Zaytinya

Really good food, lively environment

Wonderful food bursting with flavours !! The tapas concept helps you taste multiple hints on the menu instead of sticking to one or two entree. Th service is excellent inspite if the fact that the place is packed ! Fabulous experience can’t wait to go back ! Tip : avoid long weekends it’s super packed and don’t go without a booking.

Food was a bit bland and underwhelming. Not sure how one managed to make salmon taste like it has no flavor. Also the lamb chops were dry. Scallops were not memorable. The drinks were great though and the service was good. Also pretty decent ambience, though I don’t like the vibe in the back right section of the restaurant (past the kitchen) where we were seated as much as they main section.

A bit expensive, and not all dishes were a hit, but we ended up having a very nice time

Don't let the small plates deter you. The dishes here are very filling. I was in a party of 4, and we ordered about 12-14 different dishes. Everything was fresh and delicious. The kibbeh was one of my favorites along with the cauliflower. The tzatziki is different than what I am used to, but in a good way. The large chunks of cucumber gave it a good texture. Overall, it was an excellent meal, and I intend to return soon!

Valentine’s Day

Great for a business lunch and the food was wonderful.

Any Jose Andres restaurant is an instant success. Love the 3 PM in Istanbul cocktail and all the spreads for the warm pita bread.

Dined early on a Thursday. Service was good and the food was terrific. Nicely presented and for small plates the portions were generous.

We have dined at Zaytinya many times - this was the worst. We were seated at a window table near the desk - there must have been thirty people standing there and the noise level was deafening. While the food was excellent as usual, the service was terrible - not the fault of the waiter who was having to apologize frequently We each ordered two dishes and a drink from the bar. The first dishes arrived before our drinks, and then we waited nearly twenty minutes for the next two. We were given stuffed grape leaves at no charge and we were not charged for two coffees. But we got out of there as soon as we could and got to the theater inplenty of time. I hope this was an unusual situation, because we love Zaytinya and mean to return.

The noise level is a bit high because of the architecture of the space. But the food and service are excellent.

The best dolmades and terrific fried mussels

The kabob platter was fabulous, as were the tabbouleh, grape leaves, hummus, and (especially) the brussel sprouts! Service was excellent, and the (ordering) suggestions much appreciated!

What a treat. The best food, consistently fantastic, in the most beautiful setting with gracious, attentive staff. There are not enough superlatives to do it justice.

Always great food, attentive service and a great experience

A bit loud at times. Service was attentive without being overbearing. Food was excellent, as usual.

The two of us ordered several plates, including the smoked pipe dream cheese (which honestly was enough for 10 people), lamb meatball, Tzatziki, branzino, mushroom, Spanokopita, and more. We had a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Santorini. Our server was absolutely wonderful, and we were checked upon often without it being overbearing at all. I've dines here five times and am always impressed. Highly recommended.

Wonderful food, great service! This restaurant met all expectations and we WILL be back!

The first time we visited Zaytinya was on my birthday. This time we were in town for a play and we decided to visit again. The food is delicious. I am a vegetarian and my partner eats meat and we were both happy with the food. We even got the same waiter we had last time - he remembered us from a year ago. I go to our local establishments and don't get recognized - fabulous service! We plan on going again, but this time not waiting for a year to pass. Bottom line - highly recommended!

So good the other day, I had to come back by myself for another special meal of Mediterranean mezze before returning home to San Francisco! Dined in the high tops near the bar and never felt awkward.

My server helped me narrow down my choices to a final 3: the spectacular spanakopita (my fav), the cauliflower with delicious tahini sauce, and the mushrooms with sun-dried tomatoes and melted Greek cheese.

The unusual, fluffy, light pita bread to start was served with an olive oil and pomegranate molasses dip that I will have to try to mimic at home! I rounded this meal out with a glass of Greek white wine, chosen after my server brought me 2 samples to choose from.

I will come back every time I make it to DC!

We (8 of us) went for brunch this past Sunday and both the food and service were excellent. Highly recommend the French Toast (small dish but excellent preparation) and their shakshuka is very well done. Highly recommend this restaurant

Food and service was all incredible. Highly recommend the dip sampler.

Best restaurant in DC. Staff is knowledgeable, food is great.

Some of plates were inedible. Food was over cooked. Felt like most of the food was made ahead of time and just reheated

It's a busy restaurant, food portions were great. Just was not impressed with the selection of kebabs in the platter, nor the lamb bacon truffle special dish they had. The pide is extremely overpriced for what you get. While dishes were good, they weren't fantastic and I probably wouldn't go back.

everything was great, it was super busy so at one point we waited about 30 mins for our next tapa which extended our visit more than we had wanted. but overall, amazing food & great atmosphere!

Delicious and unusual food, served with flair/ Everyone from water glass fillers to waiters and busboys were friendly and professional.

The place and food were outta world . It was a bit too noisy post 10pm.

Love this place! Have loved this place since it opened in the early 2000s. I do notice that it's aged quite a lot and needs a refresh soon!

Made a reservation for 8:30. Were seated at the table 25 minutes later. Don’t understand the point of a reservation if it is not going to be honored.

We loved the food here! The service was incredible, the portions were perfect, and the atmosphere was wonderful. My only complaint would be that although we had a reservation, we were not seating until 20 minutes after our reservation.

Always exceptional! Food and service! Already made reservations for graduation weekend!

Birthday! So fun and relaxing to enjoy a great meal in a good atmosphere together. One of our favorites.

Zaytinya is one of my favorite restaurants in DC. But the last time that we went, it took 30 minutes to get seated for our 7:00 PM reservation. When we finally did get seated, we were on the side of the restaurant with a view of the exit door. While I know that not everyone can get a great table, this did change the ambiance for the meal and was not my favorite visit. It took so long for us to get seated when we already had a reservation. However, the food is always phenomenal.

Simply wonderful. Awesome and attentive staff. Had a great dining experience!

Wonderful food!! Such a great experience

Another lovely meal - excellent food. A friend from Philadelphia was so impressed, she took several cards. Late lunch (3PM) turned out to be a great time to go, when the restaurant was quieter and the staff wasn't hurried. We enjoyed lingering. The wait staff was attentive but not hovering. Great afternoon.

Overall very good, and perhaps it was just the mezze lunch we ordered which was four courses, but closing out and getting the check was a bit slower than preferred.

My new favorite restaurant! Great food and excellent service!

We were very pleased that we chose this unique and fun restaurant. Being familiar with the reputation of Jose Andres, we enjoyed his take on Mediterranean cuisine. We tried 8 different dishes and each were excellent in their own way. And a pleasant surprise was the choices of wines from Lebanon, Greece and Turkey. Great meal and exciting atmosphere.