ala

So far, the best place I have been in DC. The staff is so nice. The food is very tasty in-house made and served in good size portion. We asked who supplies them with their ingredients. A good part is from Sysco, so it's good quality. I will come back on my next trip to DC

The brunch menu is a delightful mix of flavors, offering both an extensive buffet and carefully crafted à la carte dishes. Every bite is bursting with taste and variety. The ambiance is warm and inviting, creating a cozy setting to enjoy a leisurely meal with friends or significant others. Special thanks to Harrison for making the experience even more memorable. Your service is friendly, attentive, and truly welcoming.

We booked a table here for brunch, and it was ready for us right on time. Our server, Mr. Ismail, was exceptionally friendly and gave us a clear and helpful overview of the brunch. The buffet had an excellent variety, with everything tasting fresh, high-quality, and delicious especially the TOUM SHORT RIBS GYRO. The service overall was excellent, and the atmosphere of the restaurant was very pleasant and friendly. I’ll definitely be back—it’s a fantastic choice for a weekend or holiday brunch.

Ala offers a great balance of fresh and hearty options that are a great fit for any meat and veggie lovers alike ! They have such a large spread and my most favorite part is that you can make it your own with the large variety of dips and toppings! They also offer a selection of a la carte option that you can order on top of the buffet offerings. We also opted for the all you can drink for an additional $12 and it’s certainly a deal! The service was also amazing! Our waitress promptly came by to welcome and introduce herself . She was also very helpful when it came to the bill. We had several staff who also came by to ask how things were and how everything tasted! The restaurant is great for an intimate setting. They have some two tops or tables for larger groups. The decor is also beautiful as it ties in some greenery with the colors from the many Moroccan style decor.

Nestled in the heart of DuPont Circle, has redefined my expectations for brunch. Our party of six ventured in on a bustling Sunday at 11 am, and even with a few late arrivals, we were promptly seated – a testament to their efficient and welcoming service. The brunch buffet is nothing short of spectacular. A vibrant spread greeted us, a culinary journey through Mediterranean flavors. From the delicate octopus salad to the smoky babaganoush, the salty sardines to the sweet, flaky baklava, every dish was a testament to the kitchen's artistry and commitment to quality. The sheer variety was impressive, ensuring there was something to delight every palate. But the buffet was just the beginning. The endless small plates menu is where Ala truly shines. We, of course, took on the challenge of sampling them all, and were rewarded with a symphony of flavors. The latkas were crispy on the outside, fluffy within, and utterly addictive. The salmon shrimp tartine was a revelation, a perfect balance of fresh seafood and creamy textures. And let's talk about the mimosas. For a mere $12 per person, you can indulge in endless bubbles. This alone is a steal, but the experience was elevated by the staff's generosity in leaving the champagne bottle at our table, allowing us to pour at our leisure. The service throughout our two-hour brunch was impeccable. Our server was attentive, efficient, and genuinely friendly. Used plates vanished as if by magic, and our glasses were never empty. Even as we approached our time limit, the staff remained gracious, allowing us to linger and savor the last moments of our meal. In short, Ala offers an unparalleled brunch experience. The combination of exceptional food, generous portions, fantastic service, and unbeatable value makes it a must-visit. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a memorable weekend meal, Ala is sure to impress. Highly recommended!

This is not the restaurant to held big party, but still we appreciated the organization from the front desk to keep all our friends together in same area. The server provided us with best option to try out all the main courses per table during brunch. We enjoyed the selections like fried brussel sprouts with strong garlic flavor, mellow omelette, hot pepper honey fried chicken breast and grilled soujok sandwich! There are a lot of cheese, yogurt, mid east, dessert selections in salad bartoo. Cons is since we got seated past the booking time, we didn’t actually have full 2 hours. Food wise, it’s definitely worth the try to taste all the selections!

Amazing food and a great vibe all around. Zeinab and Maria were so kind and checked on us often — really appreciated their service. Everything we ordered was delicious. Definitely coming back!

I’m a fan of Ala Bethesda, so I had high hopes for Ala DC and it definitely delivered! Brunch here is a full experience, very similarly to the Bethesda location. The value is hard to beat when you factor in the bottomless drinks...you really do get your money's worth! Food-wise, the Adana slider was still one of my favorites. The lahm bi ajeen was another favorite.. I had quite a few of them lol. Overall, the atmosphere was lively, but not chaotic. I also appreciated how warm and attentive our server was. For these reasons, Ala DC is definitely a place where I'd come to again!

