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Mt Vernon Sq - 7th St|Convention Center (Green, Yellow)
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more than just a meal. much more. sometimes too much!
i'd give Marrakesh a 3 or 3.5 if it weren't for the fact that dinner here is just so much fun. it's not a place that jumps out at you from the street and welcomes you inside. no, it's very much hidden in plain sight; a windowless stucco building with a tiny sign. knock on the big wooden doors and you'll be overwhelmed by their dramatically committed Moroccan decor. shady? yes. but no more so than the cash only, mid meal dancing, pillow sitting, hand eating and towel using, so brace yourself. allow yourself to get caught up in the production and you're bound to enjoy the night. Marrakesh serves up seven courses of reliably delicious standards like cous cous and hummus. just make sure you don't over do it on the first few courses because the night is long and the food is plenty. you eat family style at a round table surrounded by your friends and velvety pillows, which are convenient for the pending food coma. price seems steep unless you factor in the sheer volume of matter they present to your group, but be warned that nibblers and dieters will get the short end because everyone pays the same price for participating in the meal. the dancer can range in quality anywhere from inspirationally artistic to embarrassingly burlesque; the latter having only happened to us once when we were seated in the back/party room and the dancer pulled random people from their seats to dance with her. for some, this could be a plus. the entire evening is an exercise in cultural immersion, so make a reservation for 10 and remind people to bring cash (though there's an ATM by the restrooms in case someone forgets).
This was probably one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The food was terrible. It was under seasoned, some dishes were over cooked and the whole meal wasn't very authentic. The one dish I did enjoy was the cucumber salad.
The "belly dancing" was laughable and the people from the audience who got pulled up to dance were more entertaining.
The best part was the decor.
I will never go back and would never recommend it.
Sanaa M. reviewd this place and gave an articulate voice to my deep seated dislike of Marrakesh. Read her review.
FIrst, one star is one star too many. For the first time, I wish YELP had a ZERO startcategory.
Marrakesh is gross. It's a tourist trap. It's inauthentic. It's a rip off. At the end of the dinner we were given a bill (handwritten on a piece of paper!) for about $100 more than we owed. We had to argue with them for about 45 minutes, It was just dreadful.
Also, ONLY CASH!! Handwritten bills, no cash register, only cash - - - hmmmm. What do you think is going on?
Other reviewers also mention that Marrakesh mostly plays to tourists, so after they rob you, you get on a plane and go home, never to tell the tale. THIS RESTAURANT is the WORST place I have ever been - - - BAR NONE.
I had dinner at Marrakesh on two separate occasions when in town for some trade shows. I adore Moroccan food, so when I found out this place was nearby, I jumped at the chance. It was near the convention center where we were working, so that was a bonus.
I give it two stars only because the food was good on the first visit. However, that was pretty much all that was great about the first visit.
For a restaurant that charges so much, I was surprised the towels given instead of napkins were so beat-up looking. Given that not all of the food is easily eaten by hand (as much Moroccan food is often eaten), I would have expected silverware, or at least the option of it for those who weren't comfortable otherwise. A great restaurant should always do what they can to make their diners comfortable.
My next complaint is that there were simply far too many courses. Split between two people on the first visit, a lot of food went to waste. And if you think about it, you're paying for all of it - even if it's pretty unlikely anyone would be able to consume that amount. There did not appear to be any option to order less, or only certain items (opting out of others). That may be fine for big groups, but not for a smaller, more intimate party. I'm sure plenty of people have taken a date here with the expectation that it would work just as well. It doesn't.
My other, more significant complaint is that there was nothing anywhere (print ads, the entry to the restaurant, etc.) to specify that no credit or debit cards are accepted. In a city that's a big destination for tourists both domestic and international, this is not only a huge drawback, but also a poor idea in general. I can't recall ever going to *any* pricey restaurant - ever - that did not accept credit cards. The surprise came at the end of dinner when we received a hand-written bill and were told it was cash only. How convenient that they happen to have an ATM located on the premises! My boss was picking up the tab on this one, so he made the trip to withdraw cash, but he did mention that the ATM fee was also quite high. We were both pretty ticked off.
In order to get a receipt so he could put it on his travel expense report, we had to specifically ask. That should be standard anywhere, and the receipt should *not* be hand-written.
On my second visit, I was by myself, so I phoned and asked if I might be able to place an order for pick up. They reluctantly agreed, so I placed my order. When I went to pick up, I did have cash, but still needed a receipt to submit with my travel expense report. Again, I had to specifically ask as they had not created one for me. They ended up hand-writing the items ordered, and I filled in the total on the price.
Upon returning to my hotel, I discovered that the food was nowhere near as decent as it was on my initial visit. To put it plain and simple, it was crap. Expensive crap at that. I ended up tossing it and ordering up room service instead. Yes, it was that bad, and I was pretty disappointed after having to fork over most of the cash I had on hand.
With so many restaurants to choose from in the D.C. area, I'd highly advise looking for a better alternative. I strongly feel that Marrakesh gives very little for which they ask in return of their diners.
Went there for a birthday (about 15 people).
I love Morrocan and Maghreb.
Pro's.
Atmosphere and decor were nice.
Belly dancer ok.
7 course meal.
salad and tea were good
Con's
Rude waiter
Overcooked food
Tasteless
Lamb was truly not good. There was suppose to be honey... (mostly bones)
Fruit as desert was good but not particularly morrocan..
Baklava was dry
Show interrupts the dinner
Expensive
Handwritten and unreadable bill
No credit cards !!!
Not a great experience. Pretty disappointed.
Do not recommend and will never try again.
This place is intense....only go there if you have a group of fun people (12-15 max) because this place gets crowded. You MUST make a reservation in advance because there's a belly dancing show that's part of the whole experience there. They have a 10 course meal which is all hands in the bowl (not very Swin Flu friendly if you ask me), BUT...it is tradition and I was NOT trying to be disrespectful so I jumped into the food bowl as did my friends sitting with me. Because we were such a fun group of different backgrounds the owner asked if we wanted to get our picture taken to be put in the managements hallways towards the back of the establishment.....OF COURSE we'll do anything for a small scale bit of fame! I'm now somewhere on that wall back there....and now I want to belly dance.
