Akivva Grill

★★★★★ Akivva Grill is a hidden gem in Arlington! The food is absolutely delicious, with the perfect mix of Middle Eastern and Greek flavors. Everything tastes fresh and well-seasoned, and the portions are generous for the price. The staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Definitely a go-to spot for a great meal!

Visited this restaurant. Tried the Adana Kebab. Very delicious. The guys at the restaurant were nice. The food itself was delicious and plentiful as you can see from the photos. The restaurant was very clean. The atmosphere was nice! Overall, I enjoyed my time there. The rice pudding you get from the fridge was also very good.

This restaurant can be one of the best fast food scaled Turkish restaurant in the country. Their lahmacun, doner and mezes are the best. It is clean and good priced. I wish we had it in Florida.

Great place. Tastes so good. Highly recommended it. Try the Turkish Pide

Step into Akivva and let your taste buds embark on a Mediterranean escapade that's downright Dionysian in its delights. This Turkish fast-casual gem is serving up customizable bowls that turn the decision-making process into an art form. Will it be the Beef & Lamb Doner, spinning you into a gyroscopic joyride? Or perhaps the Adana Kebab, a culinary mosaic with textures and tastes that tango on your tongue? But let's not forget the Turkish Lahmacun, a dish so authentically thin yet loaded, it's like the Mediterranean's answer to a pizza with a PhD in deliciousness. And the Sujuk Pide? Imagine if a pizza and a sausage had a love affair on a yacht cruising the Bosphorus - that's the vibe. For the grand finale, the Trileche and Homemade Baklava are not just desserts; they're the sweet, syrupy sentences at the end of a love letter to your palate. The Trileche, with its milky interior and caramelized charisma, is like diving into a creamy dream, while the Baklava is a phyllo-philled fantasy, a crispy, nutty, buttery bite of bliss. In short, Akivva isn't just a meal; it's a culinary cruise across the Aegean without leaving Arlington. It's a place where every bite is a backstory, every flavor a fable. So, if you're looking for a food experience with a top notch staff that's a feast for the senses and a tickle for the taste buds, look no further.

I went for iftar upon my friend's recommendation. Pleasant smells greet you as you enter. The salad bar is very fresh and very tasty. All the meats we tried were very delicious. The staff are great with their date treats, smiling faces and helpful attitude in every way. Especially the tea that came with it crowned the whole meal. You should definitely experience traditional Turkish flavors and desserts. We thank Mr. Akif and his team.

Best Turkish restaurant we’ve found so far

The service at Akivva was impeccable. The staff members were friendly, attentive, and passionate about their cuisine. They were more than happy to guide me through the menu, explaining each dish in detail and offering recommendations based on my preferences. Their genuine hospitality added an extra touch to the dining experience. I highly recommend Akivva to anyone who appreciates delicious, authentic Turkish cuisine. The quality of the food, the friendly service, and the cozy ambiance all contribute to a truly memorable dining experience. Whether you're a fan of grilled meats or eager to explore the rich flavors of Turkish cuisine, this restaurant will not disappoint.

The sucuk pide was delicious and i really like the service style Definitely coming back

Continuous consistent high quality food and service! Can't go wrong with anything you order here. Highly recommended for casual dining , great value, and better quality than other stores!

The chicken was very very dry. The gyro was awful and expensive. I went there based on Yelp's review. Never again.

Akivva Grill is a delightful Turkish restaurant that truly impresses. The meat lovers pide is a must-try, packed with a savory mix of meats that are perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The restaurant serves Halal food, ensuring quality and authenticity in every dish. The service is outstanding, with friendly and attentive staff who ensure a pleasant dining experience. Additionally, the cleanliness of the restaurant is noteworthy, making the ambiance comfortable and inviting. If you're in the mood for authentic Turkish cuisine, Akivva Grill is definitely the place to go!

My friend and I stopped by for dessert and Akivva had several options in their fridge area. We got the rice pudding to share (I think 5.95 for a sizable amount) which was perfect. It was a bit too sweet for me, but the creaminess was perfect and so was the texture of the rice. I love the generous amount of cinnamon sprinkled on top. They're known for their Mediterranean rice bowls and sandwiches, so I'd have to give this a try when I'm in the area.

turkish pizza was amazing ! also lahmacun is so crispy and tasty..overall staff is very helpful and gentle

Akivva Grill in Arlington serves up fresh Mediterranean Turkish food that's delicious and healthy. I got the Signature Falafel Bowl, and it was the best falafel I've ever eaten. My son got a Build Your Own Bowl with Chicken Doner, and he really enjoyed it. We finished our lunch with Turkish Rice Pudding and Trileche. At only $5 each, they're such a steal considering the quality and generous portions. Highly recommend!

