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Categories: Greek, Turkish, Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Penn QuarterSpecial dishes and drinks, plus featured wines, will…
Announced 6 days agoGallery Pl-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow)
Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange)
Mon. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Want to show off? Or course you do every once in awhile, then Zaytinya is the SPOT to be at. I've gone here with so many different groups of family & friends, it's hard to recount all of the times but one thing always remains,...everyone is impressed. Not only by it's beautiful decor and space, but because the dishes are so great and filling you just don't want to stop ordering and sharing what you're eating!
If you haven't gone yet, make sure that you go at least one time. It gets VERY crowded and the wait can be pretty long if you don't come prepared, so make a reservation well ahead of time since it fills up quickly. If you do have to wait around for a table, then make your way to the bar there, which also has lots of spacing while you wait.
I can't recommend just one dish, you must try them all for yourself and judge it based on your own taste, but the servers are very well informed about which dishes they would recommend if it's your first time. Don't be shy to ask them.
People thought this was:
I've been back a couple of times since I wrote this last review. I ordered the short ribs again - they were tough! I literally had to saw my way through the meat and once piece was so tought - my sauce flew across the table. My friend recommended that I send it back but Im not like that. SUCKS.
I will say - the zucchini fritters are the best. Stil overpriced and they best not overcharge my cc AGAIN this time. If they do - I'll def. let you know.
People thought this was:
The food = mediocre
Service = Horrible!
We went there last night and all i can say is, "meh." Also,…
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We ate here as a party of 6 for a friend's birthday dinner. The service was good, atmosphere was nice if overly loud, the food was all decent and the drinks were expensive but imaginative
I still feel conflicted about having to pay a valet $10 to park my car on the street in front of the restaurant...but that's a gripe for another time.
While the experience was fine, nothing I ate really wowed me and I felt that Me Jana in Arlington is far superior for middle-eastern mezze fare at a more affordable price point.
So, for a decent night out, why do I give them one star?
Simple, the bill was split three ways with two of us paying via credit cards and one of us paying cash. We instructed the server to split the remaining $440 on the two cards we provided. The receipts came back, each charged $220 as requested. We signed them and left, thinking nothing more of the issue.
A week later when I was sitting down to pay my mortgage, I noticed my account balance was oddly short and when I checked I found that I was somehow charged $450 on my card instead of the $220 I authorized. Not even double the amount, it's as if they picked some arbitrary number of dollars to take from me.
My friend was able to produce his signed receipt, but somehow his account was never even charged. We were able to settle the balance privately between us, but it troubles me to find similar experiences in searching google.
I would seriously advise anyone to use caution when paying with a bank or credit card here. Keep all your receipts and check your balance to be sure you aren't "accidentally" mischarged.
People thought this was:
This is fine, but not special. Some dishes were quite excellent (brussel sprouts and spreads). Other dishes were average (beat salad, octopus). And still others were subpar (swordfish, chocolate cream dessert). Nice atmosphere, very good service, and a decent value, but I think they need to tighten up the menu a little bit and weed out some of the weaker dishes.
I went here for lunch today and it was amazing!
Mike Isabella was actually in the kitchen this afternoon. Regardless of how you feel about him because of Top Chef, it is nice to know the head chef is in the kitchen when you were dining there.
Zaytinya has large selection of beef, vegetarian and seafood mezzes with salads and sandwiches also. I ordered two mezzes which made the perfect lunchtime meal. I ordered the seasonal mushrooms - shitake, button, oyster and cremini mushrooms chopped and sauteed and mixed with chopped dates and almonds. The mushrooms were so delicious. I also ordered the Syrian beef and lamb sausages. The dish was four small sausages served with a spicy pepper and onion almost stew like sauce.
The fresh pita served hot is amazing. The olive oil they put on the table is great. Light olive oil with an herb/spice blend on the bottom. Mmmmm.
The only downside to Zaytinya was the service. We were served the wrong mezze and it took until the end of the meal for the waiter to come back and even check on us. They did correct the order issue and served us the correct mezze. By that point, no one really wanted to it. I will give the waiter the benefit of the doubt since the restaurant was packed, maybe he was extremeley busy. However, we had asked one of the food runners and that got us nowhere with getting the correct food. When you are paying $20+ for lunch, you expect a little bit more service or at the very least having your water glasses refilled.
People thought this was:
What a disappointment the last few times we visited. Every dish was too salty, and the sizes all shrunk - perhaps due to the economy. I compared my pictures of the crab cakes last year to this year, and they were about 30% smaller!