So I went here for a friend's birthday and it was a group of us and we got the 7 course meal. The first courses were really good. We loved the eggplant/veggies/carrot dish, the phyllo dough/egg/chicken, the chicken, the beef and lamb kabobs, the couscous, the basket of fruit and walnuts was kinda random, the tea and baklava were great! Great atmosphere, pretty decent servers.
I read the other reviews on yelp and I agree with most of what they say but what was annoying for me is not that our 18% gratuity was included in the bill for the big group, but it was that the waitress called me cheap to my face for leaving 18%! I was the one calculating the cash -- remember cash only at this place which is kinda weird. But yeah when you're in a big group like that counting hundreds of dollars of cash I want to make sure none of the guests over pay so we left what we thought was appropriate. While I was counting the cash the waitress was hovering over me and counting the cash with me at the table. Who does this? This totally put a damper on my experience for me. I would have given more stars but I draw the line at going to a place that tries to count your cash WITH YOU AT YOUR TABLE and then calls you cheap to your face after leaving more than what is standard for tip!
Here are a few more suspect things:
There is no open door. You have to knock and it says "reservations only" on the door.
On the check it is not computerized, they calculate how many drinks you have simply by hash marks and it is not itemized. So make sure you are totally coherent when you check the bill!
I walked up to Marrakesh, searching for the door knob.
When I couldn't find it, I looked around, wondering (a) if I was at the right place, and (b) what the hell kind of restaurant doesn't have a door knob?
The valet told me to knock, so I did, with Wizard of Oz sound effects from the brass knocker.
A cute guy in Moroccan garb opened the door and told me to watch my step as I entered another world. He told me Candace H was running late and to have a rest on one of the plush-seated chairs. I gawked at the ornate decor, especially enthralled by the fountains, running like faucets into a bathtub and reminding me just how much I had to go to the bathroom.
When all arrived, we were seated in the back of the room. I plopped onto the chair, which was more like a sectional sofa, and lounged on the abundant pillows hugging my back. I couldn't keep my eyes off the room: so colorful, with Persian rugs and Arabic script on the walls, but the dim lighting prevented it from being gaudy.
Arabic music played throughout the night as we were served the seven pre-fixe courses. Highlights for me included chicken in a pastry-like crust with powdered sugar (which sounds weird, and I was leery, but the savory/sweet complement totally worked), and the lamb kabab. The lamb was so tender and sweet; must have been slow-cooked for days. Also, the final dessert course, baklava, was sweet, flaky, and tasty, served with surprisingly sweet mint tea. And I love that they serve fruit and nuts as a course, just in case you decided to pretend to be healthy. There is a small by-the-bottle wine list, but it's a bit sparse, including two reds, two whites, and a Moroccan red and white.
The night's entertainment featured a bellydancer, who was pretty, but I felt could have been more skilled (as if I'm qualified to judge. ha!)
Overall, a great, chill night with good food and cozy seating. Given the commual seating, the more you've got in your party, the better. My only thing was that the waiters weren't Moroccan; what's the point of that?
**More like 3.7 stars, to be exact**
This place is interesting to say the least. Great place to take a large party, in fact you should only attend in larger parties as the open couch-style seating is sectioned-off in sections. No mono y mono dates here.
We had a b-day party of about 20 people and sat in the back room (I'd suggest you do so too over the cramped front end of restaurant) and man, was this four-hour meal an EVENT. The waiters come out and introduce themselves, get your drink orders and disappear behind the draped back room, only to return at increments with your next platter--no enormous flying saucer--of food. I'm pretty certain there's no ordering off the menu here at Marrakesh--just following their set list of courses. As tradition would have it, these include: couscous, vegetables, some starch (likely potatoes), and savory meats like chicken, beef and lamb. They also have vegetarian options if you (sadly) don't prefer the meat. The chicken was a little dry, but other than that for the most part the meal was great!
For those expecting domestic spirits, don't. Beer/wine list is all Middle Eastern/Moroccan. Then, just when you forget the place employs a handful of 'professional' belly dancers.. BOOM. The lights go out and here comes a fearless belly dancer, shaking her hips 'like a salt shaker'. A lucky (or, not so lucky) few will be asked to join her on the dance floor to boogie alongside her.
As many Yelpers have warned, the place is CASH ONLY so bring plenty of those Jackson's and Grant's with you. Servers were kind and helpful.
Not sure how soon I'll be back, but Marrakesh in on the radar. .. that is when I have a handful of friends along for the ride as well.
Hm. I originally posted this to the WRONG Marrakesh. lol. Oooops.
Methinks that I'm WAY less sophisticated than other DC peoples. Apparently. OR - no slam on DCers - I take things as they are supposed to be, not what I want them to be. SOOOO, with that said, onto my review:
I first went to Marrakesh with my parents, younger sibling, and one other person. As a person who a) knows virtually nothing about Moroccan cuisine, culture, or anything else; b) went for atmosphere; c) went with family; d) went with an open mind not expecting to be wowed or disappointed - I had a freakin' blast to be quite honest.
Here's the deal. This is NOT your fine dining experience. This is also not McDonalds or a diner. It also isn't like going to a friend who is from Morocco and eating dinner. It's a restaurant with just enough Morocco to taste but not enough to overwhelm those who are tasting for the first time. Since, I've had "real" Moroccan food made by someone who is from there, AND yes, I can tell the difference.
It can be likened to a trip to Medieval Times. I'm quite sure most of the knights back in the day didn't have perfect teeth and wore deodorant, nor did they perform with people watching who were wearing Nikes and drove their minivans to the arena.
For me, it was a fun experience. The food was tasty, easy to eat, nothing was too exotic for me, and eating with your hands is fun, especially for families. The belly dancers are good, not too suggestive, and truly can be enjoyed by everyone.