I don't want to turn this review to Shawarma/Doner/Yeero 101 but the first thing I love about this place is how their Döner is amazing and close to - but not- Shawarma!! Take it from the Egyptian who has been searching on the east coast for the best Döner , Shawarma and Yeero!! This is BY FAR!!! THE BEST!!! EVER !! Döner / Shawarma joint!! The best and only real Turkish fast joint!! They bake everything in house including their bread!! If you know what Lahmaçun " Lahmajun" is they also make it fresh at the restaurant not like the other places!! The Döner is tasty and juicy!! Yummy! You can buy by the pound if you want and take it home!! I eat a pound at the restaurant by myself!! Lol The chicken Döner is the best I've ever tasted in my whole 33 years life!!! They make it very juicy!! You have endless choices!! Platter? Bowl? The only difference is the amount of toppings . Platter is 7 Bowl is 4 Wrap? Yes! Pides ( better than pizza!) Want to try their secret menu?? Yes !! Order Lahmaçun with Adana ( spicy ground ground beef kebab) it rounds about $20 but it's a bomb!! Watch out tho! You have tens of toppings but not all of them go well together or fit with the protein you chose .. it's up to your taste but if you take the Wrap for Döner my strict advice is to be very conservative on your toppings.. I would go with only onions maybe tomato with (beef &lamb), choice of pickles or sauce . Go with Tahini for beef &lamb doner and garlic for chicken doner! For Adana Wrap take only Chopani Salad , onions and Tahini sauce! And you will thank me later ;) For platters & bowls you can do anything with your limited toppings ! I love anything with Eggplant they have on the toppings bar specially the Eggplant Shakshuka! Hear it from me! Wait and you will see this place going so big and have branches everywhere! I already know that they will soon be in Alexandria near Old Town! I only hope they stay family business and don't start to Franchise ! The owners and all workers are very kind and friendly! I love them and love talking to them! I also love saying thank you to them in Turkish " Tashakor-lir" !! Go try them and don't forget to pray for me ;) and vote for my review! Oh I almost forgot! Follow them on Instagram!!

Akivva grill is such a hidden gem for Middle Eastern food in the area! It's similar to cava where you can create your own sandwich or bowl, but they also have entrées you can order from. I love how there is such a variety of toppings you can choose from and sauces. I ordered a bowl with spicy lamb kofte, which was super flavorful. The bowl also comes with a piece of bread (which is not your usual pita bread but it's really fluffy!) The staff so friendly as well! If you're overwhelmed by the number of options, you can choose from feel free to ask them for recommendations! It's a fast casual place and there are some tables inside, but they also deliver on DoorDash. I've ordered from here multiple times, and I will continue to come!

This place was walking distance from our stay in Washington D.C. so we stopped by for lunch after checking out. Akivva is a Mediterranean and Turkish spot that serves bowls (Chipotle style) and pide (pronounced pea-day) which is a Turkish flatbread pizza. I had never had pide before so I was curious to see what I was walking into! We ordered the custom bowl ($12.50) and the meat lovers pide ($13.50). For the bowl you choose your base, protein, and toppings. The bowl was super flavorful and the ingredients were fresh. The garlic cream was super garlicky like others have mentioned here. It was so garlicky I still tasted it in my mouth hours later. The hummus was really good and had a lot of cumin flavor. Our favorite was definitely the pide though. The bread and crust were soft unlike American pizza with a hard crust and bottom. There was a variety of meats like their sujuk smoked sausage and was loaded with cheese. It was very oily and was seeping out onto the tray but it was fantastic and the flavors were delicious. Along with the two dishes we also got complimentary fresh bread. It was so warm and soft and we loved dipping it into the hummus. What we walked into was something delicious. I was thoroughly surprised with everything we ate and the service was great as well. I wish they had more locations around the country and some closer to me. My tip: get the pide!

This place is so bomb, been here only three times and been blown away every single time. Authentic delicious Turkish flavor and very reasonable prices, perfect portions and all the staff are so friendly

Excellent. If you craving some middle eastern delicousness. The interior was nice and the sevice was very welcoming

I love Akivva. The owners are really nice and the food is fantastic---generous portions, too. Mezeh and Cava are great but I like Akivva even more. The flavors are less bright and have more richness and depth to them.

