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Categories: Greek, Turkish, Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Penn QuarterGallery 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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okay.. so what can i really add to this site that hasn't already been mentioned 430 and counting times before by other yelp reviewers?
absolutely nothing.
just go here. take a date. bring a friend. take your folks. this place is the shit. go here.
ROTD for the win... i can feel it!
Food: 5
Ambiance: 4
Service 4
Noise: 3 Energetic and we were seated fairly close to other tables.
Overall: 4 - 4.5
Our party of two arrived an hour early to the restaurant, the hosts (3 of them) were extremely understanding and gave us a pager to be called. We posted up by the end of the bar and watched the food, people, and staff mingle. We hoped to spot Top Chef Mike Isabella, but apparently he was on vacation. Tonight was all about the food, but the huge full bar was tempting. After 30 min, one of the hostesses came up to us and told us our table was ready. We handed over the pager and was escorted to a seat on the right side of the restaurant. It took a little effort to get bread from a runner, but our server Roberto was attentive and provided great recommendations. The D-shape airy bread is fresh and delicious.
The menu is huge, tapas arranged by category.
*We opted for one spread baba ghannouge - fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic, topped with pomegranate seeds.
*Short rib kapama - braised short ribs, spiced tomato stew - something that I could make at home and would not recommend
*Bantijan bil Laban - crispy eggplant, roasted garlic - yogurt sauce (thick and meaty pieces of eggplant yummm!)
*Salmon boureki - salmon and feta deep fried in phyllo, served with tartar sauce (this was our favorite!!)
*Roasted cauliflower (recommended!!)
*Lamb kleftico - ground lamb wrapped in a phyllo dough, served with dill-yogurt sauce and feta cheese (really tasty!)
For dessert:
*Turkish Delight - walnut ice cream with Skotidakis Farm goat's milk yogurt mousse,honey geleé, orange-caramel sauce, caramelized pine nuts
*Chocolate Visne - milk chocolate cream, caramel, cocoa-almond crumble, cherry sorbet
Both were very good finishes to the meal. If I had room in my stomach, I would have also ordered the Greek yogurt dessert. Alas, next time.
The bill was about $35-40 a person, no wine. I would definitely come back again. Another Top Chef hit.
Another winner by Jose Andres and the third concept in his ever expanding restaurant empire. This place may have a Turkish name (Zaytinya means olive oil), and Lebanese dishes on the menu, but at it's heart, it's a Greek mezze spot. The large, airy, marble interior says "Greek Islands" to me, as does the wine list, with 9 Greek wines by the glass and 38 by the bottle. Wine not your style? There are eight draft beers, including Dogfish Head 60 minute and Heavy Seas' Peg Leg Imperial Stout in a nod to local sensabilities, plus Mythos (Greece), Keo (Cyrpus), Efes (Turkey) and Almaza (Lebenon) in the bottle for those trying to keep the Mediterranean theme going.
Small plates rule here and there's something for everyone: carnivores, pescetarians, vegetarians and even vegans will leave happy. Plan on at least three per person (average price: around $9. More for seafood items, less for vegetarian dishes). Some of my favorites from the current menu have include the Roast Cauliflower (with sultanas, capers, and pine nut puree) Garides Me Anitho (sautéed shrimp with dill, shallots, mustard and lemon juice); Mavrofassoula Me Loucaniko (Greek pork and orange rind sausage bean stew). Additionally, over the years there have been a slew of great dishes that have rotated in and out including Shrimp Saganaki (with cheese and ouzo), rabbit with lentils, and lamb chops with garlic and hummus.
When it first opened, seven years ago, the thing that struck me most about the place were the bathrooms. Yes, the bathrooms. With their bowl-basin sinks, they were one of the coolest things going. Of course everyone has those now, but Zaytinya was the trend setter.
The only con, aside from the no reservations policy after 6:30pm and the sometimes obnoxious bar clientele is all that marble; it can be kind of noisy. But with it's long bar, and with longer hours, Zaytinya makes a great place to grab a bite whenever the mood strikes you.
