Award-winning

Rumi's Kitchen - DC

Name: Rumi's Kitchen - DC
Address: 640 L St NW, Washington, DC, United States, 20001-3615
Telephone: (202) 900-9106
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.9

4.9 (2689)

$31 to $50

Persian

640 L St NW, Washington, DC 20001-3615

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 101 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Lively
Good for groups

Rumi's Kitchen first opened more than a decade ago in Atlanta, the result of years of development by Chef / Owner Ali Mesghali. Showcasing the flavors of Iran -- fresh herbs, kabobs cooked over an open-fire grill -- quickly won loyal guests at the original location in Sandy Springs, GA and set us on pace to open our first restaurant outside of Georgia in 2020. Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet whose words and life teach us how to find inner peace, happiness and love. We invite you to Rumi’s Kitchen where fresh, healthy food and attentive Persian hospitality await you.

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Persian, Middle Eastern
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
Phone number
(202) 900-9106
Website
http://www.rumiskitchen.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Ali Mesghali

Location
640 L St NW, Washington, DC 20001-3615
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Mount Vernon Square
Cross street
L St NW between 6th and 7th
Parking details
Parking garage on site or metered on street parking.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Popular dishes

What 2,689 people are saying

Rumi's Kitchen - DC 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

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.7Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Rumi's Kitchen - DC offers an exceptional Persian dining experience with "amazing food and ambiance." Patrons rave about the "excellent service" and "delicious, authentic" dishes like lamb kabobs and saffron rice. The atmosphere is "warm and inviting," making it perfect for special occasions. Despite occasional seating issues, the overall experience is "phenomenal."

2,689 Reviews

M
Michael
Washington, D.C. Area12 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
As always a beautiful experience and will come back again
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S
Susan VIP
Washington, D.C. Area1 review
2.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
I was incredibly disappointed on my most recent visit. My party and I (three of us in total) arrived on time for our 7:15 pm reservation. There was a line of other patrons extending beyond the main door, and the entrance to the restaurant was overcrowded. After being checked in, my party and I were told we’d be seated “shortly”. After about 20 minutes, I asked approximately how much longer we’d be expected to wait given we had a reservation. I was told the restaurant was “waiting for a paid table to leave” and that “as soon as they leave” we’d be seated. After another 20 minutes, I again inquired about the wait time and was met with the same response; I was also told the restaurant had been “overbooked” so tables were “backed up”. Ultimately, my party and I were seated for dinner over 50 minutes after arriving for our reservation. We stood by the door, along with several other parties also waiting for their reserved tables to become available, for nearly an hour before being seated. I have never encountered anything like this at a restaurant, least of all a restaurant at this price point. After being seated, I requested to speak to the manager, hoping to communicate my thoughts and feedback in person, as opposed to writing a review. While the manager sent over a few complimentary appetizers, they never personally came to the table to speak to us. Our server was as attentive and accommodating as possible, but given how crowded the restaurant was, and how clearly overbooked they were, it took a very long time to place our initial drinks and appetizer orders, and an equally long time before we were able to order entrees. The drinks and food were delicious, but not particularly remarkable. The unacceptable wait time, the manager neglecting to hear our concerns in person, and the overall lackluster experience made our meal feel incredibly overpriced. I won’t be returning to nor recommending Rumi’s again.
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O
Orien
Philadelphia County2 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My food was delicious! Everything was seasoned to perfection. I would definitely recommend.
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S
Steve VIP
Northwest Florida7 reviews
4.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
As always the food and service were excellent. Unfortunately we were seated at a back corner table next to the doors to the patio. In two hours they must have opened 170 times blowing hot air on us, blowing napkins and other table items all over the place. While I will go to eat again, I will never sit anywhere near their patio doors again. They open at least once per minute and many times more often than that. For a high end restaurant with very high prices, they need to install a rotating door or double door so everyone indoors cannot be so disrupted all night long. They truly should warn you before being seated in this area or close the patio when it’s as hot as it has been last few weeks.
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G
GLORIA VIP
Washington, D.C. Area88 reviews
4.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
This place delivers excellent food every time ! We enjoy visiting this place often but there no recognition of a loyal customer and first timers and the front staff needs a bit more training not to seat small group next to a very large noisy group when the place is empty! Too many supervisor not enough customer service training
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s
stuart VIP
San Francisco Bay Area15 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was excellent , However the service was top tier. Our server was extremely welcoming, nice and helpful In selecting the best dishes. The decor is great, trendy and nice. First time and will be going back soon
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D
Dr . Precious
Philadelphia County2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My colleagues and I recently visited Rumi’s Kitchen, and wow, what an incredible experience! It's no wonder it came so highly recommended. From the warm and attentive service to the mouthwatering food, everything was nothing short of exceptional. Each dish was a burst of flavor that had us savoring every bite and craving more, even when we were completely stuffed! We can't wait to return and indulge in this culinary delight again!
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G
Ghida
Washington, D.C. Area1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food, generous portions, great ambience. Appreciated the fact that no loud music was playing because restaurant was quite busy and noisy
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V
Victoria
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
4.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Appetizers were excellent. Main course of kebab was just ok
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J
Joel
Washington, D.C. Area50 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A perfect experience for our anniversary. It’s a great space, bustling but not loud. Our waiter was terrific: friendly and confident in his knowledge of the menu. The food was delicious in very large portions. We loved the shrimp appetizer, sea bass was excellent, as were the lamb shanks. $185 for dinner for two, including two cocktails. And very nice that they provided two glasses of complimentary champagne because it was our anniversary. We will definitely come back.
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FAQs

Rumi's Kitchen - DC is rated 4.9 stars by 2689 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 101 times today

640 L St NW, Washington, DC 20001-3615

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross street
L St NW between 6th and 7th
Neighborhood
Mount Vernon Square
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Persian, Middle Eastern
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Parking garage on site or metered on street parking.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ali Mesghali
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.rumiskitchen.com/
Phone number
(202) 900-9106

Rumi's Kitchen - DC

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Popular dishes

Lamb Rack

Lamb Shank

Lamb Kabob

Menu

What 2,689 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Rumi's Kitchen - DC restaurant rated?

Is Rumi's Kitchen - DC currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information