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Balos Estiatorio, Washington, DC

Balos Estiatorio

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Visa Dining Collection

4.6 (75)
$50 and over
Mediterranean
1900 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 134 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Hot spot
At the heart of legendary hospitality and Mediterranean flavors, Balos offers an elevated dining experience led by Executive Chef Alex Oradei.

Inspired by the lush Cretan lagoon it’s named after, Balos creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere—blending old-world charm with modern elegance. Founded by industry veterans and lifelong friends Stefanos Vouvoudakis, Tom Tsiplakos, and Joe Ragonese, it embodies the Hellenic tradition of shared meals and lively conversation.

Our menu showcases Greek seafood and seasonal ingredients with a contemporary twist. Whether you join us for our famed Espresso Martini Cart brunch, a lively dinner, or a business casual lunch, our airy dining room transports you to the Greek islands.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Greek
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Alex Oradei
  • Private party facilities
    Our space is ideal for corporate meetings, team building events, birthday parties, baby showers, anniversary celebrations, and everything in between. We also offer customizable menu options to best suit your needs and budget. Our events team will work closely with you throughout the entirety of the booking process up to the day of your event.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    20th & N St NW
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

  • Cookbook Launch: Shaily Lipa Celebrates YASSOU

    $78.00 per person

    Prepaid

    May 12, 2025 only
    5:00 PM
    Balos is honored to welcome award-winning cookbook author Shaily Lipa for a special evening celebrating her new book: YASSOU. Shaily will share the stage with James Beard Award-winning chef Pati Jinich, for a conversation about their shared passion for food, the cuisine of the Mediterranean, the process of cookbook writing, and favorite food stories. Guests will enjoy many small bites from YASSOU, wines, and additional beverages available for purchase. Special thanks to our friends at Ellenos Greek Yogurt for their support.
    Cookbook Launch: Shaily Lipa Celebrates YASSOU Photo

What 75 people are saying

Balos Estiatorio reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Washington, D.C. Area

    Mediterranean

  • Washington, D.C. Area

    Most Booked 1000-Point Tables

  • District of Columbia

    Mediterranean

  • District of Columbia

    Most Booked 1000-Point Tables

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Balos Estiatorio offers an "amazing experience through and through," with standout service, notably from servers like "Niko." The "food was incredible," and the atmosphere lively with unique touches like the "napkin toss." While some found it "extremely noisy," many praised the "authentic Mediterranean bites" and "spectacular ambiance."

75 Reviews
  1. Bernie VIP

    Washington DC84 reviews

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding and well-prepared food - extremely delicious. Great portions. Equally outstanding service. Totally recommended for the Power Lunch.

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  2. Lauren

    Washington DC3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really enjoyed my experience at Balos yesterday evening. Our server was very attentive and made some great recommendations. Everything we ordered (Classic Spreads, Branzino, and Lamb Chops) was delicious. We will definitely return.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Lloyd

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I think my 5 stars across the board speak for themselves.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Samoni VIP

    Columbus4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Food and drink was decent but my god were the prices much higher than other comparable DC restaurants. Service was soooo slow and the noise level was too loud to carry a conversation.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Monique

    Washington DC33 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff was a amazing and the food was delicious. It was a perfect Sunday to kick off my birthday!
    Balos EstiatorioResponded 3 days ago
    Hello Monique, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your birthday celebration at Balos Estiatorio. It's great to know that our team's efforts to provide amazing service and delicious food were appreciated. We can't wait to welcome you back for another perfect Sunday. Thanks again for choosing Balos Estiatorio! Best, The Management Team

    Is this helpful?

  6. taylor VIP

    Washington DC2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waitress, Jessica, was so amazing. We had a great brunch.
    Balos EstiatorioResponded 3 days ago
    Thanks for visiting us, Taylor! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great brunch at Balos Estiatorio. It's wonderful to know that our service made your experience even better. We strive to provide excellent food and service, and your feedback lets us know we're on the right track. We look forward to serving you again soon. Best, The Management Team

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  7. Natalie

    Dallas3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Was looking forward to a night of fun, but unfortunately our party of 6 was not seated for a full hour and 10 minutes after our reservation time (10:30pm, were not seated until 11:40pm). They were incredibly dismissive, rude, condescending about how much time was left, “just 10 more minutes!”. One of our guests left and they ended up seating the 5 of us at a table for 4, and we were completely squeezed. The food was just ok, basic. The midnight napkin toss is overrated and wasteful— make sure you finish your food before it because it will completely ruin your table. Don’t plan on going to enjoy conversation because you won’t be able to hear the person next to you. Music is good though, but still, just over the top.
    Balos EstiatorioResponded 3 days ago
    Thanks for the feedback, Natalie. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience at Balos Estiatorio. We understand that it was a disappointing evening and we apologize for the lack of seating arrangements and the inconvenience it caused. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the food and the midnight napkin toss. We will certainly take your feedback into account as we strive to improve our service. We hope you'll consider giving us another chance to provide a better dining experience, please contact us at shannon at balosrestaurants dot com + jessica at balosrestaurants dot com Best regards, The Management Team

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jaylynn

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Balos is amazing! Every time we come here, it’s always top notch in every way. We especially appreciate the hostess Sabrine. She is kind, professional, and goes above and beyond to help with anything! Her presence alone makes Balos worth a visit time and time again!

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  9. Ugo VIP

    Washington DC6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was really good. The service was amazing. The music could have been turned down a couple notches but overall would def recommend.
    Balos EstiatorioResponded 5 days ago
    Thanks for the feedback, Ugo! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your dining experience at Balos Estiatorio. It's wonderful to know that our food and service met your expectations. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back soon! Best regards, The Management Team

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  10. Elizabeth VIP

    New York City4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food at Balos is excellent and comes in larger portions than most DC restaurants. Come here for a lively dinner or birthday party though, it’s loud.
    Balos EstiatorioResponded 3 days ago
    Hey Elizabeth, Thanks for your review and for dining at Balos Estiatorio. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our food and found the portions generous. We're sorry if the noise level was a bit high during your visit, but we're glad you appreciated the lively atmosphere. We're always here to provide a great experience, so we hope to see you again soon. Best, The Management Team

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Balos Estiatorio does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats.

Balos Estiatorio is rated 4.6 stars by 75 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 134 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Balos Estiatorio

1900 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    20th & N St NW
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Greek
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Alex Oradei
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Our space is ideal for corporate meetings, team building events, birthday parties, baby showers, anniversary celebrations, and everything in between. We also offer customizable menu options to best suit your needs and budget. Our events team will work closely with you throughout the entirety of the booking process up to the day of your event.
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