The $4 happy hour was a great deal, but there were only a few choices.
I'll still come back for the eggplant puree though.
People thought this was:
Loved every dish that we ordered, so I went back twice within a week visiting! Modern decor, great… Read more »
Since this is nearly the 400th Review of Zaytinya, I wont go on and on about the restaurant, giving you information you can find 100 other times. However, I will say the following, in summary:
1) People who wont come here because they think Michael Isabella looks like an a$$ on Top Chef are idiots. You can read this to help: http://www.washingtonp...
1b) I have been meaning to come here for over a year, and Isabella's appearance on TC just reminded me that i needed to go
2) The restaurant was already crazy busy before TC and continues to be busy. I needed a reservation on a Monday night.
3) The brussel sprouts are absolutely incredible. Perfection. If you are like me and always hated them, eat them here, you'll be converted.
4) Cava Mezza and Zaytinya are equals in the Mediterranean tapas world. They offer different things and can both be appreciated for what they do best.
5) Whatever number of dishes you plan to order, subtract one. For a two, last night, we ordered 6 dishes and one piece of cheese. I ended up taking home half of 2 dishes (weak, I know).
6) I'll be back. The food is outstanding, the service is very fast and friendly. The decor and interior of the restaurant is very charming, simple, yet elegant.
People thought this was:
I love this place. I have a strong affection for Greek food (dispite being a vegetarian) and tapas. I have dined at Zaytinya several times, but recently enjoyed happy hour there. It is a really great deal if you can get a seat at the bar, or at least one or two if you have a group. The best part is the $4 drinks which include their signature Pom-fili, which is so amazingly good. Don't drink them too fast though!
Ordered a sampling of mezze that they have for reduced prices during happy hour. Really enjoyed the fried mussels, very light breading that was very flavorful. Definitely a great pick for a classy happy hour..
I went here today and overall the experience was pleasant. I went for the four course lunch special ordering the hummus, a lamb stuffed pita, a spinach and feta pie, and an apricot tri-fold thing that was to die for. Over all everything was good, but not great. If asked I'd recommend Café Mezza over this place. The food just didn't seem as flavorful. Except the dessert, that was by far the best dessert I've had this year.
My only complaint is that our waiter was virtually nonexistent. Our first plate was wrong, we told the person who brought it and they said they'd send the server over. Fast forward to the end of the meal when the server finally came over, we told him and he was like oh yeah it was crispy egg plant, and went to replace it. Plus he was a little weird. I usually don't like to comment on individuals, but something about his personality made me uncomfortable.
People thought this was:
This is a classy place to stop in at after a show at the theatre or any event at the Verizon Center. As angela n. said, the space is stunning.
It is not a place for those looking for a cheap meal or happy hour pricing. The wines by the glass start at $8.00. My Greek wine was great and my friend also enjoyed her Mediterranean red at $13.00.
We ordered two mezze plates and both were sensational. The seasonal mushrooms with dates and almonds was mouth watering good. The sea scallops (you get only two, but they are large) with a yogurt dill sauce was also very good, but not unique enough for me to order again, with so many other tempting dishes to try next time I visit.
Service was prompt and it wasn't terribly crowded at the bar on a Sunday night. The little round tables are a bit small and I worried about knocking my wine glass off the table with the two mezze plates and the basket of warm, delicious puffy pita bread taking up all the space.
The noise level can get a bit loud at the bar, but Zaytinya's is worth it. Treat yourself to night out here. You won't be disappointed.
People thought this was:
Everything was delicious. Each dish was better than the last, and bread was replaced with great speed whenever we were even close to running out. The chick peas in shell special was amazing. I am going to eat here every time I take the Chinatown bus from New York, because the location is perfect.
We were there at 3 pm on Friday, so it wasn't crowded.
This is by far my favorite Jose Andreas restaurant. The head chef is currently on TV and seems to be a bit of a douche. Perhaps he uses some of his own vinegar to make his food taste awesome.
I like asking the waiter to assemble the list of tapas because they always order things I wouldn't think of. Generally 3-4 dishes is enough. If you're on a date, get 8 different dishes to share.
The fresh baked football shaped breads are awesome.
People thought this was:
Great date spot, food is amazing ambiance is GREAT. I would not have pieces greek food and tapas together but it makes sense here. The bar is always packed, so if you are not looking to have a full blown out meal, its a great place to go.