The problem is, if you go and expect to be "...transported to Morocco" you'll be disappointed. The place is there to make money, and they do that by providing a mid-range service to appease the masses they hope to attract and collect the $$ from.
I think if you're on a date and you want something different than your average dinner and a movie deal, it's pretty cool.
I give it two toes up!
I saw an ad of this place on the hotel map, as a Moroccan I always love to visit Moroccan restaurants every time I travel to a new city. I went with my family of four, Saturday night. We were very excited to try this place, but our excitement did last too long. We got to the place the decor was ok comparing to other Moroccan restaurants that I visited this is pretty old. for someone who knows the Moroccan atmosphere, the decor the food, and the authentic Moroccan experience this place is clamming to give it's client is a Huge Scam. I never wrote any review about any restaurant but this one I felt so bad that I don't want anyone to experience the same. I also feel that this place tarnishes Moroccan cuisine and culture.
so let me start:
1- the towels they give as napkins are old and nasty, in Morocco we don't give towels we actually give napkin clothes.
2- we don't eat everything with our hands, and if we do we use bread. This place gives couple peaces of bread with the salads and you never see the bread again.
3-The salads were OK
4- They impose on you what to eat, if you don't want to eat bastila as a 2nd course it's impossible to make it third or fourth. aren't we paying for all the food, they should give it to us whenever we want to, not when they want to.
5- I had to bag them to give me silver wear, we don't eat bastila with our hands never in Morocco. it's horrible full of sugar and eggs no chicken, no almonds that they claim it has...piles of sugar and no spice. no way this bastila,
6- the lamb was nasty, disgusting, what is this weird honey sauce??? and no meat just bones...
7- the chicken, dry few peaces, and again disgusting sauce, no bread. in Morocco these two meals are to be eaten with bread not with your fingers and get burned.
8- they stop serving for the show...I want to enjoy my dinner while watching the show.
9- the couscous was the worst...I can't believe couscous with no sauce, no meat, no spices and what pissed me off the most is the dry uncooked raisins nonono.
so here as I witnessed all of this I started reading reviews about the place while I am setting there. People were saying all kinds of things, I got so mad for not checking this restaurant before I decide to go a HUGE MISTAKE.
10- the fruits I like the grapes this is the only thing I liked about this experience.
12- the baklava was what's worst than disgusting...burned and dry phylo, with sugar inside if that's what people cal baklava I am in shock.
13- the owner came to say Hi, If I were him I wouldn't show my face to the people I will be so ashamed of my self.
13- the service was bad these waiters had to ask the managers for every little thing from bringing us silver wear to bringing us more bread.
14- the presentation of the food very bad, no effort how so ever, they just take the food and throw it in the plate I guess.
15- Last but not least these people they don't take credit cards, are you kidding me now...I was already about to explode, now they added no credit card and no receipt...why????this is the policy since 29 years ago, this was their answer.
some illegal business there I can tell you that.
for the money this place is a scam.... they target tourist who will go there one time only they don't care to get their customers, they just want to steal the money for that night and that's it, they don't want you back.
This is the worst dining experience in my life.
Please know that this is nothing like Moroccan cuisine.
I do miss this place.
It was always one of my favorite nights to spend in DC. I first came here with my old crew @ The Dry Dock in Solomons Island, about 10 years ago when I lived an hour south in Maryland. I then returned 3 other times while living in DC.
They give you TONS of food, so it is better to go with a large group, typically too much food for 3 or less...
I had my going away party here years ago, and there must have been something like 40 people there... They accomidated us by giving us the entire back room. It is a fabulous place for special occasions.
Their service is pretty good most of the time, but, it is really not the place to go if you have a time limit. IT IS NOT AN AMERICAN RESTAURANT. They function as they would in their own land, I love it.
It's beautiful that they wash your hands for you at the beginning.
The pastry with cinnamon and chicken I believe is my favorite. But I do adore the pairing of Mint tea and Baklava at the end. Honestly, I think all of their food is fabulous. I don't mind that all of my loved ones are picking the plate apart with their fingers, that is part of the glory of family style meals. Not to mention, they hardly ever let your Wine glass run empty.
Marrakesh is to be enjoyed and savored.
If you are in DC, don't miss out on this one. It is worth a 7 course meal for $30!!!
I have been here twice and have had great experiences both times. It is really entertaining and a great place to go with a group of people. The baklava that you get for your bday is excellent!!!! The mint tea at the end of the meal is super good!
I recommend this place if you want somewhere to eat out on New Year's Eve.
The magic is gone. Stay far, far away.
My wife and I could not wait to return to Marrakesh after a simply amazing experience 3 years ago. It has consistently remained in our top 5 restaurants of all time and, in many ways, has been the standard to which other ethnic restaurants has been judged.
The magic is definitely gone. Went with my wife and brother in the early evening. The entry staff was pleasant. You will experience about 7 different waiters during the course of your dinner. They were pleasant and professional. We were led to a table in a much more brightly lit Marrakesh than last time. To the owners: DIM THE LIGHTS. The ambiance is ruined when you can do shadow puppets on the walls. It was so bright I asked the waitstaff to dim the lights on two different occasions, but they did not oblige.
The meal is prix fixe and includes 7 courses. I felt the quality of the food was significantly diminished from our last experience. The eggplant platter was fine. The bread seemed to be fresh. The puff-pastry containing ground meat and egg and covered in powdered sugar was enormous for just 3 people. The egg tasted old and was cooked too long. Was this left over from last night and warmed up for us? I hope not. This potion of the meal bordered on disgusting.
The lamb was a greasy bowl of meat and bones. That did not sit well on top of the old egg and powdered sugar from the previous course. The baklava was embarrassing. Don't serve it if you cannot make quality deserts. Terrible, terrible, terrible.
And, to top it off, the owner is a crazy, picture-happy, in-your-face kind of guy who demands a contact email, your name and birth date. My wife was concerned that it was part of a more sinister plan to collect data from people. I think the guy is just a crazy, weird man who should stay far away from his customers. The look of shock on the pictures he has with celebrities (from the dinosaur age, by the way) indicates to me that this crazy man has been this way since the beginning. He definitely put the final, souring touch to our experience.