Fresh food made with quality ingredients. Easy to customize your dinner with a great variety of ingredients. The Doner beef & lamb is my favorite with the fresh meat right of the rotisserie roll! Also very good fresh waffle fries. Very clean.

This Turkish spot reminds me of a Chipotle style restaurant but with additional oven baked goods. First, you choose a bowl, platter or flat bread wrap. Next, you choose your base which are basmati rice, brown rice, Turkish bulgur, or two other salad options. Last, you choose your protein and all or any of the available toppings & sauces. The beef and lamb were delicious and moist and not dry like other places where you would have to overcompensate by adding sauces or dressing etc. The meat lover's pide is a variety of three different types of meat all in one. All the food arrived hot and was delicious. We also had the chicken flat bread wrap (not pictured) and since it was so large it was split between two. Glad to have found this spot nearby. I think it may be a family owned business as all employees were Turkish, which I will definitely support.

Amazing food. This is the best Turkish food I had in the DMV and I am an expert eater :). The meat is always fresh and warm, the sides are incredible and rich. Deserts are very good. And above all, clean and the crew is is very friendly and helpful. Portions are generous.

I love Akivva Grill! It's like Cava but so much better. I get a falafel bowl when I go. Their falafel is so flavorful, not crumbly, and crispy on the outside. It's perfect. I was happy to see that they gave me five falafel balls so I didn't feel ripped off just because I got a vegetarian option. The bread is massive and very good! They have tons of topping options that don't really repeat themselves just in different form, which is my favorite, though you can only get 5. After that it's extra, which is fine. I topped my bowl with their tzatziki and it was so good. Everything tasted so fresh. They also have tons of desserts you can get at the counter! There is plenty of seating indoors, but none outdoors. I would say the portion size is bigger than it looks for sure. I was kind of skeptical when I first opened my bowl to see that amount of food, but I was full after half of it! Depending on how much you eat, it will be enough for one meal, but you may not get guaranteed leftovers. Come support a local business!

I had just moved and done some grocery shopping at Giant. Hunger hit me violently and i have been having health issues which make me feel lightheades so i knew i couldnt last long with all these packages i found akkiva by happenstance. I love salad places and discovered their menu which resemebled cava but with more intteresting toppings and dips i got the salad option i dont like meat on salad bu tyou can add various meats or falafel the customer service guy was so patient and kind , i kept asking more lettuce more lettuce, because apparently they dont sell alot of salad bases but use lettuce as a topping but i wanted a large large salad. I Added olives, cucumer, all these beautiufl colors of peppers, eggplant. omg , the dips were beautiful and i got some bread. i sad down and took a bite. immediately i smiled, the flavor profile of the toppings was insane; the tahini amazing, the harrissa, the beet dip so purple so good. The bread so warm, the whole damn thing was amazing. . i felt comofortable in there to sit alone but one note: they talk loud and kind of mean in the ktichen so i asked to put on some music and voila so so nice to hear the middle eastern music and eat the good. I have to admit prices are very high compared to sweet green, cava, or chopt but once in a while its worth it and i am supporting small business. do yourself a flavor and try this place, healthy fresh delicous homemade grub. :)

Akivva Grill is a refreshing place that's slightly different from the ordinary mediterranean bowl places that are a chain. I think the ingredients are much fresher and there's a slightly "lighter" nuance when it comes to the flavors. This can be good and bad - sometimes you want the richness of what the competitor bowl places give but it can leave you feeling a bit heavy. The turkish lahmacun was quite interesting. I appreciated the lightness of the crust but the flavors were quite solid. I don't know if I was eating it in the right way so I should've asked for assistance. But regardless, with a little bit of a lemon squeeze, it was refreshing, hearty, and very tasty.

Food was amazing! So many choices, that I couldn't get everything I wanted to try. We had Turkish pide & lamacun. They were DELICIOUS! We got Turkish rice pudding, sütlaç, which was yummy. The service was great. Everyone was patient with my questions. I can't wait to come back and try the doner & Adana ! The inside was spotless clean too

Wow! Wow! Wow! I can't believe all the toppings, I'm actually floored! Great lamb too - just grilled in the kitchen. Another good sign: while I'm eating, im already thinking about when I can come back to have a pide. Im counting the days!

Ordered the beef and lamb doner. Pretty tasty. The meat was moist and flavorful, the beets were fresh, and pilav and sauces that accompanied it tasted good too. Food wasn't too greasy at all. Portions are pretty generous too. Staff was very friendly during pickup. Overall a good experience. Worth a try if you're in the neighborhood.