It's been a while since we ate at Ala. We've enjoyed lunch here on several occasions, and we met a friend for dinner a few nights ago. Ala is an interesting restaurant-the food is always really good though I'm pretty sure that the chef turnover here is pretty high. The menu also looked different than the one we we used the last time that we were here. It was a pretty cold night and our table was right near the front door. After the group behind us left, the staff helped us move to another table a bit further away. If there's one thing about Ala that could be improved it is the quality of the tables and layout of the restaurant. The food as always was amazing. We shared 3 appetizers and they were all good to excellent. The mushroom shish kebab was very tasty. The mushrooms had a nice flavor and texture and the skewer sat above a bed of black eye pea stew and tahini. A nice flavor/texture combo. The crab Fattoush was good, probably my least favorite of the mezzes that we chose. The flavor and texture were OK, but nothing really stood out for me. The Halloumi wraps were very good, crispy on the outside soft and warm with a great flavor on the inside. Our large plates included the Golden Cauliflower. I've had this before at Ala but the other night it was particularly delicious. The cauliflower is topped with a delicious flavoring-the vegetable is crisp and wonderfully baked. The Lavraki was filleted for us with a wonderful flavor and texture. The asparagus that accompanied the filet were delicious. Finally, my wife and friend enjoyed the Lamb Shank. I don't eat meat but I could see that the lamb was literally falling off of the bone. They said it was incredible-tender and delicious. The broccoli, carrots and potatoes that accompanied the lamb were really tasty. There was no room for dessert, but we completed our meal with tea-both healing and Levantine. This is a high quality restaurant that I highly recommend.

I recently had bottomless brunch here with friends. Upon arrival, we learned that their bottomless brunch format had recently changed to a combination of buffet-style offerings and small entrees ordered separately. Standard mimosa options were available, with bottles and carafes of juice left at the table for convenience, eliminating the need for frequent refills by staff. The buffet was underwhelming overall. While the pita and dips were the notable items, the pita was not served fresh to order. Though it wasn't stale or dry, it lacked the warmth and freshness that would have enhanced the experience. Among the dips, the pink beet and labneh were my favorites, offering vibrant flavors that paired well with the otherwise average selection. The interior of the restaurant features a dark, modern design with relatively low ceilings, creating a cozy atmosphere. The outdoor seating area looked cute but appeared to be closed for the winter. Must-Try Dishes (5/5): Crab Omelette, Tawook Schnitzel, and Garides & Salmon Toast. Still Good (4/5): Toum Short Ribs Gyro and Fall Latke. Pass (3/5): Shakshuka--watery and lacking the fresh ingredients and depth of flavor that define a great shakshuka.

Fantastic food and service on a Friday night at Ala -DC! On food - Because the dishes are small and shareable, we chose to do the tasting menu where each person at the table gets 4 mezze plates and one dessert. We also tried cocktails and tea. Each of the dishes was packed with flavor and texture combinations and beautifully plated. My favorites were the beet salad, kechi, labneh pide, and halloumi wraps. The cocktails looked beautiful but did not bring the same exciting flavors as the food. For dessert, the table agreed the hazelnut halva semifreddo was the best! For service - the manager and servers were so attentive and kind. We felt like special guests or something! Unlike at other restaurants, we were never rushed. It was my first time at Ala but I'll be back!

This was my first time trying this spot. I love Mediterranean food and how fresh it is, but the buffet style restaurant week did not appeal to me. There was delicious food but i think the buffet style menu diminished the quality of the food. The food was great and delicious. I did try their French onion soup with a vegetarian broth, but it was not that great. They also had main courses to order but it was also quite underwhelming. Otherwise, the service was good and attentive, and did make a point to check in often. The ambiance was thrown off by the buffet line as the center of the restaurant so it felt very casual. I will have to try again on a regular day!

Lovely service with Harrison! I visited for my cousins birthday and enjoyed very yummy food and a nice restaurant ambiance. I would recommend this for bottomless brunch as I thought it offered good value for an upscale restaurant.