So we went from idolizing this restaurant to wishing we had never gone back. I'd stay away. Far, far away. Nope, keep going. Just a little farther. Nope. Farther. Well, you probably should just keep going farther away after reading this.
It's a favorite for birthday parties. It's got comfortable seats and dishes of generous portions. Very entertaining to watch the dancers while enjoying the food. Reasonably priced.
At first I think the outside of the building is a construction site, but stepping through the scaffolding, over the raised door jamb it feels more like a portal to another place and time. To the left is a beautiful floor-to-ceiling fountain backed by an intricate mosaic. The hostess greets our party of five cheerfully on the right, and leads us through hanging tapestries above us, and by plush couches surrounding low tables to our left and right on the way to our little spot in the far corner of the restaurant.
The food is delicious and well presented, served in seven courses. We sampled some of the wine, which was about $35-45 a bottle. We sample the red and the white versions of the Moroccan wine and I must say it has a rather pungent flavor I assume to require an acquired taste. The server gives a choice between two dishes for most of the courses. Expect chicken, beef and lamb as common food items.
The surprisingly Asian belly dancer emerges near the end of our meal and impresses the crowd with her well-choreographed hip gyration while balancing a sword on her head at certain points in her performance. I am Lebanese, so I have to say this is the first time I have seen a non-Arab move so expertly while belly dancing. Bravo, anonymous belly dancer.
The food was expensive, but the servers were very attentive. The owner came out and spoke with us twice. When it was time to step through the portal back into DC, he took our photograph in front of the fountain with both our camera and his. He gave us his business card and told us to look up the website to see our photo. Sure enough, our photo is on the website, complete with cheesy text and a funky background that totally kills the picture.
Good place to go for a large group of people/celebration:
I've been there twice, both times with a large group of ~15 people on a Saturday night. The staff was attentive, making sure we had enough seating, comfortable seating, drinks, etc. The food was also delicious and better than other similar places I've been to (i.e. Memsahib in Rockville). However, on one of my visits they didn't bother asking for our main course selections and just served whatever (you have a choice for both first and second course).
One slight annoyance is that if you're not caucasian, they force you to "admit" to an ethnicity. Then, they take a picture of you and tack you on their website with an ethnic caption--sort of an obnoxious way of advertising an "international clientele."
I love this place. It used to be where I would ask my parents to take me every year for my birthday. It's a great place for a group...but you have to not be weirded out about communal eating and using your fingers. They don't offer silverware, but they do wash your hands at the table. While it's a rinse of warm water and a warm towel, I would recommend making sure everyone hits the bathroom and uses some soap and water.
The atmosphere, in my opinion, is really what makes the place. It really feels like your stepping into a Moroccan palace. The lights are very dim the music sounds as authentic as I can imagine it should, the wait staff is dressed in costume and on weekends they have a live belly dancer come in and perform.
For birthdays they turn the lights off, bring out a dessert covered in sparklers and play a Moroccan-style birthday tune. Make sure you come hungry and honestly, the bigger the group the bigger your food portions will be.
It's a 5 or 7 course meal and from what I remember the first course is breads and different vegetarian dishes, such as marinated carrots, puree spiced eggplant, marinated cucumbers and a few other things, you have choices for your second and third course. I've had the filo dough pie with chicken and scrambled egg, sprinkled with powdered sugar (really good) followed by roasted lamb glazed in honey and almonds (also really good), then couscous with vegetables and raisins and last a mint tea and select fresh fruits.
It is truly an experience. From the time you walk in the giant oak doors until the time you walk back out, you are fully immersed in the experience.
One thing to keep in mind, they get you on the drinks. Soda and Alcohol are the two things that will send your bill skyward. So beware of your fluid consumption...but don't pass this place up.
This review is about the FOOD. If you want some details re: lighting, decor, ambiance, belly dancing, look elsewhere. OK, so, The Food...
...sucks.
Yes. I hate to say it, but this place is not good. Respected as it is as a DC institution and hangout of the stars in the 70s and 80s, the prix fixe menu is low quality. The food here falls into one of two categories--1) flavorless or 2) sickeningly sweet. Cous cous tasted like cream of wheat with plain vegetables on top. There was a traditional pastry filled with chicken that would have been OK had it not been doused in honey and confectionary sugar. This was a Krispy Kreme levels, people. The bread and dips they give you are crappy-- any Ethiopian place would give you more quality and flavor. Moreover, one of the courses is a bowl of grapes. Lastly, they finish you off with a shot glass of tea that is so sweet it would make a third grader gag.
Now, was it a total wash? Nah. I mean, if you want to go and see the birthdays and bachelorette parties going down that is cool. Definitely feels authentic and might be fun for a group but if you like good food, steer clear.
I loved Marrakesh! Its not often that you find a restaurant that combines a cultural experience (eating with your hands), wonderful service, communal eating- and great vegetarian options. In fact, I'm almost sure that my food was more delicious than the meat options. Some courses are always vegetarian. The servers do a great job of explaining how to do the ritual handwashing and the other parts of the meal that aren't typical in restaurants.
Make sure to come hungry, and plan on staying a while. Seven courses makes for a long, full evening! We had a reservation at 6:15 and didn't leave until 9:45. The service is slow at times, but not in a way that makes you feel forgotten; the servers simply ran off to... prepare a birthday processional! Or a bachelorette processional! Or build a platform for the belly dancer to perform on!
The experience was well worth it; the food is $30 per person, and they add gratuity on the bill. Also, they only take cash, but there's an ATM at the back of the restaurant. Make sure to check out the back either way- they have pictures of all sorts of famous people who have visited.
ALLAHU AKBAR!
Marrakesh is magical. My favorite place in the United States. Aside from all the white people [I can say that, I'm one of them] who go there now, I felt for the first time that I could really transport myself back to the Middle East I love so much. Granted, the place isn't perfectly Moroccan and the belly dancer was tattooed [harAm!], but it's the closest I've gotten to forgetting my troubles and feeling far away.