My new favorite casual joint. I love me some real doner, and it's hard to find. There are doner trucks around here that advertise doner, but if I'll ask to see the meat and can tell easily if it's pressed gyro meat. Akivva serves real whole meat for their lamb and beef doner, and it's amazing. The toppings are fresh and really good too, I also love the bulgar wheat as an option. Once you go to doner meat, you can't go back to gyro meat. The sauces and toppings are all really good here. The one that really stood out to me was the smoked eggplant. I wish this were closer, if It were, I'd probably eat here weekly. It's a good combo of affordability, tastiness, and health.

In order to tell you how excited I am about this Turkish joint, I have to tell you about another restaurant. In Brooklyn. It's a Georgian bistro called Cheeseboat. Why Cheeseboat? Because they specialize in Khachapuri: boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese. I had a coworker tell me for years how amazing this place was. It wasn't until Fall 2020 that I got to experience how great a bread boat full of cheese could be. Sometimes I still think about how amazing that dish was. I know that I could go to Compass Rose where Khachapuri is on the menu but I haven't had a chance to get a table there yet. Now there's Akivva, just down the street from me. It's not Georgian- it's Turkish but they have a very similar dish called Pide. Upon my first visit to the fast-casual eatery, I walked right up to the line where most people order bowls "Chipotle" style and I asked for the Sujuk Pide. It was amazing: melted cheese inside a bread "boat" dotted with a Turkish sausage that could have been pepperoni if I wasn't paying attention. It's a great thing to compare the cheese + carb cuisine of neighboring countries. I'm not here to say if one is better than the other because honestly isn't anything with cheese and bread great?

Surprisingly tasty and quick. Akivva Grill is a fast casual Turkish place that just popped up in South Arlington, and it's quite a treat. The meat was absolutely stellar, and the sides are equally good. I got the impression everything was super fresh. The volume of food you get is great for the amount you pay. I can definitely see this being a go-to lunch spot for those who work in the area.

Love this place. Food is excellent, tasty, and made in house. I really like the Adana kebab with roasted eggplant, sumac onions, hummus, and tzatziki sauce. The falafel is also dope; it's as good as Falafel Inc's, if not better. Their Baklava is one of my favorite desserts. These folks came from Turkey some time last year so everything seems really legit. Wishing them all the best because they brought over some love too.

I was sad to lose Kovi Grill (previous occupant) but oh man did they get replaced by something equally as delicious! I tried the Pila and a build your own bowl. The Pila was 10/10, and was my first time enjoying one! Cheesy, ooey, gooey. Make sure you order it at the very beginning, rather than adding it on at the cashier since it takes time. The real star in the meat, perfectly flavored, the fat isn't chewy but perfectly caramelized. Yum!

Wow. I tried one of their bowls today and I am sooo glad I did. The Bulgur Pilav and Spicy Lamb (Kofte, I believe) were amazing. I wish I wrote down the sides I tried but I think these were the ones I got: Turkish Olives, babaganoush, and two different eggplant sides. My sauce was garlic cream. Everything was divine. I wish portion sizes were a bit bigger, but I also went there after skipping breakfast so I was famished. I'll definitely go back. Oh, and I got the pita on the side, but it didn't blow me away. I'll probably stick to ordering bowls or platters.

I absolutely LOVED every bite of my bowl. The easiest way to describe it is like the Turkish version of Chipotle AND THEN some. I picked the bowl with both rice & salad with a ton of toppings. The flavors, the colors, the quality is ABSOLUTELY amazing. They also have some traditional Mediterranean/Turkish dishes that looked amazing. Most definitely trying them next time! I also tried they Turkish Flan, WOW delicious. It's very similar to a Mexican Flan for anyone who has tried one. Seriously 10/10 in all service, food quality, quantity and prices.

If you like Cava and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, you will love Akivva. So far I have only tried doner, but I trust that their falafel and kebabs will be equally good. There is no limit on the toppings or sauces, and everything I had was excellent. The base, unlike most places, you have an option for bulgur wheat pilaf, a healthier alternative for rice. Turkish Americans in the area are already raving about not only the quality of doner but also lahmacun; hard to get both the crispiness of the dough and taste of the ground beef filling. The chef is from Turkey and we finally have lahmacun that doesn't resemble a thick pizza dough with chunks of ground meat. I will be back to try more.