This gem was a real treat! Came for my birthday and Vanessa was my ahhhmazing waitress! She not only recommended the best hot and cold mezzes but her suggestion were on point!!we had the chicken, shrimp and broccoli. Idk who was out that brócoli together but those flavors was phenomenal! As a main, I had the Adana kebab, branzino, short rib and lamb shank! The meat was sooo tender. The fish was perfect cooked and crispy! And to top of off their were other patrons celebrating birthdays! The bartender Obe sent a round of drinks!! Def a night to remember and I'll def be back!

We loved our brunch experience at Ala this weekend! First, the inside seating is comfy, stylish, and a vibe! Their buffet-style brunch was always being replenished with fresh food, and there was a TON of it! Everything was delicious, from the cold mezze to the baklava! The bottomless mimosa option was also fun to add to our meal! Additionally, we loved the made-to-order entrees, they came quick and hot! The Fall Latke was also so good and the Shakshuka! All of the staff were kind and efficient! Special shout out to Zeineb! She was warm, friendly, and very accommodating to whatever we needed! We enjoyed our meal (& mimosas) so much! Can't wait to come back here and highly recommend a group brunch at Ala!

Pretty awesome brunch! While the food was delicious, our server made the brunch all that more enjoyable. I wish that I remembered her name, but our server had excellent people skills because she was quite funny and very engaging...and she was on point with making sure we were taken care of. Ala has a very generous bottomless brunch for $48 that includes three courses. The first course has starters that include about 5 dips for the table. For the second/main course, one can select from a list of nine or so entrees. The final course has a selection of three desserts. Of course, the bottomless cocktails gives you a chose of mimosas and bloody marys. One thing I really appreciated about the bottomless brunch: for the mimosas, the restaurant will leave a bottle of champagne and small bottle of a mixer on the table. I think that's quite efficient because you do not have to track down a server to get a refill. Plus, you can prepare your mimosa to your liking depending on how much juice you want to put in your mimosa...I'm team one to three drops of juice per glass of champagne for my mimosas. ;) Unfortunately (for me), the restaurant does not have too many egg dishes for brunch. I'm a bit of a egg fan for brunch. However, this gave me an opportunity to go outside of my brunching box. For my dining pleasure, I went with the Tawook Strips, which were three fried chicken breasts with hot honey sauce. I though the chicken strips were perfectly fried and had a perfect blend of hot and sweet. The portion sizes (especially with the various dips) are quite generous. The restaurant has nice size so it's great for large (5-8 [maybe more] people) brunch parties. Ala-DC definitely has been added to my go-to brunch spots list.

Great Mediterranean spot with seats not basic but very cushioned and felt great all night. Upscale feel and modern well lit. Started with mixed spread which was quick and warm pitas which was good to start. You get two and we didn't get more as we'd get full. Ended with broccolini and halloumi as that's my favorite and cooked well and broccolini was flavored and not bland. Server was great and not asking us too much to flip the table.

I wish that I would've written something about this place closer to when I've been. Now that it's been a while, I realize that there really wasn't much that was memorable. The food was OK. The vibe was a bit stale. When we came, they had just updated their brunch menu. The food was not bad at all. The service definitely needed some work. All in all, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back, especially given some of the better spots in DC that serve similar food.

Consensus: I would highly recommend coming to Ala for brunch, it is absolutely fantastic and their bottomless deal is fantastic! ______________________________________ Food: The food was absolutely amazing, the starters that you get were all absolute bangers but my favorites had to be the bal kaymak, hummus, and freekeh tabouleh salad. Top that all off with the fresh and warm pita that they give you with unlimited refills, absolutely insane. For the main I got the arayes which was similarly delicious, the potatoes were nice and crispy, the arayes had a nice crisp as well, and the fresh yogurty sauce that came with it was amazing. Finally, the baklava at the end was a perfect dessert to finish off the meal. I couldn't finish it as I was so full from everything else, but what a meal! ______________________________________ Service: Service was fantastic, everyone was nice and helpful in recommending some great entrees! ______________________________________ Ambience: Really like the interior of this place, it is very cozy and decorated very nicely. Would definitely recommend coming by for a elevated casual brunch or date. ______________________________________ Notable Experiences: The bottomless was truly bottomless. They give you a whole bottle of champagne and carafe of orange juice to mix your own mimosas!