Going here on a Saturday night will normally command a 2-hour wait! Being able to see Top Chef contestant Michael Isabella lead his crew in the open kitchen has not made the line any smaller. Celebrity aside, this place is so very popular for the simple reason that it is one of the best tapas places in the country! Wonderful Mediterranean flavors abound, the presentations are gorgeous, and the execution, for the most part, is superb. My choices on Saturday evening:
- Hummus with pita bread. Ironically, the least interesting dish of the evening. I was expecting more robust flavor in this classic staple. The warm, airy pita bread was divine however.
- Cerkez Tavugu. This was a salad course consisting of shredded chicken in a cilantro walnut sauce. This did not look very appetizing, I must admit, but looks can be deceiving. I was pleasantly surprised by the clean flavors in this dish. The cilantro was very fresh, and the taste of walnut really carried through the dish making the chicken more interesting.
- Lamb Bahar. Spice rubbed lamb kebab, tabouleh, and tahini sauce. A classic offering that is often unremarkable, unless you order it here of course. Succulent meat infused with flavor, this was lamb you wanted to savor.
- Shortrib Kapama. Braised shortribs served in a spicy tomato stew. This was mistakenly served, but I did try it before catching the error. A good amalgamation of flavors and a very nice braise.
- Swordfish kebab. Seared swordfish served with roasted peppers, red onions, and parsley sauce. The hit of the night. Simple in preparation, yet so flavorful and enticing. This was a perfect dish in every way.
- Olive oil salmon. Slow poached salmon served with a spicy eggplant and cracked green olive saltsa (a Greek oil and lemon dressing). Another excellent dish, and I was surprised by the generous size of this particular tapa.
General thoughts:
- Casa Mono has earned a Michelin star in NYC for its coveted tapas, but I think it pales in comparison to this place when comparing only quality of the dishes prepared.
- The restaurant is gorgeous. Given the attractive modern design, the inherent popularity of the place, and the quality of the food, this restaurant attracts a high profile, good looking crowd, and the rare Yelper. Seeing people and being seen is part of the experience for better or worse.
- The bar is always packed with those putting in their hours of wait time. It is a loud, animated place. If this is your thing, be sure to check it out. If not, go down the street to Ruth's Chris. The bar there is so very calm by comparison.
- There are so many vegetarian dishes! This place is an ideal choice for a mixed crowd. The service is in waves too, so there is that natural building of anticipation and progression of tastes.
Highly recommend for anyone visiting the city.
So I came back to Zaytinya, this time with a larger group: my fiancée's parents and their good family friends. Aside from having a fun evening to talk, it was also nice to order a ton of dishes and get a real sampling of what they have to offer.
Here is a run down (from memory)
-Crispy Veal Sweetbreads - top notch
-Knisa Lamb Chops (2)- perfectly cooked and marinated to perfection
-Quail Couscous - nothing super special, but the cous cous was good
-Crispy Brussel Afelia (2) - one of the best BS dishes of any restaurant
-Cretan Snails Skordalia - not a huge snail fan, but these changed my mind
-Garides Me Anitho - waiter recommended - so good. though he said it like the dill was the star, it was in fact the garlic
-Baby Beet Salad (i think) - hate beets, didn't try
- Potato fritters - didn't have a taste
There may have been a few others. We finished with the Turkish Coffee Chocolate and the Chocolate Visne, both of which were divine, even to a chocolate hater like myself.
We also got a few nice looks at Chef Isabella, who spoke to a table next to us for some time. To those who say they wont eat here because of his attitude on Top Chef, give it a rest and eat here. The food rocks, plain and simple.
Since this is nearly the 400th Review of Zaytinya, I wont go on and on about the restaurant, giving… Read more »
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.
I love to eat! Mediterranean cuisine is one that I would like to eat more of. I wanted someplace elegant and nice for a friend's birthday and chose Zaytinya. I have heard good things about the place and the fact that the executive chef was on TV, made it that much more fun.