This past Saturday was my fourth visit over the past 8 years and it was the best. Yes, it's expensive, servings are small and it's very loud. But each dish was scrumptious and the service prompt despite the place being packed. Highly recommend the Kibbeh Nayeh, Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, Knisa Lamb Chops, Swordfish Kebab and a great special that involved a fat cigar of phyllo containing salmon and a creamy feta cheese.
Grilled octopus = amazing. Dress the part though, no shabby-ass fools allowed*. I would have given it 5 stars, but it's a bit pricey so the good quality food is expected.
*I think I looked ridiculous ordering the grilled baby octopi in a tie-dye before the Dead show a couple months back.
People thought this was:
Seeing as there are already almost 400 reviews of this place, I'll just touch on a few highlights that may strike a chord with a reader or two...
1. Super friendly service. Thanks to the woman with the funky chic glasses for making dinner delightful.
2. Variety. My dinner party had about six different plates, and everything tasted entirely unique. There wasn't a single dish that was less than delicious.
3. The bread. One knock on small plates places is that you go home hungry. Not at Zaytinyah - they keep you amply supplied with wonderful fresh pides to mop up the sauces, scoop up the spreads, and take the edge off your hunger while you wait for the next meze.
4. The dessert. We had several different kinds of sorbets and ices - walnut, molasses, cherry, apricot, and chocolate. The cherry was bursting with tart cherry flavor and reminded me of Northern Michigan. The molasses was strong and surprisingly good!
5. The coffee. Don't skip it.
If you're thinking about going to Zaytinya, stop thinking and go. It's a wonderful restaurant and you won't be disappointed. Come prepared to spend about $30-$40 per person and you'll be able to try a variety of plates. Even better, come with a group of four - all the plates we had were easily divisible into fourths so that we could taste many different flavors.
People thought this was:
I went there for lunch with a group of 15. The service was great and food was delicious! I highly suggest the lamb and stuffed grape leaves.
The reason Zaytinya gets only four stars from me is because the only time I've been there was for a quick drink and dessert before heading home. As soon as I walked in I loved the place. The people looked fabulous, the hostess was friendly, the bartender was attentive and friendly, and the drinks and dessert my date and I had were perfect. I tried one of their mixed drinks from the menu (can't remember the name, not because I had too many though!) and it was delicious. The dessert, Turkish chocolate cake maybe???, was amazingly tasty. I only wish there had been more :(
A return is definitely being worked into my plans and I have no doubt at all that the last star will be added upon my edited review!
Neat place, expensive. Great food, especially the lamb. We got outdoor seating which was a fun experience.
People thought this was:
This is definitely a trendy place--somewhere you go when you want to feel like you're out with the movers and the shakers, for whatever that's worth.
Typical wait for a table is an hour+ on a busy night, however the bar can accommodate a lot of people and the bar staff always seem willing to accommodate. Between the 5 of us we had the brussels sprouts, escargot, kebab sampler, roasted eggplant, octopus, a bunch of their house mixed drinks, and Turkish coffee.
All-in-all, we were very satisfied and there wasn't anything left after the meal was over.
The place is kinda loud, especially if you're sitting in the upstairs and the wait staff seem a bit detached, but a great place to go for Mediterranean cuisine.
Not a fan of this place. It is a great date place and group dinner restaurant but if we are rating it based on food, yeah, then no! The servings are tiny and I'm always confused when groups come for dinner. Once again, it's a nice trendy place to come and have fun with your friends but the food's not that great.
The bar is a nice place to sit with your friends and the restaurant is usually packed on weekends. It's fun to come with friends and have drinks before going out if you're in the area.
Summary: delicious and well proportioned mezzes in an attractive environment; good cocktails at the bar; fun place for people watching.
This is an equally fun place to grab a quick bite or to sample many small plates at your leisure. Most dishes I've tried have been from good to excellent -- a lot of flavors, right temperature and texture, pleasant presentations. The servers are knowledgeable and can make sound recommendations. The servings may seem small, but they are deceptively filling (my companion and I were full after sharing four mezzes and dessert) . The price is perhaps a tad on the high side, but not unreasonable in this part of the neighborhood.
While the restaurant decor is contemporary chic, its feel is more casual, especially if you come on the earlier side of dinner time. As the evening wears on, more and more beautiful people pack into the bar area. But as far as I can tell, even slobs like us get good services :-)
SETTING: Friday night con una amiga.
SERVICE:
Friendly, but a bit spotty on timing for making orders. It is always busy there, but someone is usually somewhat easy to flag-down.