Surprised this place had solid reviews. Maybe the dinner experience is better than the brunch experience, which was just OK / below average. Starting off: the food was bottomless but I didn't realize half of it was self-serve at a buffet style setup. This would be ok if it didn't mean no hot food, particularly pita being hard and room temperature. I mean, you come to a Mediterranean place for warm fresh pita, no? Yet the pita was literally the same as an airport Delta lounge. Very disappointed in that, but the spreads and other options were decent. Last/biggest complaint, don't call it "bottomless" brunch if you're going to limit a group of 13 people to 1-2 bottles of champagne at a time. We weren't being even a little bit loud or obnoxious, it seemed like management was just being cheap. The server tried to be nice about it, but kept saying he had to check with his manager to see if he could bring more than 1 bottle of champagne for 13 people. I mean c'mon, it's bottomless brunch and we spent almost $1000. The atmosphere was overall good, a bit loud upstairs with multiple big groups but nothing too bad. Main courses were decent, the chicken and Adana slider being particularly crowd favorites, but certain ones like the gyro felt lazily thrown together. Guess that's what you get when it's bottomless food too, which was more bottomless than the $5 bottles of champagne... There are better options in DC, so overall I wouldn't recommend.

My initial review was 5 years ago. I decided to visit again and the food has really improved since then. It's definitely worth adding to your brunch list.

I came here for the three course menu brunch with a group of my friends on a Saturday morning. We had made a reservation prior, which was a good move our part, because the restaurant was very busy. We decided to go for the bottomless mimosas option, in addition to the brunch, which we thoroughly enjoyed. For starters, highlights were definitely the patatas bravas. The hummus bubble goodies were fine, but there was definitely not enough pita for our party size, and it took a while for them to come out with more. The shakshuka was a standout for the main course. The brussels sprouts were a little undercooked, and the latkes were under seasoned and kind of mushy. The challah French toast was delicious, though I wish that that the portion size had been larger. The desserts were absolutely incredible, and we enjoyed all of them. I think overall, the food was very delicious, and I was extremely satisfied. I think the service was fine, though rather slow. Despite opting for the bottomless mimosas option, it felt like our champagne bottle was always empty, and required us asking the servers multiple times for a new bottle of champagne. I would definitely come back here, but would recommend it only if you have a lot of time.

Came here for brunch and our group of 5 was seated at a big table, which I always appreciate so that we each have more space. We all did the bottomless prefix brunch. Ala has a juice bar where you can adorn your Bloody Marys or Mimosas with, so I added tons of olives to my Bloody Mary and then fresh strawberries to my Mimosa when I wanted to change drinks. I ordered these 3 off of the prefix menu - 1) baba ghanoush 2) crab omelette (this one was my favorite!) 3) zalabia

Food and drinks were good, but not fantastic. The service was a bit slow but the staff was very nice. It took a bit for my friend and I to catch someone's eye to order even though it was pretty slow. Also, while the photos online made the place look very ambient, the vibe was not quite as cozy as was pictured. We ordered the mixed spreads, the flatbread with sausage, kechi, batata hara, and pita along with a gin lavender drink and a passion fruit tequila cocktail. The food and drinks were pretty good. I feel like this would be a nice place to come when the weather is warmer and you can sit outside. I'm glad I experienced the food and drinks but don't think I'll be coming back any time soon.

We had an amazing 3 course brunch ($34 per person, without bottomless) at ala! Our waitress Sophia was excellent and the food came out quickly, which was perfect because we were in a hurry. We both felt the 3 courses together were very filling. Another great aspect is that the bathrooms provided seat covers. The space was really clean and felt well-maintained.

Honestly this place is cutting corners and it is beyond obvious. I asked for a Bloody Mary and got straight tomato juice. The implementation of the "buffet" around what used to be their bar is a pathetic way to attempt to "serve" their customers with cheap fillers. It seems to actually just be a (not at all subtle) way of cutting down labor costs on wait staff. The whole experience suffers as a result. After 4 visits, this time we won't be back.

Didn't know what to expect and the food was AMAZING. Best baba ghanoush I've had maybe ever. Not a bad dish on the table. Great for vegans and gluten free. Go for a special occasion or a fun dinner with friends.