I must contend the many reviews saying that Marrakesh serves dry, tasteless food. I am hurt. Blasphemy! How could this be so? Maybe they improved a bit? But I generally consider myself quite knowledgeable about Middle Eastern food and I did not have a negative experience. The eggplant salad was probably the best I've had in the States and the meats were incredibly delicious, tender, juicy, and falling off the bone.
Courses as follows:
1: Roasted eggplant salad + cucumber, tomato, & carrot salad
2. B' stella [sweet flaky pastry filled with chicken, egg, nuts, etc.]
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----------
BELLYDANCER INTERMISSION [and a very drinkable Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon]
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----------
3. Chicken and olives
4. Lehma/ lamb and honey
5. Veggie cous- cous
6. Fresh fruit & nuts
7. Mint tea
Maybe they put something in the wine... or the tea... but I felt as though I had reached a state of perfect nirvana while dining in Marrakesh. The eggplant, b'stella, and lamb were out of this world. And I have not been so happy in a long time.
HOWEVER. The wine has worn off and as I write about Marrakesh I cannot say it is worthy of five stars, and I will explain why. The following evening I had the pleasure of dining at home with a Moroccan family, Moroccan style, and the Moroccan momma made a chicken and olive dish that completely blew Marrakesh's away in terms of flavor, texture, and heavenliness. Double nirvana. I told them I'd been at the restaurant and they chastised me [in good humor], telling me that I should have gone to Marrakesh Palace for real Moroccan food. Apparently the New York Avenue joint is run by a Lebanese family! And then I reminisced about a homemade Moroccan cous- cous that was also 10x better than Marrakesh's cous- cous. And then I was a little sad...
Parking is nearly impossible, so you will need to valet it if driving. The towels that stand in for napkins are a little ghetto... but I guess they're pretty practical since your hands will be delectably messy. But then there's the sketchy factor... cash only? In a restaurant that's relatively expensive? And I think our server had been smoking something. Hmmm...
Whatever. I will still be going back!
A group of friends and I went to Marrakesh tonight for a celebration of finishing Fringe. We had seriously excellent service. All of the wait staff team took time to explain the options and what was in each dish, offer options for the vegetarians in the group, refill water, pass bread, and just generally make our group feel like honored guests. On top of that, the owner made special passes by to see how the vegetarians were liking the new dishes they were debuting that night (reports are excellent on those) and he gave us a couple of bottles of wine on the house to help us celebrate the Fringe ending. We had an excellent time and will be returning to take advantage of the coupon they gave us!
As another reviewer noted- the bathroom hand towels are a little silly, but they sure do come in handy!
Pros: Excellent service, great food, excellent service, the to-die-for honey tea, did I mention excellent service?
Cons: belly dancer show was a little bit long and cash only
there is NO WHERE in the district where you can eat so much and be entertained for only 30 bucks. its essentially all you can eat, because the 7 courses they serve you are astronomically proportioned.
everyone i have brought here has been impressed. the place is actually owned by a Lebanese family. the owner really goes out of his way to speak to everyone and say hi, and even remembers a face if you take the time to introduce yourself :)
bring cash or check, they dont take credit card. also a great place for a bday or event, they give you a little certificate and take your picture. plus you get baklava with a sparkler!
At first Marrakesh is hard to spot, because the name is written on a small sign, in Moroccan, in front of a nondescript building with no windows whatsoever. The windowless building is in fact Marrakesh, as I discovered after walking the length of the block and back.
You have to knock in order to be let in the door, which I thought was interesting. The decor is very true to what I imagine a real Moroccan restaurant would be like. There are beautiful rugs on the floor and guests are seated on little couches with a small table for everyone to share. No plates here at Marrakesh, though.
I was there for a friend's birthday party, and I would suggest going there only with a group of people. The meal consists of about six or seven Mediterranean dishes, including staples like cous cous. There is belly dancing somewhere around the fourth course, and it lasts for about a half hour, so get ready for the novelty to be beaten to death.
All in all, the entire experience probably takes about 2.5 hours. It's sort of pricey -- there were six of us and I still ended up paying about $60 for the meal. But overall I thought it was a good dining experience, certainly memorable. A good thing to remember is your ATM card, because though they don't take credit cards, there is a cash machine on the premises.
Be careful in the neighborhood when you get out, unless you've valeted your car. It's in a somewhat "transitioning" neighborhood but is still a little scary. Marrakesh is close to the Convention Center metro stop.
Marrakesh is truly a hidden-gem! While I wouldn't necessarily call it a destination for foodies, I do think it's a great place for large groups looking for something different in the often bland D.C restaurant scene. Since moving to the District two years ago, I have been here twice and have really enjoyed both experiences. Marrakesh is what I would call a "dining experience", as one is seemingly transported into another world upon entering. As a reservation only establishment, my suggestion would be to make your plans as soon as possible and definitely on a Friday or Saturday night. I have been both during the week and on a weekend and the vibe, not surprisingly, was definitely much more fun on the Saturday night. Marrakesh can accommodate both small and large parties, but i'd suggest making your reservations sooner rather than later, if you're planning for a large group. I found the staff very accommodating and helpful with respect to making and confirming my reservations.
The food at Marrakesh is super yummy! Serving a 7 course pre-fix Moroccan feast, I've been left dumbfounded as to how i've even walked out of the restaurant without the help of a wheelbarrow. While the portions are overwhelming for a small party, I thought they were just fine for a larger group. The courses are served family style, so diners must be ready to dig in with their hands, and share with their friends. My favorite course is most definitely the lemon-chicken, which is so juicy, that it seemingly falls off the bone. Marrakesh does have a vegetarian option, as well.
Plan to spend around 3 hours here as the courses are paced. There is even a mid-dinner belly dancing show. The belly dancer along with the hammer pants wearing wait staff is a bit cheesy, but it's entertaining and fun nonetheless. The whole shebang can be pretty expensive at $40/per person without drinks. The restaurant is also cash only, but they have an ATM in-house.