I made a reservation for a party of ten, we sat in the middle of the restaurant, what a gorgeous table. The design of the restaurant was sleek and simple. The owner, who also owns several other DC restaurants knows how to design a great place.
We sat down and chit-chatted, the waiter a little slow on getting us drink orders but he was fine. We were a group that enjoys to talk!
The menu has a lot of variety for the meat lovers to vegetarian, everyone was accounted for. We decided to order the Hummus and the Baba Ghanouj (misspelled) for starters. Both were great, smooth and with great flavor. The bread, which took a while to get to our table, was excellent. We began to order our Mezze (tapas) It was hard to decide everything looked great.
I ordered the fried squid and the spanakopita. The fried squid was fine, typical calamari. The spanakopita, not what I expected it to look, but the first bite made the dish, spinach perfectly cooked, the filling had a tangy flavor to it that I enjoyed (and had to stop myself from licking my plate clean!) The dipping sauce for the squid was light, not what I had expected. I looked at the other dishes my friends order and wished I had asked them to share. Roasted chicken, roasted shrimp, mini crab cakes, salmon, dolmades, mini falafel and soup. Everything looked delicious.
There was one dish that looked ok, but from the look on my friend's face, not appetizing, the Piyaz (large beans with kale and dill) it smelled great but it looked like butter soup with beans. Not so great.
The rest of the evening was fantastic. To the point that we were asked to leave our table, we chit-chat too much! But that's a good sign if we linger.
The other thing that I was surprised by, we brought our own cake, and were charge $2.50 per person by the restaurant. I understand that they have their own desserts (which by the way looked delish!) But it did not damper the evening of celebrating. We were sent to the bar for drinks paid for by the restaurant manager (she was great!) they make this great pomegranate drink. Light, refreshing and not heavy with alcohol. A perfect drink to have before or after dinner.
I will go back for sure, and would love to try their lamb dishes. Zaytinya is on my list of places to eat. Go and see for yourself!
I took an out-of-town business colleague here and almost forgot that we were in DC - an almost impossibility in most DC restaurants. I was initially a little put off by the big, almost industrial feel of the not-so-intimate dining room, but ultimately very pleasantly surprised.
We opted for a veggie feast of old standards and some great new favorites - falafel, goat cheese stuffed onion skills, grape leaves, and the most delicious brussel sprouts I have ever tasted in my life! Seriously - I want the recipe and someone willing to eat brussel sprouts every day for the next several years.
Complimented by tasty wine and never-ending hot, puffy pitas, the whole meal was heavenly.
But as wonderful as the meal was, desert blew me away - chocolate cake and the Turkish delight - amazing! Buttery, spicy, creamy, and just all around well put together.
Walking away with only a $30 dent in each of our pockets means I will definitely be back!
I went on a date to Zaytinya a few months ago and I loved it. You can sample all kinds of great tapas and the bar is great. We actually sat outside because it was a nice night and it was great.
This is probably my favorite place to take people in D.C. I've never been let down. The room is colorful and festive without getting too loud or overbearing; the staff is helpful and professional even on busy nights; and the food is usually terrific. And this is a small point, but I love the city view out the windows. I'm one of the hulking MLK Library's few apologists, I guess, but the view is prettier facing G Street.
Tonight two friends and I ordered nine dishes that ranged from basics (grape leaves and falafel) to comfort food (patates tiganite and shrimp pide) to the classic "stuff I can't make" (garides dill and soujok spetzofi), a variety of tastes, and virtually all of it was fresh and elegant. The crab cake was a little bit overcooked, but that was one blemish out of a large meal. The Turkish coffee chocolate was to die for.
The price can get a little high (over $40 per person including drinks and dessert), but this is one place that's usually worth it.
