Had an excellent experience at Zaytinya by Jose Andres. The food was very tasteful and unique. The cocktails were delicious and so was the wine. The menu was expansive so our large group decided on a tasting menu and it was awesome. The tasting menu was vast for the price, we got to try a little big of everything and it all tasted great. Service was slow at the beginning but after we got our first round of drinks the attention to detail picked up. I would normally comment on the dishes I really enjoy but I tried so many things it would be hard to choose. Definitely a spot to check out for some Mediterranean cuisine and I highly recommend it.

Food is really fresh and the portions are decent. But it’s a crowded and loud restaurant and when we got to the table for four, which we had reserved, I couldn’t even fit into my seat and I’m not overweight. They had to shift the table for me. Then the food just didn’t fit onto the table top. Since it’s small plates, I would expect there to be more space for all the small plates to fit. The vibe and decor is pretty cool, but I just expected a more polished experience for the price. That said, the food is really well flavored and fresh and I would go back if I were looking for a convenient happy hour place or just needed to meet up with someone. But not for a special occasion.

Wow! 🎶 Everything was fantastic. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed such a wonderful meal. We had a reservation for an afternoon lunch. Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated immediately. The wait staff was courteous and efficient. We let our daughter, Julia, order for our table; everything she suggested was delicious and cooked to perfection. The pacing of the dishes was nice as well; a few dishes were brought out at a time. We weren’t rushed and plates were cleared away between courses. We were there just over an hour and even had dessert. I can’t wait to go again. ✨

Excellence in every way. Atmosphere, service, food quality and variety, and VALUE! We were 2 people and we each did the “Chefs Tasting Menu” for $72 per person and it was a truly massive amount of food - we took a lot home, it could have honestly fed 4 people. The small plates format is perfect for any occasion - a date night, a large gathering of friends, a family meal, a celebration… you could see all these kinds of diners here. Also, it’s notable just how truly massive this place is. Massive covered patio, uncovered patio, two separate indoor dining areas, a bar area, and a special upstairs area. I am seriously trying to think of an occasion I can celebrate here with friends and family - its right in every way. The food itself is all incredible, I particularly loved the kale salad and then mustard-lemon-butter shrimp. I can’t recommend this place enough.

The food was absolutely amazing! We ordered several small plates and my favorite were the seared halloumi and the taramosalata (cured carp roe spread - trust me, you will think this is ice cream if no one tells you this is fish egg in the first place). Although the portion was small, they were not pricey and we were able to try many different options. The server was very friendly and made recommendations for our first visit. I’d definitely come back and recommend this restaurant to anyone interested in cuisines around the Mediterranean region.

I get the hype! The chef’s tasting menu ($70 PP) was delish and very filling. The appetizers were all top notch. The hummus was especially smooth (I don’t think I’ve had any hummus has smooth as this before). The beef strips resembled cured meat and was also delicious when paired with the grapes and pine nuts. Feta salad with mandarin slices and beets was also very good. We requested for the octopus to be included and it was hands down the best cooked octopus I’ve eaten. It’s not rubbery at all and has a perfect char on it. Of all the things we got, the only dish I would not eat again are the zucchini Patties. They had an odd flavor to them that reminded me of how ammonia or sulfur smells. The two desserts were a molten coffee cake and apricot green yogurt. The top of the apricot dessert was extremely tart but you can take off the sorbet if you don’t like tart items. The lava cake was slightly molten in the center but had excellent flavor — slightly bitter, deep coffee depth, but not too sweet.

Great variety of dishes and fresh ingredients and delicious. It’s a great value comparing the service you get here. Also the service and the atmosphere were amazing. If you are visiting DC, it’s a must go restaurant. Definitely recommend it.

It's our third time eating at Zaytinya. We love this restaurant but i got to say this last visit was disappointing. The service was not good. The hostesses were not friendly and our server was very rushed but that's not the worst part. The restroom was disgusting it smelled like urine so bad I couldn't even stand the smell. Even the sinks were disgusting with dirt and pubic hair. I hope a manager sees this and gets someone in there and deep cleaning from top to bottom. If the bathroom is this disgusting who knows about the kitchen. I have a lot of respect for Jose Andres but this wasn't it.