ENTREES:
The Restaurant Week options were winners, even for this vegetarian. 3 hours later, I was quite happy. You win me over everytime.
Spanikopita, falafel, hummus, and califlower & pine nut & raisin mix.
Bravo on the teas too!
DESSERT:
I swear it tasted like Honey Nut Cheerios. Walnut ice cream with honey and and and.
VERDICT:
You will see me again soon.
People thought this was:
High ceilings and a clean blue and white decor make this an attractive restaurant with a trendy vibe. I could gripe that it is a bit overpriced, but I think it is comparable to Cava or any other classy tapas place in the area. Those little bites add up! Also, $9 for the cheapest glass of white wine deterred us from ordering any.
The scallops with yogurt dill sauce were very, very yummy. My friend said she could have made a meal out a few of those. Two scallops on the plate. The crab cakes were also a highlight. The zucchini and cheese patties had nice flavor, but were a little mushy. Lamb bahar (skewer) was full of smoky flavor and cooked perfectly. Falafel - just ok. Salmon - just ok. Puffed, warm pita keeps on coming - definitely use it to soak up what's left on the plates.
Not sure what was up with the busperson, but the way she poured our water was described as "violent." She filled each glass to the brim (and beyond) and disappeared within 5 seconds. A glass of water should not have a convex meniscus.
I think the best part about a meal of small plates is that you are satisfied, but not stuffed. The three of us had room for Tangysweet afterwards - the perfect end to a really nice evening with good friends!
People thought this was:
Delicious Greek style tapas! A wee bit pricey for me to make it a regular thing, but not over-priced next to comparable hot spots in Washington DC popular neighborhoods. Very busy during happy hour and dinner any time, you may be waiting for a table. The patio is overlooked on warm days but is definitely quieter and comfortable!
Service was excellent with descriptions and suggestions. For those that don't know, Chef Mike Isabella is a contestant on this season's Top Chef. It is definitely fun seeing just how talented he is!
Great location walkable to either Chinatown or Metro Center metro stops, Verizon Center, Conv Center.
Working only a few blocks from Zaytinya, some coworkers and I took advantage of restaurant week and headed here for lunch. Our server was attentive and laid back which was refreshing since it was raining and we weren't in a rush. The decor is clean, open and modern. I wish it had been night time, since it's the kind of space that seemed it would glow nicely and have that romantic, inviting feel despite being a huge restaurant.
The portions were small but filling; there were 4 courses from the prix fixe menu offered during restaurant week. I had the hummus (smooth with a hint of citrus flavors), falafel (good flavors and the perfect amount of crispy on the outside), the salmon boureki (a rich spring-roll like salmon and feta dish) and the walnut ice cream with yogurt and honey (nutty and sweet) -- all for $20.09. Each dish seemed to be displayed and served with care. Our server even presented each dish at the table with the right placement and orientation of the 'Z' that was etched on each plate. Since the experience was enjoyable, I'll credit this observation to the training and precision of the restaurant rather than the potential OCD-like quality of the server.
I enjoyed this experience and am excited to go back again -- next time I'll keep in mind that some items on the menu are heavy or rich and I'll also go on a nice spring or fall day where you can enjoy the outdoor patio, shaded by trees.
When RW comes around I think I get filled with greed; I think that I need go the most expensive restaurants that I usually wouldn't go to. That is true but Zaytinya is within my budget and I had such a good time trying new dishes of a style of cuisine that am just beginning to enjoy.
They continue to give you hot bread throughout the meal and the highlights were the shrimp in a creamy mustardy sauce (great description ehhh) and the babaganoush (roasted eggplant spread). The dessert was also excellent - Turkish delight - walnut ice cream. Who have thunk it but walnut ice cream was amazing.
Service was on point even in restaurant week and with a group of eight. Parking was not so great but if you can metro it's close to gallery-Chinatown. Fun fact: Zaytinya = olive oil in Turkish hence all the olive oil in jars around the restaurant. (I asked the waiter)
People thought this was:
Zaytinya has become one my recent happy hour haunts. $4 for red or white wine or their pomegranate cocktail. $4 each for a variety of their mezze dishes: hummus, labneh (amazing tangy and thick yogurt dip), fired mussels, zucchini or eggplant fritters, and tiny little ground lamb pita sandwiches, to name a few. I am not big on lamb, but these are amazing!!
The happy hour is only at the bar and runs until 6:30pm. It gets pretty crowded so I've learned that I need to sneak out of work a little early to get there in enough time to take advantage. As far as service goes...depends which bartender you get. A few have blatantly ignored my friends and me for some unknown reason. But one guy is super nice and attentive, even slipping in a free glass of wine or extra pita bread at times.