Awful experience here. We sat on the patio for happy hour. Turns out, they only have happy hour inside. We decided to stay outside anyways because it was a nice day. I got sooooooOOOO many bug bites after sitting out there for about 10 minutes. The food was also very mediocre and unimpressive. I will say that their drinks are delicious. The passion fruit lime one was so refreshing and delicious.

I brought an out of town friend here for DC Summer Restaurant Week and we had such a blast, highly recommend! Everything we ordered was a hit and I keep thinking about when I can come back. Notable: Fried haloumi Feta croquette Hummus The shot glasses of soup (I can't remember what it's called) Baklava Cocktails We were sat upstairs which was kind of... a different vibe? Bright lights, a little stale, I think it might have slowed service a bit. The food was good enough that this didn't really change my impression of the restaurant. Downstairs seemed a lot nicer but I'll have to come back to find out.

I have been to this restaurant more times than I can count now and they NEVER miss. Everything on the menu is delicious and the staff are always so kind and efficient. The restaurant itself (both outdoor and indoor seating) are so cute and perfect for a cost efficient girls day.

Do you like Mediterranean food?? I recommend trying Ala in NW DC. @alarestaurants It's Michelin rated There is plenty of seating (indoor and outdoor) It is beautifully decorated The staff is very friendly There are many options of food for different dietary needs And the cocktails are delicious Drink Recs Pandora Levant Alaskan Qinna-bon Food recs Manti Urfa pepper shrimp Reservations recommended

Everything was amazing. Food was yummy and tasted really good. Our server was Ada, she was very sweet, attentive, and kept checking on us. If you love authentic Turkish Food , this is one of the places I would recommend. Restaurant has nice decorations and is not loud like other restaurants. I would give 10 stars, if it was possible. I would be back for sure when I am back in DC again.

Had a team dinner at the place. There was a variety of options on the food and drink menu, and service was patient so overall pretty good. The decorations inside are very stylish, there were some nice and colorful lights.

The food here is so good!! My fav thing is the manti. The decor inside is great. The service is nothing exceptional but it's good

This place is beautiful, very trendy, great for a date night or to grab drinks. The food presentation was nice but some of the items lacked flavor which was really surprising. The dipping sauces with the pita weren't all that good to me and I would have preferred for the pita to be in a chip form rather than a whole, uncut pita. The sea bass was tasty. This was my first time trying. I would have liked for them to cut the head off. My friend liked the short rib but said It was a tad too salty and the potatoes had no flavor. We sat at the bar so the service was quick. They brought everything out at once.

Solid spot for happy hour! My favorite drink was the mirra martini-- their take on an espresso martini. It had an amazing texture; a little thicker than most espresso martinis I've had. The bulut (think rum, pineapple, coconut, tropical flavors) was pretty good, but the martini was the stand out of the two. The cocktail menu is limited, and they are $10 during happy hour. For food, the tawook strips (fried chicken) were an amazing deal at $9, and came with pickled veggies and a tasty sauce. Halloumi had nice flavors albeit a little dry, and the spinach croquettes were delicious. Our server was super nice, and the ambiance/decor is really cute, especially outside, although it's getting a bit too cold for that.

I was looking for pup friendly yet trendy restaurants in Georgetown and came across this Mediterranean haven. We made reservations for a late afternoon on a holiday weekend. Although it was restaurant week, we were still able to order ala carte. They have great menu, ofcourse it's Levantine cuisine, food was flavorful, authentic and finger licking good. We definitely would recommend this place to anyone in the area or passing through!

Hey, they're splitting at the tab right now, they didn't need to. It's New Year's Eve, thank you so much. I'm so thankful for this place. Everything was great. The everything I was I'm having some difficult difficulties here. They actually gave us a really good Barry whiskey shot at the end of the meal. Super thankful for that as well. Definitely would recommend this place. Levant vibes

Stopped by during restaurant week and it did not disappoint! Great spread and selection. Really enjoyed the mimosa bar that you can create your own creations. Food was tasty and so delicious. The shrimp grits were yummy and the lamb burger was the perfect size. Amazing baklava and croquets

Each dish was well-prepared and flavorful, with a nice variety to choose from. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, with excellent service.

polished atmosphere and attentive, detail-oriented service. delicious food as well. not too overpriced. it has wine selections from Ramallah which was awesome. gave free champagne and dessert for Wiley and my anniversary. I got Moussaka (not pictured) and it was Wiley's fav, very flavorful.