Our weekly lunches finds us at Zaytinya, one of José Andrès long standing DC staple that’s weathered many bubbles. The place is gorg’ and the ppl are stylish. Tho after many many years it’s become a little bridge-n-tunnel and a bit of a tourist trap. That said, there isn’t many other good options in the vicinity that isn’t another JA establishment so why not enjoy this place. We came for lunch and it was BUSTLING. Reservations are highly recommended. Once sat, we started w their ME G&T, fantastic and went on to apps, which were humus, roe dip and olives. All came in a matter of seconds. Our 2nd round took a while so we went for our main dishes. Brussel sprouts, FF, meatball stew. Branzino, lamb, and chicken. The chicken is a KNOCKOUT. Then meatball, lamb n branz, the Brussels kinda stunk and the FFs were fine. In all it was great but they take a LONG time for food to come. We love them still tho, musta been the weather. It was 81°… in January! Everybody and their mother was out today.

Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. Every dish was tasty and presented well. The complementary pita bread was a little dry and crusty, but overall the place was very solid.

It's one of the best restaurants I have ever been in my life!! Daniel was our waiter, and he was very supportive about the recommendations. Starters and cocktails were delicious, and the main courses were delicious!! I am anxious to be back. 😍🥰

Delicious outdoor lunch during Restaurant Week! Plenty of heaters. Very attentive service staff. They were great with my gluten-free friend. The only issue was the water spilling off the side of the tent, but that didn't affect everyone sitting outside. Only the unlucky few near the edge! Highly recommended.

Great restaurant, always packed, reservation recommended. The food is really good its a mixed Greek, Lebanese and some other country kitchen by a celeb chef. The food was really good, the presentation and the taste is a must try for sure. We got good service and really liked our waiter, he made some recommendations on the cocktails which we enjoyed. I will be back on my next trip to Washington DC.

A great experience but front desk staff needs work. Had reservations, made us wait 20 minutes, and then rolled their eyes after we declined sitting outdoors when our reservation was for indoor seating. Food was amazing. Recommend doing the weekly restaurant menu. $40 for a five course meal. Say less.

DC definitely has great food. Zaytinya is an experience. There are too many options to choose from the menu. Everyone loved the chicken soup!! A mix of diverse flavors and traditions from the Mediterranean region. Place was packed so make sure to make reservations.

We went to Zaytinya for restaurant week and it did not disappoint! So many fun dishes to try (we shared everything we got, which seems like the best way to do it) and everything was fresh and delicious. Hard to tell if the criticisms I had were just because I got too full to really enjoy it (restaurant week is way more courses than I’m used to), so I think I’ll just share the positives. The watermelon salad was CRAZY refreshing and such a fun combination of flavors. The brussel sprouts for me were hall of fame good. The hummus was delicious and the fresh pitas made them all the better. Will definitely be going back to Zaytinya!

Mediterranean restaurant by famous Jose Andres, with authentic music in an open high ceiling beautiful space. Food has special spices and therefore different tastes. Warm tin bread with dipping in olive oil to start. Ship with garlic , octopus is delicious so is the chicken soup not traditional taste but different with lemon and egg. Great to try all these completely different tastes. Service is kind but a bit slow so make sure you are not in a rush. Once ordered food comes quickly.

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Washington DC, my fiance and I were so fortunate to stumble across this place. We tried the tasting menu and it was so amazing that we went back on our last day to try more entrees. The service is unmatched and the servers make some great recommendations. Definitely would recommend this cute spot!

Everything in this place is top-notch!! Beautiful venue, great staff, awesome service, good choice of music, beautiful crowd, and tasty Mediterranean dishes!! Portions are small but you do not feel that you leave the restaurant hungry since they start your service with fresh bread and olive oil. For a full experience, I would offer the kabob platter + a salad!! Staff are great and know how to keep the crowed happy although it is almost very crowded. Reservation is definitely recommended and note that finding parking space is not easy!! It’s DC, after all!! Overall, one of the best places in DC area✨

Absolutely outstanding. Joel, our server, went above and beyond - from accommodating for allergies to recommending specific drinks. Food was creative but not over the top, simple yet unique. Even just the bread was a wow. Large puff pillows that we enjoyed with a delicious red pepper spread. As for entrees, the meatballs were a fresh take on a traditional favorite. Perfectly spiced and soft. The bluntly named “large bean” dish was also super tasty, soup-like with a hearty amount of grilled vegetables. Could not recommend this place enough. It’s worth the hype!

$72 tasting menu is one of the best priced in DC! You get a lot of food, but I didn't leave feeling over stuffed. The restaurant is big, but isn't overwhelming and the vibe is just upscale enough without being pretentious. Our service was a mixed bag, the server was incredibly friendly, but it was hard to hear and understand the folks delivering the food so we didn't always know exactly what we were eating. We went on New Year's day and our server graciously gave us a complimentary small glass of champagne which was a really nice touch. The food was good overall. I'm glad we did the tasting menu, but will probably order a few dishes off the menu next time I go back instead!