Definitely worth going to for a birthday or with a large group looking for something new and different in D.C.
(see also Alexa B.'s excellent review of this restaurant as well as its relative lack of authenticity)
...
My friends surprised me with a birthday at Marrakesh (not to be confused with Marrakesh Palace). Marrakesh is the secret restaurant in Chinatown which boasts solid Morrocan cuisine. Essentially the whole menu is fixed -- we had a choice between lamb and beef shish kabob. We went with the tender lamb, and we were not disappointed. One should be warned that this is a SEVEN course meal. By the time we had finished the bistillah (a combination of chicken, cinnamon, sugar, almond, and phyllo dough), our chicken and olives, and our lamb, we were stuffed!
If you have issues with community style eating, this is probably not the spot for you. Also, they have a pretty long belly dancing session. Otherwise, it is an excellent idea for groups.
No one will go away hungry from this Moroccan den. I consider this more of a destination restaurant designed for special events rather than an every day sort of place. The ambiance is unusual. Low lighting, belly dancing, dining sections with tons of pillows, tapestries, oriental rugs - all very comfortable. I have always found the service to be both efficient and friendly. They have to be efficient - there are seven courses of authentic Moroccan cuisine coming your way. All of which are extremely similar (maybe a little Americanized and not as superbly done) to what I experienced in Morocco several years ago.
The first course is a platter of salads (3 or 4). The second course (my personal favorite) is the b'stella, a chicken "pie" with almonds, eggs, onions and generous amounts of cinnamon and powdered sugar, wrapped in phyllo. The server tells you to poke holes in it with your finger to let out the steam so it becomes edible --- it's served extremely hot. I've tried to replicate it...unsuccessfully. The third course is a choice of about 4 or 5 chicken entrees and the fourth course is the same except your choices are between beef and lamb. Fifth course is a really flavorful veggie cous cous dish. The sixth and seventh courses are fresh fruit and delicious mint hot tea with pastries, respectively.
While it's only 3 or 4 blocks from the Gallery Place metro, and you can find parking on the street at times, it's best to just valet your car and play it safe.
I loved it! I'd never had Moroccan food before, and my friend Amy found this place (actually by accident! she googled for Ethiopian and this came up) and we went.
It's authentic, great food and fun. There was Belly Dancing and since she told them it was my first visit to DC they gave me a lovely certificate to welcome me. :)
The chicken course was amazingly tender... and the food and staff was wonderful. I wish we had one in Chicago.
I recommend Marrakesh for the experience - the decor, ambiance, entertainment and food quality are certainly worth the ~$30 for a 7-course meal. (!) This isn't a very fancy place - it's rather casual and the couch/seats are a little worn. The building looks like a bomb shelter from the outside as there are no windows - but the inside is nicer than you expect from the outdoor facade. Inside, you sit amongst all the patrons in an open room that fits a seemingly endless quantity of people.
Bring your appetite as I predict you won't have enough room for the 7th course. I'm a healthy eater, but I barely left a dent in my portions. The food was tasty and different. Not spectacular but enjoyable. There's NO MENU other than vegetarian/non so you take what you get. I'm not picky and my date and I liked all the food we were given, but it's always better to get exactly what I want. I shared 1 bottle of wine but you prob don't need to. You'll be lulled by fullness and sleepiness 2/3 of the way into your dinner (in case you're wondering, I did in fact nod off for a few minutes near the end).
The belly dancer performed for about 15 minutes and I'm no authority on belly dancing but I enjoyed the performance. I was mezmerized by her outfit (see picture).
My warning is that you should go with people with whom you can hold a conversation for 3 hours b/c that's how long you're sitting with them. I was warned about the neighborhood so I took a taxi (about 3 blocks) from the chinatown metro stop - but that was unnecessary. There are enough people in the area that you would be safe walking from the chinatown stop with at least one other person.
Man...34 reviews to date! Ah...what the heck...here's my review...:p
You won't find Merrakesh very easily. It doesn't have it's name posted in English and you actually have to knock on the "secret" steel door to enter for someone to unlock it. However, if you really can't find it, you can look for the car repair shop to it's left, and the "alternative" lifestyle biker bar to the car repair shop's left, and Avenue nightclub to the left of the "alternative" lifestyle bar. Everyone got that?...good.
Ok, I went here with some clients and my co-workers. In total, it was around 14 people. Everyone gets a small section of the restaurant for their party...and it seemed that most were with a larger party. There were a few couples here and there, but if you're a couple, you'll have to share space with another couple. It's not a big deal, but it doesn't seem very intimate.
The meal is a set price (sorry I forgot the price) and you get 7-courses. Before you begin, as all your food will be eaten with your hands, you get a nice warm water hand-cleaning at the table. In other words, someone poors water over your hands and you share a community towel to dry off. Seemed a bit unsanitary to me, so I highly recommend you go to the bathroom to wash up before you begin your meal. Or, at least tell your co-eaters to wash since you'll be sharing germs for that evening.
Overall, the food was decent. Nothing special, but it was super filling and you get to try a lot of different types of food since it is 7 courses. However, the thing I liked the best was the atmosphere in general. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The party across from us was a bridal shower and the one to our left was a birthday party....you get the idea. Also, during the middle of the meal, you get a great belly-dancing show. I thought it might be sexual, but it was tastefully done so it wasn't weird to bring clients there.
Overall, it was a fun time. Don't expect fabulous food, but it's moderately priced for what you get and you get a lot.
Fun, but sketchy, and the quality of the belly dancing can vary considerably.
I've been four times over the past couple years; twice the belly dancing was excellent, and twice it was unimpressive. I'd recommend requesting the back room if you're into the dancing, because there's more room for the dancer to do interesting things like balance swords.
Valet parking is a pain, and after you knock on the door and are let in, there's usually about a 10 or 15 minute wait in the foyer before you're seated.
The food is good but not amazing. There is a vegetarian option (you have to tell the waiter before the food starts coming), and I like the beginning salads and the no-chicken b'stella very much, but after that my appetite starts to lag. By the time I get to the couscous, it's hard to eat another bite (although somehow the mint tea and pastry that come afterward are a little easier to manage).
