenic falafel in Adams Morgan. Food service was fast and everything tasted…read moreamazing. Definitely the place to hit if you're having a falafel craving in Adams Morgan. Note they are closed on Saturdays.

I have had Oh Mama Grill in Rockville and glad the DC location opened. We haven't been in person…read morebut ordered delivery and loved the food. It is great to have another location when Max's closed.

Went on a Friday and at 6pm they are full so you need to make a reservation if you want a table…read more However upstairs is better because it's air conditioned. For happy hour I got the $12 dry daiquiri which is made with passion fruit and was good. Then I got their signature Mint Lemonade which is a frozen cucumber drink with your liquor of choice. The bartender Will was friendly. The bathroom upstairs was spacious and clean.

Food, ambience, and drinks are great! Happy hour is generous given the caliber and breadth of the…read morecocktail menu. I recommend the Fuck This! Punch and Kubbat Halab. Unfortunately, the only friendly interaction I had was with the manager. I wouldn't mention it if it were only one bartender or seating host who had a bad attitude; HOWEVER, every single person was rude?? The seating host rushed our group to sit down, which was weird. The upstairs bartender was unfriendly to the point where I was questioning if I had done something wrong (I had not). Anyways 2/5, don't recommend. Maybe on a different day with different staff.

This spot was a pleasant surprise. Most late-night spots are loud and overcrowded, but this one had…read moreplenty of space and a relaxed vibe. The staff were amazing and made the experience even better. I had the gyro and fries, and both were outstanding. The fries had a seasoned coating that made them next level, and the gyro was packed with flavor. For a meal at 2 a.m., it exceeded all expectations. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in DC.

Super causal kabob restaurant with multiple locations. Food is good but the size is a bit on the…read moresmall side. We had the kobeeda kabob (a lamb beef mix) which comes with rice and a simple salad. It was very tasty. The chicken curry had simple flavors but was also decent. It comes with one piece of flatbread.

Meze Restaurant was a pleasant surprise. I went during off hours, so it was pretty quiet, but the…read morefood was better than I expected. I had the chicken sis kebab, and it was really good. The service was also good, and overall it ended up being a nice experience.

We stopped in here in May while in town for a conference and we enjoyed our visit. We had a late…read morelunch that day, so just wanted a small nosh and a drink and this was perfect. The mojitos were flavorful and tasty and we really enjoyed our katmar dessert (a phyllo pastry filled dessert with pistachios, cream, and honey). I also had some raki, which was delicious and was a nice way to end the meal. Service was pretty good and we'd recommend stopping in here if you're in the area.