Always a great time! I’ve been number of time and each visit always leaves me feeling well fed with a variety of delicious well prepared meal. It does tend to get busy so I recommend a reservation if you can get it. Overall, I’ve always had a great experience dining at Zaytinya.

Zaytinya is a treat ! We enjoyed the Restaurant Week menu. Mediterranean food was a delight The food = fantastic Service = professional & on their game High energy, busy restaurant but easy to have a conversation (not too loud). Great evening- worth your time & $$

DC has a lot of good food - Zaytinya rises above them all! I moved away from the city a few years ago but came back this week for work. I decided to go to Zaytinya alone for an early birthday dinner and was BLOWN AWAY. I’ve always heard such wonderful things - and am so glad I finally decided to investigate for myself. Every restaurant Jose Andrés runs is spectacular, and Zaytinya really does outdo them all. Every course was DELICIOUS. Next time I come I am going to have to bring a group if for nothing else than to get to try more plates. If you go, ask for Lorenzo. He knows this menu front to back and provided me with excellent recommendations. Everything I got was suggested by him and were easily each a 10/10. Folks on here have a lot of comments complaining about the wait or service -> when you go to a restaurant that is THIS in demand you have to be willing to wait for a table. The staff is doing their best to manage a massive crowd. Don’t be a prick, be kind to them. This place is popular for a reason. All in all, I have no complaints. Thank you for making my night incredible!

We went to this place after hearing a lot of good food. It was a good dining experience. The cauliflower tiganites were a little bit oily. Though I found the food really good, the seating could have been better. It was congested and tables were put close together.

The food here is amazing! *Very* flavorful and interesting presentations. It’s really busy, but surprisingly quick given that, and the servers are knowledgeable and make great recommendations based on your preferences. Be prepared for a crowd and some noise, but you’ll find a seat at the bar if you’re alone, and reservations are relatively available as well.

I thought this place definitely had good food quality, including some of the dishes where I have had elsewhere, Zaytinya's versions were more flavorful. However, in terms of its portion comparison to the price, the amount of food I received was so little that I had to order many different dishes to become full. Therefore I would rate this place closer to a 4.5 because it was not as affordable, and I would not rate its food as "out of this world" that would make me want to pay that much to have. The tabbouleh had too much lemon so it tasted super sour. It was actually one of the most sour tabbouleh salads I have had anywhere. If toning down the amount of lemon dressing included, it would be perfect, because the bulgur wheat, parsley, and onion flavors were drowned by the amount of lemon dressing that was present. I could taste lemon and nothing else. The dolmades were very flavorful, and I think it was a result of fennel as a part of the seasoning. Dipping the dolmades in the labneh was also a pleasant experience. In terms of taste, all the meat dishes tasted excellent, ranging from the branzino to the octopus to the ground beef kebab. Having the yellow split pea purée accompanying the octopus was a plus because the contrast in flavor elevated the octopus taste. The beef on the kofte kebab was tender and perfectly grilled and had that "burnt but not yet" type of pleasant taste. My colleagues and I ended up eating a lot of the complimentary bread as a result, which honestly tasted great as well when dipped. We also had a great time conversing so I would also endorse Zaytinya's atmosphere as friendly for conversations. I will most likely return, but just not very frequently because it's not one of those places where I go everyday to be full.

First time going over the weekend, and it will surely not be the last. We got the brunch and were shocked by the taste and value. Every dish is amazing. The brunch fries are enough to come back for alone. By far the best restaurant either of us have ever been to. The food is just incredible and worth every penny.

Zaytinya deserves 5 Stars for service, food and drinks. Our server Nico was always around to check if we needed anything while attending 40 other guests on our zone! The drinks were excellent and so was fried eggplant in the mezze platter. The soft and fresh hummus just melted in the mouth with the warm bread,lamb shank served with thick garlic and cucumber yogurt was sumptuous as well. We parked a 2 blocks away and the outdoor seating was fun with soft Turkish music. Will certainly be back.Thank you chef Jose Andres for your humanitarian services.

Amazing food and service. PERIOD. The host was very accommodating and helpful. They kept serving warm pita bread along with some olive oil. Ordered lots of different vegetarian food, and would say only one thing about the food and cocktails: Now I understand the Hype for this restaurant and it's worth every single penny.