Zaytinya has great food and a cool, metro vibe. Love it that even the small touches are perfect: for example the drops of pomegranate in the olive oil for dipping your bread. Mmmm. Delectable mediterranean-style tapas - both in vegetarian and meat versions. Good spice combinations - and not too much salt in the sauces. It's the sort of place I want to get dressed up for and go to with someone special: elegant but doesn't take itself too seriously. Oh - and the bar is wonderfully long, to accommodate lots of socializing.
As soon as I moved to DC, this was apparently THE restaurant I had to try. Everybody told me about it and I couldn't wait to finally go. There was a total of three ladies on a Tuesday night..I used OpenTable to make 8:15 reservations (same day) and we were seated within two minutes of us arriving.
Menus were handed to us and we had absolutely no idea what to order, nor could we pronounce half of the names, but the challenge excited us. Our waitress, Leah, was super friendly and helpful. I drink wine based on descriptions, but I couldn't figure out which white would be sweet...Leah gave me a suggestion and it turned out great (obviously cannot remember the name).
Water was being refilled literally every time your glass was almost at 1/4 full the entire night. Also, the famous "football shaped" bread thats been gushed about all throughout the reviews was not a disappointment. They kept it coming and we kept on eating!
We were told to order 2-3 mezze per person. We ordered 8, and then a dessert at the end (not mezze size) and felt it was a perfect amount for three hungry girls. We were full and satisfied at the end, but not to the point of discomfort.
Mezze 1: Baba Ghannouge - perfect consistency, and I thought a pretty nice size portion. Hands down this first course was on of my favorites of the night. Was just good dipping the bread in it; probably could've just had this for dinner and been satisfied!
Mezze 2: Fattoush - Wow! So rich in flavors and the vegetables were all so fresh. Very refreshing start to dinner as well. The pita chips sporatically in there gave it a nice little crunch.
Mezze 3: Crispy Brussel Afelia - AKA: brussel sprouts. I love brussel sprouts and have never had them prepared this way before. Soft on the inside, a little crunchy on the outside. All obviously well seasoned and delicious.
Mezze 4: Spanakopita - basically a spinach and cheese egg roll. I thought this was good, not the best of the night however. Didn't seem like anything special.
Mezze 5: Sea Scallops - I do not eat seafood AT ALL, but it came with 2 scallops. Both the other girls thought it was great and would probably order again.
Mezze 6 and 7: Kibbeh - we got beef Kibbeh (recommended by the waitress) and the chicken Kibbeh (on special that night). The yogurt sauce was incredible and you could taste every little ingredient that went into the fritter. Fantastic!
Mezze 8: Arayes - This was a giant guess for us. We were like, well were at a Mediterranean place, we should probably try a lamb dish. I love tahini so I was like, lets try these! Ended up being one of my favorites of the night. Lamb was ground with all the juices and flavors still there.
Dessert: I'm a picky dessert eater (I don't like rich chocolate cake or nuts, I know...don't ask haha) so we all settled on the regular size Chocolate Visne. Leah said the mezze size gives you 2-3 bites per person, and the regular desserts give you more like, 5-6. Obviously we picked the big one! :) Chocolate cream with these crumbles all with the best, most rich cherry sorbet/ice ive ever tasted. Perfect ending to the meal.
The clincher:
While we were eating our dessert, Mike Isabella (head chef, and recent contestant on Top Chef) comes out. My one friend was like "Ah, that's him!" We all turn and look. Sure enough, he's there. Our waitress notices our fuss, comes over and is like, "I'll bring him by for you!" Ten minutes later, he's at our little table chit chatting about both of us being from NJ, and trying the famous Pittsburgh Primanti Brothers sandwiches (to my friend from the burgh). I watch the show so I saw his arrogance, but he was super nice in person and talked to us for a couple of minutes. We left the same time as he did and he said bye to us as we headed to the metro.
Bill came out to around 37$ a person, each with 1 drink tax included. With tip, close to $50. I honestly expected this and didn't think it was terrible for a really nice restaurant. You would pay wayyy more at a steakhouse and not have nearly the variety you have here.