So glad this place just opened near us! Such a comfort food getting a big bowl of rice, doner meat right off of the rotating skewer, and all the fixings. Make sure to get a Turkish Pide as an appetizer or just snack on the side. One last thing, kind of random, but the rice pudding is out of this world. It took me back to my Hungarian mom making it when I was little.

Great experience - best beef/lamb doner in the area. The owners are super friendly and are often working in the kitchen themselves serving authentic Turkish foods. Highly recommend for fast casual and when you're on the go, it's my goto after gym spot.

I'd been wanting to try this place after hearing good reviews. Unfortunately, it was just ok at best. The chicken was dry and the bowl lacked flavor. I couldn't finish it.

This place elevated the build your own bowl game to the next level. Wonderful fresh and flavorful options, the bowls never disappoint. Other menu items are fantastic as well, everything we've gotten here has been 10 out of 10! Love their pide's all so good.

I don't think that I've ever left a review this low. However, Akivva Grill was not good at all. At the moment, I wasn't eating meat so I wanted mediterranean for dinner. Once I got home and got settled in my space to enjoy my dinner, I couldn't get through my food because the rice was so salty and the falafel was very oily. I was disappointed. Sigh, probably won't go back.

Fresh, delicious, healthy and amazingly authentic. Try the lamb kofta- succulent juicy and flavorful. The hummus is perfectly balanced. The Pide (essentially a canoe-shaped open calzone) is the star of the show. Try it- you'll be glad you did.

Delicious Döner and lahmacun! Always a Friendly staff, they offer turkish tea along with their delicious dessert options.

I have been to Turkey and to the Mediterranean, and did not recognize the food or its taste. Did not even have pita.

Çok güzel Yemek! I lived in Adana Turkey for a year and half and left 10 years ago. Since then I have been looking for good authentic Turkish food all over the world. I have found a few good Döner places around Europe but nothing has impressed me stateside. Saw this place had actual Adana Kebab and I knew I had to try it and it did not disappoint at all. Best Turkish food I have had outside of Turkey and the owner even had some chai for after our meal. 10/10 would recommend.

Go at your own discretion. This is not a grill. Nothing is grilled in front of you. Living abroad, this is ok but there are a lot of better places. If you believe you'll get something similar to Istanbul, this ain't it. This place is more like your Mezeh and Chipotle. You go, point, little conversation, and you get your food. I got the chicken Flatbread wrap. I appreciated that the bread looked to be homemade, but that's about as authentic as it got. My wrap came out and it broke apart because it was not toasted. The pide I got was full of dough and no flavor. Again, not horrible but totally average. All in all, try it for yourself. Wasn't bad. I can spend a few more bucks and get actual Turkish food.

I ordered a wrap but when my order was ready I received a chicken pide. When owner saw my discontent face he just replied "haven't you tried before? It's delicious" and he charged me for it. That's a shame the lack of customer service not caring to change my order so I left hungry.

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The food was Yumm. I had the spicy lamb which has flavor and just a bit of bite. The cucumber salad was flavorless. The garlic cream was delicious The olives were extra salty The hummus was good The celery salad was alright The place was clean and we were well-treated.

This restaurant was highly recommended by a friend who brings us hummus from here every week to music practice. We finally had a chance to come visit and were not disappointed. All food fresh and tasty- the falafel was piping hot when served, as was the spinach pide as it came right out of the oven to our table. The staff was very friendly. Prices are affordable. Definitely coming back!

Food served very fast and everything is fresh. Shawrma sandwich and adana kebab are very tasty.

Delicious food, solid portions, nice family atmosphere and service. Good slow food option in this area.

It was okay but not the best Turkish food in town. They cut off the meat for doner and put it on a steam table and it's dried out. So disappointing for me who loves Turkish food.

A new Turkish place. Great food and a simple and quick layout. The layout is functional and geared towards getting in, getting your food and getting on your way. They use a build your meal style setup but staples like pide and lahmacun are available. All in all great food quickly.

I discovered this place by accident I work out next-door at gold gym. The pictures from outside look very nice and delicious so I wanted to give it a try I walked inside. The guy that was in the order section she was very nice and very helpful helping me choosing the ladder that I wanted to eat. They have a variety of different salads that are so delicious and you get five different salads. I was surprised how fresh and delicious food wise I will definitely come here more often and I'm so happy that I tried these restaurant and you won't regret it either.

Excellent service excellent food!!! Owner manager extremely friendly. Lots of Turkish food options. Clean place.