The only drawback to this fantastic happy hour is that I now refuse to go to Zaytinya at any other time and pay full price! Thankfully for them, there is no shortage of DC area diners to pack the place every night for dinner.
People thought this was:
I went this past August for my birthday and during restaurant week. I read the reviews and I was so excited. however, the food did not arrive on time. I would have my food and 5 min later my cousin would receive her second dish! The food was OK. nothing amazing. I would not return but it was not a total disaster. I wish I could give 2 1/2 stars ...not two but that is all for now!
Wonderful! Excellent food very quick service!
went for restaurant week this fall with a group of friends.
we ordered everything on the restaurant week menu to share. great experience. our server was awesome, answered all our questions about every dish. lovely atmosphere and they were accomondating of our large group that turned smaller. i love the modern contemporary feel of the place. and it's awesome that one of the top chef contestants is an exec chef here :) love it. recommend highly to try it!
People thought this was:
3.5 stars.
Back to back mezze reviews!
Anyway. I have to say that despite my high expectations, I was somewhat disappointed with Zaytinya. Let's start with our visit to the bar. We were early for our reservation and wanted to sit outside, so we decided to get a drink while we waited. I had looked at the cocktail list online and was fairly sure I wanted the Tripoli Sunburn. Once at the bar I asked for the drink list just to be sure and noticed that the price was higher than listed online - not a huge deal, but this is where things started to decline.
In addition to the price change, the gin used to make the drink was different. In the end it was made with Plymouth gin, fresh tangerine juice, mint, and sour cherry reduction - sounds exotic, lovely, and Aestas-worthy. Here's what it was: essentially a cross between gin and juice and a not particularly well-balanced mojito. Oh, and it came in what was essentially a large shot glass. Oh, and it came to $14.20 with a modest tip. Honestly?
Another cocktail on the menu ran for $12, and its only alcoholic ingredient was Old Overholt rye whiskey. While Old Overholt is, in fact, a good rye whiskey that is a necessity for a good Sazerac, it is also, in fact, only $9 per bottle. Therefore, one small cocktail is one-and-a-third times the price of an entire bottle of its main ingredient. Ish don't think so.
We were seated very quickly after I paid my bar tab, which was good, because I needed something to distract me from the drink annoyance. Upon being seated we were brought bread and the usual olive oil/balsamic vinegar concoction. Only this one wasn't ordinary. I am not sure how they do it, but the balsamic vinegar is slightly sweet. It was so good that I was tempted to keep eating it until the entire basket of bread was gone, but I knew that I should save room for everything else I ordered.
It's still a toss-up as to whether this was a good idea; I think the bread was the best part of the meal. First I had the Kabak Köftesi, as I was easily tempted by the promise of squash, raisins, walnuts, and pistachios all rolled into one fritter. These were fairly good but come to almost $2 per bite. Pricey.
Next I had one of the flatbreads (I don't recall which), which was decent but forgettable. See? I forgot which one.
Finally, I had the Greek pork and orange rind sausage bean stew; this included black-eyed peas, one of my favorite foods. Unfortunately, like most everything else I tried, it was just okay. Nothing really stood out or blew me away.
I hate to say this (even though it was said it another review), but I really think that the food at Lebanese Taverna might be better than at Zaytinya.
The service was spot on, however, and the server easily tolerated a table of three people not ordering much food.
If I am in the neighborhood again I might go back. It's possible that I just happened to order all of the somewhat mediocre and overpriced dishes (and cocktail), but something makes me think it's indicative of the rest of the menu as well.
People thought this was:
One of the best meals I've had in my entire life! Also, the service was incredible! I have zero complaints and would recommend this place to everyone!
Last night was not my first Zaytinya experience, but by far the best.
They have such a beautiful array of dishes, each prepared with care. It was a party of eight, which I loved because we could order a huge variety of dishes to taste. We were also a mix of vegans and meat eaters, and everyone found something to satisfy.
The raw Kibbe was perfectly seasoned and lean, and the olive-oil poached salmon was perfect. The special, a roasted goat flatbread ended up being our one repeat order - one was simply not enough. Even the standards didn't fall flat - perfectly creamy hummus, crispy falafel, and freshly baked pitas that are so addicitve we moved them to another table to have enough room for dinner.
It takes a bit of advance planning to get a reservation for a large group, but it is absolutely worth it.