I would 100% go again and try all the different things on the menu!
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.
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.
The food = mediocre
Service = Horrible!
We went there last night and all i can say is, "meh." Also,…
Read more »
Not a bad thing was brought to the table after almost fifteen plates. I admit I did not know about Greek Tapas, but this place nailed it and I consider myself a picky eater. The bread was amazing along with all the food. Expect to spend alot to get alot. You can't go wrong here.
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.
Zaytinya never lets me down. The bread is so delicious and comes out piping hot. Everything I have had here is wonderful. The setting is gorgeous and draws a great crowd. I usually sit at the bar since my friend bartends here. I came here last Friday night for a late drink and some food. So yummy and consistent. Great place to take out of town guests or a girls night. Definitely a group, so that you can try more dishes and share.
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.
I had the leek scallops and, I don't know, they just weren't executed all that well. I expected something, I don't know, meatier?
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.
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.
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.
Loved every dish that we ordered, so I went back twice within a week visiting! Modern decor, great… Read more »
I went here for a Happy Hour and so just tried a few of the mezza and some wine. I had the crispy brussel sprouts, kibbeh, grilled baby octopus, and scallops. Nothing extraordinary, EXCEPT that baby octopus. It was lemon-y and probably the best octopus I've ever eaten. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Overall, however, my initial reaction is I would much rather get my Lebanese fix at Lebanese Taverna. I think its just as tasty and definitly cheaper. Nice atmosphere though. And I'm kind of glad I didn't run into Mike Isabella since he probably was not having a good week seeing as the world now knows he got the official Top Chef boot. :(
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..
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.
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.
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.
One of the best Mediterranean restaurants I've been to in the whole world. During my weekend trip in DC I stumbled into this restaurant. I had eaten at Cafe Atlantico the day before but had no idea this was owned by Jose Andres (shame on me!). Who knew this Spanish guy could dish out such good Mediterranean food! I was very happy with everything we ordered and haven't found any other comparable restaurants in NYC. DC rocks. Too bad Michael was eliminated from Top Chef.
Really awful food and service. We walked in and the place was dead--dozens of tables open early in the evening. We got a beeper and sat in the bar for our "10-15 minute" (host #1) or "30-40 minute" (host #2) wait. The bartender was nice, but one hour and several glasses of wine later the buzzer hadn't gone off. We decided to eat in the bar.
30 minutes later someone figured out we were seated at one of the bar tables and the most hyper woman I've ever met waited on us. She had an opinion on everything including what small plate was good in each category. We listened and ordered a few plates. Finally the food showed up. The fried brussels sprouts were a) fried (my fault for not reading carefully enough 2) burned the fried bits all falling off 3) cold. (and yes, I actually like brussel sprouts). The special lamb turnovers that were her favorite thing on the menu were 1) fried- again, my fault 2) cold 3) grissly 4) expensive for two ground lamb and fat turnovers. And so it went, and except the taramosalata which was actually good, everything else ranged from oh_interesting,_not_what_I_expected, to darn_right_ nasty. The waitress never returned. They never called us for a table. Even considering the relatively food challenged DC this place was a notable ordeal.
Zaytinya was the first restaurant I visited when I came to DC and I was really impressed. Why? Most of the tapas are really solid dishes. Zaytinya has a good price point too - it's not crazy expensive, although it could be a littttttle cheaper. It's a nice sit down, but it doesn't feel stuffy either. I also think the beautiful white and blue decor makes me feel a little like I'm in Greece. So pretty! I love the bread here, and it tastes really well with the "Z" olive oil and balsamic as well as the hipiti and tzatziki (those are tastier than the hummus or baba ganoush). I think it's worth coming to Zaytinya during brunch time, because they have some really tasty offerings. The lamb bahar and the scallops dish are must-orders! The blooming tea is plain ol' tea, but it sure is cool-looking! It literally blooms!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 :-)
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.
Neat place, expensive. Great food, especially the lamb. We got outdoor seating which was a fun experience.
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