Had an amazing time at Zaytinya. The service was great, the food was amazing and the ambiance was very intimate. Came here for an anniversary and it was top of the line. From service, to food and ambiance. Highly recommend to everyone. We tried the chef tasting and it was incredible. An abundance of food. I was super full at the end. A great way to try mostly everything on the menu if you are not sure what to order. Also I was not a big fan of lamb. But the way the lamb shank was made, definitely made me rethink all of that. It was so delicious and there was no aftertaste to it. Super delicious, tasted just like a steak!

5 stars across the board. This is hands down some of the best Mediterranean food I’ve had in the area. I came here for DC restaurant week and was blown away. The decor, food, and service were all phenomenal. I usually don’t particularly love dining during restaurant week because it’s generally not a great value, the portions are small and the quality standard usually is lesser. However, that was not the case here. The restaurant week menu was a great value and had sufficient portions. We ordered a few additional small plates, out of curiosity but it wasn’t a necessity. The food was all very tasty, as well as the cocktail on special. Service was great from the hostesses to the server and bussers. Everyone was very pleasant and professional. I definitely intend on coming back.

I felt welcomed and part of the moment I walked in. The atmosphere was nice and modern and service by Camila C was impeccable. Highly recommend the Chef’s tasting menu for $75 but be warned, it’s a lot of (very good) food for one person!

The hostess was so kind; immediately walking in, the atmosphere was amiable. A good place for dinner and to get drinks after work. The octopus is a winner. Of the lamb chops, one was overcooked, and the other was not. Even though the plates are tapa style, all portions were quite shareable.

What a wonderful overall experience! We had a 4 top table and tried almost everything on the menu, it was exquisite. The hummus and salads are fresh and flavourful, the meat and fish are spiced to perfection, and the desserts were on a different level. Service was geeat and the vibes are energetic and fun. I highly recommend this spot the next time you're in DC.

Gorgeous space with very attentive service. The food was amazing and fresh with quality ingredients and attention to detail. Cocktail list was interesting and drinks were good. Definitely coming back - this is my favorite of Jose Andres' restaurants yet!

Food was underwhelming. Textures were off, flavors were off, vegetables didn't seem fresh, dishes were unbalanced. Service was sloppy, kept turning away as I was speaking, and rushed us in an empty restaurant. Atmosphere was cool, but definitely not worth the low quality food and service. DC is a great food city, go somewhere else.

Amazing Taste of the Mediterranean! When I miss Turkish food from now on- This.. is… the… place! Staff was awesome, always attentive and checking to see if I needed more bread or anything. Highly recommend! Will definitely be back.

Dining at Zaytinya isn’t just stellar food, it is a dining experience! It forces you to savor, taste, share and enjoy food in a beautiful atmosphere! The staff were warm and attentive! The owner/manager had a lovely chat with us. We will definitely be back!

A Mediterranean restaurant that really makes you feel like you have left the country. Food is pretty good, the wine menu is superb- the written description of the each wines is the best I've ever seen! As you read you can actually imagine the taste. We had the four-course chef's menu and we weren't disappointed!

Recommend the Chef's Tasting Menu if you're hungry and it's your first time at the restaurant. Really enjoyed the spreads, chicken, and dessert.

Great atmosphere, clean environement and good food in general. We got the kebab platter and it had a mix of a few different kind of kebabs. The chicken and beef was amazing but the lamb kebabs were both too tough and salty. They have free complimentary bread which was amazing and the price seemed okay for the service and the atmosphere, but a little overpriced for the size of the dish. I would recommend it for a good brunch/lunch with family & friends.

Well this restaurant is a bougée one downtown with many choices of good foods and tapas. The drinks were really good, and it’s definitely a good place to hang out with friends. The foods are creative, but not so much different from the good foods outside for its price. We ordered too much foods, but was overall satisfied with quality. The chicken pieces in the kabab platter were really good. Also don’t eat too much bread in advance.

Great food and service! I’ve been here many times with family, colleagues, and on dates. My favorite thing is the complimentary bread!! I wish the food was a little hotter but I understand it’s not always possible to have it come out piping hot. Our waitress surprised with us an item not on the menu- lamb kleftiko! Would recommend! The eggplant badiyam was our favorite, and the drinks were good but a little syrupy, too sweet. Would come back again and again!

Great food and vibrant atmosphere! We got the tasting menu and I loved almost everything. I also had a delicious new-to-me wine. I really loved the constant refills of the crisp, fragrant, light & puffy pita bread. Even as it got really busy, service never lagged. I was so impressed!

It was a nice dining experience, however some of the food items didn't quite taste as good as I was expecting for a restaurant of this caliber. For example, the octopus dish was cooked well but tasted a bit boring. That said, it was my first time trying Mediterranean cuisine so I don't have any prior experience to benchmark against.