I usually HATE waiting to eat at places. But, somehow, after a pitcher of Pom-Fili (white wine, vodka, triple sec,
pomegranate juice), I was more than happy to wait!
Besides the delicious beverage, the food was out of this world. My friends didn't even mind my eggplant fetish (I ordered ever eggplant item on the menu) - we all loved each and every one! We ordered an array of other things on the menu and couldn't figure out what we loved more!
Service wasn't AWESOME, but forgivable with such good food. I would easily give this place 5 stars if I had been happy with the service.
People thought this was:
The bottom line: Trendy, tasty bites, crowded (and loud).
In the evening (I haven't been for lunch), the white open space is packed, yet not uncomfortable. For the height of the ceilings, though, it's so loud that I almost lost my voice after a Saturday dinner with my aunt, uncle and wife. The food, however, was delicious.
The hummus has the right amount of garlicky-zing. The Midyes (fried mussles) were phenomenal (we ordered it twice) and the Shish Taouk was tart, juicy and delicious.
We also shared a delicious Assyrtiko (from a winery my wife and I had visited on Santorini).
It's not cheap for the volume of food, so if you're out for quantity over quality, you might want to look elsewhere first. That said, it's quite a treat if you can swing it.
People thought this was:
I've been to Zaytinya many times, and love it despite yesterday's somewhat off lunch. I went with a friend on the early side, a mixture of tourists and Penn Quarter workers on a holiday meant that it wasn't too crowded and we were seated right away. I love Zaytinya because the food is fresh, delicious and innovative, and from my favorite part of the world. You can always find something on the menu that you've never tried before. The service is (usually) good and the decor is pretty and light. Most of the time Zaytinya is super.
Yesterday however, Zaytinya was less than super, but still good. We started off with a glass of the Greek mandilaria/mavrotragaro- perfect for the first chilly day of the fall. Then we had octopus santorini, imam bayidli,piyaz, seasonal mushrooms, and patatas tigamtes meyaourti. Well, the star of the meal was the piyaz (it was my first time trying this). A warm white bean salad with kale, tomato and roasted garlic. It looked beautiful with the green of the kale and the red of the tomato and the creme colored bean. Fresh and delicious. The patatas were also good, reliably good. A relative of patatas bravas over at Jaleo. Unfortunately my octopus was kind of rubbery and stringy (starving, I had forgotten about ordering seafood on a monday, wont be doing that again...), not at all like the grilled octopus I've had on Santorini. Worse than that were the seasonal mushrooms which were so salty that I could barely taste the toasted almonds and dates in the dish. I am a big mushroom fan, and nearly returned them to the kitchen. The other dishes were ok. The service was very slow but also very friendly.
I'm still a regular at Zaytinya, but after yesterday's lunch have decided to take a little break.
Yer making mezza hungry!
This is a fun place to go with friends or on a date. As with any tapas/mezzas place, sharing is a must. The food was surprisingly simple, and everything was prepared well. It is right by the metro, ensuring that the place is busy, so a reservation is recommended, or you can try to snag space at the ridonkulously big bar.
I recommend trying the "spread mezza" to go with the pita bread. The hummus and tzatziki were both very well done. The lamb and fish dishes were cooked okay. The biggest problem with the food is that some of it is salty as all heck. Their special mixed drinks are very good, and recommended also. Overall it was a nice dining experience.
People thought this was:
Perhaps I didn't order the correct dishes, but for the price of the Mezzes I was not impressed. The food was not bad, but I expected it to be extraordinary, and it was not.
The one exception was the Adana Kebab. However, in a meal of 4 dishes one stand out is quite simply not enough.
Well, the food is really good. I have been here MANY times over the past few years. The bar service is horrible and continues to be that way. My friend and I gave the bartender our ID's. He saw hers and then i gave him mine and he says that I gave him the same one twice. Mind you, one is Virginia and one is DC and how about the fact that we are of completely different ethnicity's and WAY overage! makes no freaking sense. then...i gave my credit card and he said keep it open? I asked if there was a minimum...bartender walked away and didn't respond. A few mins later, he gave me the bill. I said we weren't finished and to keep it open. Eventually we sat at the bar. Told the other bartender that we already have a tab. He said no problem. At the end of the night we signed off one one tab and left. The next day I had two charges on my card. How can I be charged if I didn't sign one tab? I called and left a voicemail for the manager the next day and have yet to hear from them.
I can't say that I will never go back...but I would prefer not to...
People thought this was:
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