The sketchiness becomes more apparent when the check arrives. Expenses aren't detailed; all you get is a piece of paper with the total charge written down. I ended up confused about how they came up with the amount the last time I went--it seemed higher than it should have been--but who knows how much they charge for the little glass of birthday sherry and the elaborate birthday certificate? As others have mentioned, you have to pay in cash or with a check.
It's fun the first time, and maybe the time after that... but then it's probably time to find other restaurants with belly dancing to try.
Marrakesh is pretty much the way I imagine Morocco - only cleaner.
The restaurant is on a bleak stretch of New York Ave, but the unmarked front door leads to a small oasis with fountains and chairs where you can wait for your table. There are a few decorations on the walls, including a Marrakesh watch that you can buy and an autographed picture of President Bush. It's cheesy, but in the inoffensive way that you expect things to be in some countries.
You'll feel even farther from home as you push aside the hanging rug and walk into the main dining room. The main walkway extends to the back of the restaurant and small cushion-lined alcoves branch off to form more intimate dining areas. The small copper tables are a good size for you and your dinner date, and they encourage larger groups to pull together around the food.
The meal begins with a ritual "hand washing" where one of the waiters pours water over your hands and gives you a towel. From there you'll have seven courses including vegetables, chicken, kabobs, pastries, and tea. You may not be able to understand everything your waiter says to you, but don't worry - the food is all pretty good.
The belly dancing is one of the highlights of the evening, and our dancer was pretty impressive. Some of the other reviews note that the quality varies from one night to the next, but friends who have traveled to Morocco say the dancers are generally better here because it's more of a novelty.
When the night is over you'll be left with a bill which, as other reviewers have written, is pretty vague about the charges. Just consider it part of the Marrakesh experience and have another glass of tea before you step back out the door to DC.
This is THE PLACE to go for the Moroccan experience. A hidden gem in the heart of the gentrifying Chinatown area. Alexis already described the decor and ambience pretty well.
Be prepared to set aside most of your night (at least two hours) for this meal. It's a good idea to go with a group of people you're comfortable with. You get up close and personal with your food and friends while eating with your hands. Each dish is varying degrees of tasty but my favorites are the lemon chicken and the chicken and almonds in flaky filo pastry.
A great cultural experience with a night of entertainment.
I love this place! Right from the start you are taken into a "different" world and forget you are in DC. First, you have to knock on the giant door to get in. Once inside there are many rooms and low seating. The server comes around with water and towels to cleanse the hands.
The food is awesome. I don't remember each course, but my favorite was the whole chicken with olives. The meat was so juicy it was falling off the bone.
When I took my boyfriend here he had no idea there was dancing and entertainment. One of my friends danced there so I knew what was about to happen when the lights dimmed.
I would recommend this place for special occasions like birthdays, anniversarys, graduations, etc. But be prepared for the meal to take at least 2 hrs. I can't wait until the next time I go.
Note: I still think they only accept cash or check for payment. There is an ATM inside though.
This place is tasty, fun, and expensive.
I was graciously invited to a group dinner at this place by my friends who won dinner for 10 at a charity auction. The place is sort of unmarked and you have to knock on a door to gain entry. There were 7 courses - most of them delicious. I loved the bastilla, and the beef skewers best. Food tasted like yummy "poor man's" food/home cookin'.
I had read yelp before going and was freaked by the concept of eating with my fingers. It was totally fine; well some of it looked intimidating AND some of the food was scalding hot, BUT it was no problem. Note: I am the kind of guy who abhors people who drink from the container and put it back in the fridge.
Here's the deal yo - we were responsible for paying for drinks and tip. We went for wine. They were VERY VERY liberal w/ refills of wine, topping off our glasses to the brim. The 10 of us consumed like 20 bottles over the course of about 3.5 hours. When we left, we were are smashed and had full glasses of wine in front of us. Thankfully, the cost was offset by the auction - so we were totally fine. Would have been a hefty tab if we had to pay for food.
Oh yeah - the belly dancing was truly quite good - though it was one show up on a platform, rather than more ongoing and personalized. But, good talent.
Totally fun though. IF money is no object.
PS: The Bush's seem to have a penchant for this spot.
This was an interesting choice to take our Board members for a group dinner on a Friday night. Lively place, I have to say.
Be prepared to eat with your hands. Make sure you've cleaned under your fingernails too.
Food is good, I suppose; I have not had much Morrocan food so I can't be sure. But it was tasty.
Be prepared for a sudden lights out scenario. A few minutes later out comes the belly dancer. Of course, this is an interesting show. Mainly because historically anyway, belly dancers were generally not high up on the social chain...
Anyway, take or leave it for me.
Saturday evening we headed downtown to Marrakesh. We had never been there before and it's a bit hard to find, but thank goodness we had mr. jt's trustworthy navigation directing us. It wasn't that it was so hard to find, the address is simple, it's really that it is a dark building with no windows and just the name on the building. Next store is a big pizza place with lots of neon, so I think i was also distracted when looking.
Anyway, to get inside, you knock with a large door knocker and they peak out of a peephole to make sure you are ok, then they let you in. Sounds a bit sketchy, right? Inside is nice, but at first they only let you into a little reception and coat check area. Once your entire party has arrived, they pull back some thick curtains so that you can walk through the dining area. The first impression is wild. It's pretty dark, (no windows remember), and low funky lighting throughout. All the tables are low to the ground and are surrounded by couches. We sort of knew what to expect, but it was much cooler in person.
We walked back through the main dining room to "the club". The club has it's own bar and own dining area. It also has a dance floor. So, after waiting for a few more parties to arrive, a belly dancer came out and did her thing. She even took people from each table to dance with her.
After the belly dancing, we settled into our 7 course meal. We started with fresh bread with a variety of marinated vegetables. Then we moved on to a large phyllo dough pastry stuffed with shredded chicken, almonds, and egg. The entire thing was topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I think this was my favorite because it was the most unique and I wouldn't think of putting powdered sugar on chicken, but it works.