We came on Friday night and it wasn't busy at all. They offer happy hour from 2-6pm Monday-Friday so we made it just in time. We ordered the hummus, labneh, torshi, fried halloumi, and tawook shish kebab. For drinks, I got the levant and louloudi. We both enjoyed the fried halloumi, labneh (loved the creaminess), torshi, and levant (refreshing and liked the sumac in it). The other dishes were also good, but didn't stand out. I thought the chicken in the tawook shish kebab needed more flavor. It is a little pricey, even with the happy hour prices. One of the dishes came with pita but only three pieces so you end up having to order more. My partner and I came to celebrate his birthday, and I specified that we're celebrating a birthday on my reservation. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not communicated from the host to the server so I had to mention it to our server who then brought out a baklava with a candle. Rating it a 3.5/5.

I'd really give it a 3.5/5. My huge problem was the menu says bottomless with food purchase, but our waitress made us get the three course menu. We asked someone else (not dressed like a waiter possibly a manager) the policy and he said you can do bottomless with a la carte, but our waitress insisted that wasn't true. The inconsistency with that policy was our first impression of the restaurant which was a bit annoying. The price wasn't an issue we just knew we didn't want that much food and it's still not clear what you have to purchase, so I wouldn't go back. It's actually well priced for the amount of food and drinks you get. I got the soujok and egg sandwich which was good. The tajook strips were okay. The challah toast looked like two little bites, however I didn't try it. The zalabia was really good. The starters were tasty too. Nothing crazy, but they were decent.

I had the prefix menu for a business dinner that was served Family-Style. We had the hummus, falafel, karanab, baba ghanoush and zaytoon & torshi for appetizers. For the main course, we had sumac tawook, golden cauliflower and adana kebab. For dessert, we had antep baklava. I liked everything except the adana kebab and cauliflower. The cauliflower was soggy!

I have been to this restaurant under different names over the years. However, this is the best incarnation so far. Menu is clearly labeled for vegan and gluten free options. The food is Mediterranean tending towards middle eastern food and it was very good. I had the lamb kabobs on a cranberry chutney sauce which was delicious. No beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp options for the kabobs. My wife had a short rib which she devoured. We had a waiter in training, but he tried hard to provide good service. He did know much about ingredients, but was otherwise friendly and prompt. The redo on the decore was really nice, providing different rooms with nice vibes. Definitely worth a try even if you been to this location before.

It was a good place for a not too heavy dinner with a friend, small plates style. Of note - at least for 2 people, you can't have one person do the tasting menu and the other order plates, they said we'd both need to do the tasting menu. What we ordered was good! It was unclear if you just get complementary pita but we got hummus so we ordered just in case. The potatoes were good as was the chicken.

SO GOOD!! I came for bottomless brunch with a few friends and had an absolute blast. I loved making my own mimosas-- such a fun idea. My only complaint is that I didn't know what I was eating most of the time, so I wish the servers told us what they were serving us. Especially important for those with food allergies. Luckily, everything was delicious

I went to ala for their brunch. It is about $48 per person with an unlimited mimosa bar. You do serve yourself the mimosa and they had a couple of juice options with fruits and syrups that you could add onto your mimosa. For brunch, you pick one starter, one main course and one option from the sweets menu. In my opinion that was really good for the price because it's rare that you would have three course meal, bottomless mimosas for under $50. For my starter I had the parfait which was really good but a very small portion. For my entrée I had the sucuk and eggs, which was a type of sausage with eggs. The sausage was really flavorful. You could tell that it was prepared with many herbs and spices. For dessert I had a chocolate mousse that I don't see on the menu anymore. I've added photos of some of the other dishes that my friends had but looking at their new bottomless brunch menu. It looks like they changed things up a bit. All of the items available were full of flavor but some were a little bit too salty for my taste, like the potatoes. This is definitely worth a try especially if you are on a budget. The waiter was very friendly, and took his time to explain some of the more traditional dishes to us so that we would choose the right options for our palate. They did offer to pour the mimosas for us if we did not want to continue to get up, but we thoroughly enjoyed mixing and matching the different juices, syrup, and fruits for ourselves. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. The outside area has a beautiful awning with flowers all around so it's a great opportunity to take some pictures while you are there. I will definitely have to revisit ala to see about some of the new items on the brunch menu.