The next course was two entire chickens with olives. Now is a good time to tell you that everything is family style off the same plate and eaten with your fingers. So, we were all digging into the greasy delicious chicken with our hands and having a good time. (At the beginning of the meal they brought warm water and a towel for us all to wash up and your napkin is basically a hand towel) Next up was a choice of lamb or beef. The group decided on beef and out came skewers of beef for all. We then had couscous with squash and carrots. For the couscous, they did provide spoons. The couscous was good, however we were so stuffed by then, that we didn't eat much.
The desserts started after the couscous. First was a basket of fruit and nuts. Even though we were stuffed, we all managed to chow down on apples, oranges, and nuts. Next came individual baklava for everyone and hot mint tea. The combination was astounding. After eating they provide you with warm perfumed towels for cleanup and out you go.
The entire experience was about 3 hours long and I highly recommend it. It is a unique way to hang with friends and especially good for people who are tired of traditional restaurants. I was a little nervous given the fact that I don't eat much meat, but it was really fun and delicious and I would definitely go back.
I was down in D.C. for the last Society for Neuroscience conference, and on the last night my lab all went to eat here. Don't get me wrong, the food itself was pretty amazing. It was my first time trying Moroccan food. It was a three-hour, seven course marathon eating experience, and I left with an overly stuffed stomach, barely able to walk.
The service overall was okay, but there were a few things that bothered me. For our party of six, they gave us way too much food, yet wouldn't let us take any of it home. They said it was "against their policy," which I found to be very wasteful. It also led me to wonder what they actually did with the leftover food. We must have left half a chicken on the plate. With each course, our stomachs got more full, and we left more food on the plate. Also, the owner of the restaurant came out after the belly dancing performance to greet all the guests. He was too friendly and was instantly fascinated by our party because of our "ethnically diverse" we were. He kept asking us where we were from. I'm Chinese American, and personally it bothers me a little when people ask me where I'm from implying that I must be foreign. Then he insisted on taking a photo of our party, but he omitted the Caucasians! I just thought the whole thing was weird.
If you go, be prepared to eat a lot, enjoy a decent show, and experience some major food coma. Also bring cash (or a check), as they don't accept credit cards.
This place is awful. I usually don't write bad reviews, but I feel like I should warn people to stay away from this place, especially vegetarians.
I could forgive the cheesy atmosphere, strange owner, and slow service if the food was outstanding. But the food is terrible, terrible, terrible. I went with 2 friends who are meat-eaters and I'm a vegetarian. The first course is a plate with 3 so-so salads and stale white bread. For the 2nd course, the meat-eaters had some kind of puff pastry filled with chicken and egg, dusted with a ton of powdered sugar. They said is was difficult to eat with your hands (especially because it was piping hot) and strange tasting. The veggie option for the 2nd course? A small bowl of salty broth with some bread floating in it. The 3rd course for my friends was another chicken dish (with olives) and for me, a lukewarm (with a cold center) spinach pie. They reported their chicken with olives dish was way too salty. Next up was a lamb dish for my friends and a bowl of store-bought hommus for me. I was told the lamb dish was unedible. The hommus was nothing to write home about, plus it's not really a main course, is it? Then came a huge plate of couscous with mushy squash and carrots on top. I agree with another reviewer that the couscous tasted like cream of wheat. But the best part was when they set a basket of brown bananas with some walnuts in front of us. At least the walnuts were fine. Finally, the tea is too sweet and we didn't even have it in us to eat any of the baklava. The vegetarian meal should not be the same price as the meat one; what a rip-off.
And what's with the old bathroom hand towels as napkins? This place must make a killing, so why can't they spring for regular cloth napkins?
The other strange thing about this place is the owner. He walks around and takes pictures and asks people where they are from. It's obvious he's fishing for some kind of "exotic" background. In my party, all three of our names are a little unusual and I think he was disappointed that we are only from New York. I don't think you should force your customers to talk about ethnicity or race during dinner. Or force people to have their picture taken for your website.
I agree with the other reviewers to stay far, far away from this place. Maybe it was great a few decades ago, but it's a nightmare now.
A very unique experience, but not one I'd go back for. However, if you've never been here, I'd recommend going at least once, just so you can experience it for yourself.
Be forewarned: time cannot be even the most remote consideration when eating here. We had a reservation for 8:30 PM, and were forced to stand in line outside (in the rain!) until after 9:00. Then they had us sit in a little waiting room in the front for another 10 minutes, and we didn't get our first course until after 9:30.
I understand that the whole eating with your hands thing is part of the "authentic" experience, but it really doesn't make sense with some of the dishes. They do give everyone a spoon for the couscous, so I don't understand why they don't give you a spoon for the chicken pie, as well. Also, you should be warned that everyone at the table eats from the same plate, so don't go with anyone with whom you don't feel comfortable sharing plates.
I do have to say that the food was all really good, but again, you only get one plate for your entire table, so if everyone likes a certain dish, you may not get very much of it before it's gone. This wasn't a problem for my group, but I could see it being an issue if you're eating with a bunch of ravenous maniacs.
The belly dancing consisted of one woman dancing to 3 or 4 songs, for a grand total of about 10-15 minutes. During the dance, they turn the lights way down so you can't see your food at all. It also means that your eyes adjust to the dark, and every time someone takes a flash picture, you are painfully blinded and miss about 10 seconds of the dance. As soon as you recover, several more flashbulbs go off. And of course, whenever the dancer does anything remotely interesting (like balance a sword on her head), a million flashes go off, preventing you from seeing any of the more interesting parts. They really should ban flash photography here, though it amazed me how many inconsiderate people didn't have the common sense not to blind everyone else with their flashes (there were literally hundreds of flashes throughout the dance - in many cases, the same few people took dozens of flash pictures).
We finally finished our last course (the baklava) at 12:30 AM. Overall, I'm glad I came here for the experience of it, but I doubt I'll be back within the next 10 years.
Arlington, VA
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Neighborhood: Adams Morgan
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