Ala is a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Dupont Circle area. The menu is Levantine known for meze spreads of of hot and cold dishes, most notably hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanoush, accompanied by bread. We were a party of 4 and we did the bottomless brunch with bottomless mimosas. We ordered baba ghanoush, hummus, feta croquette, crab omelette and samboosa, quzi kofta burger, latke and karanab. For dessert, we had halva mousse and antep baklava. The servers were very attentive and the food came out pretty quickly. I really enjoyed their mimosas! It is a bit on the pricey end but the portions are pretty decent. The food is classic Middle Eastern and very flavorful. Each reservation has a 90 minute limit starting from the reservation time but the servers were nice enough to give us an extra 30 minutes especially since the brunch hour was about to close. We stayed in the upper floor with multiple people. It didn't feel crowded and the ambience was very Mediterranean. I've been here once before for dinner. I would definitely be open to come back.

Yum! A great small plates restaurant in DuPont Circle! I have been on the hunt for the best kunefe in DC and believe that after a year of searching, I've found it! It's right here. Perfectly crispy, gooey interior, outrageous whipped cream on top... 100/10. Easily added to the list of favorite DC dishes. The small plates we shared--while quite pricy--were good! The baba ghanoush was smoky perfection and a great complement to the Zaatar pita. The croquettes were good too! The potatoes weren't a huge hit for me, but the harissa sauce they came with really hit the spot. And the couscous was good! I can make a similar dish for much less, though. We had a great server and liked the well-decorated interior. Overall, it was a great experience! I can't wait to come back!

Overpriced. The food is okay but looks better than it tastes. Brussel sprouts were over salted. The falafel was $14 for only THREE small patties and seemed like the sangria was overly sweet

I visited Ala back when it first opened and everyone was hyping it up all over social media. While the food was good and the interior decor was pretty, our service was incredibly awful. It took painfully long to order food & drinks, and then painfully long to receive said food and drinks. (Like to the point we were there for 1.5 hours and could only order 1 drink between the 3 of us.) Our server would disappear and just seemed uninterested in providing any recommendations. While I always thought I'd go give it another try in hopes it'd be better the second time around, I just never made it back. On another note... the food presentation was pretty and worth taking photos of!

Service was really good. Went here during the set brunch menu. I didn't realize this was the case when I made the reservation. It would've been over to order a la carte instead. The appetizers were tasty with baba ganoush, tabbouleh, hummus, olives, labneh, lavash bread, and balkaymak with honey. The second course was average. We had the soujuk sausage with eggs (a little salty), Adana burger, Turkish chicken tenders, and crab omelette. Nothing I had I would crave later on.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Ala Restaurant's new location in Bethesda with a group of 8 friends, and it was truly a delightful experience. The ambiance was lovely and welcoming, setting the perfect tone for a memorable evening. The food and drinks were outstanding, with standouts being the delicious cauliflower and the flavorful lokum kebab. I also thoroughly enjoyed the pita bread with zaatar, a unique and tasty touch. The service was top-notch, and the staff was friendly and attentive throughout our visit. Overall, Ala Restaurant in Bethesda exceeded my expectations, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a wonderful dining experience. Can't wait to go back!

Food was so so so so good!!! I especially loved the mixed spreads and lamb kebab. The cocktails were fantastic too. Service was great and the ambiance was very relaxing and nice-- the dining chairs were super fluffy and nice to sit on.

Was in DC on business and happened upon Ala at around 2:00 p.m., not having read any reviews. What a find! The food was so delicious and the service was outstanding. I had the za'atar pide which was incredible. Our waitress was so friendly and helpful with ordering, given my unfamiliarity with the food offerings.

The Bethesda location just opened up and it's tucked away on Fairmont ave. Very cozy setting and cute patio! Went for happy hour and it was perfection and the amount of food that came was a lot. Got the Brussels and potato's and it was so crunchy and yummy, Faith was our waitress and she was welcoming and answered all our questions. Celebrated a birthday and we got baklava! I have been to the DC location but happy the Bethesda one has opened as it is closer.