ilili DC
Lebanese restaurant · Waterfront
100 District Square SW, Washington, DC 20024
Highlights
Refined Lebanese dining with modern meze. Features garden-like dining room.
Refined Lebanese dining with modern meze. Features garden-like dining room.
"When you look around at this huge upscale Lebanese restaurant, the walls and ceiling will bring to mind a Mondrian painting, and you'll notice that an entire bowling lane (or two) could probably fit into the dining room. There's also a very long bar, and it's a great place to enjoy some arak alongside fattoush and duck shawarma. Come here when you know you'll have a large party, or when the headcount for an outing unexpectedly triples." - sonal shah, bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, carina finn koeppicus
"Ilili is one of the city’s most beautiful restaurants—and the Lebanese food isn’t half-bad if you know what to order. Lush green vines and cages full of light-up birds hang around the glass-enclosed restaurant. Hand-painted Mediterranean tiles line the floor and in the middle of the dining room a stone water fountain trickles softly. Families and friends pull out their Sunday best to celebrate graduations and job promotions, but we like the Wharf spot for a romantic night out. Ditch the small plates and order the mixed grill, a combination platter big enough to share that includes chicken shish taouk, wagyu beef kebab, kafta, and lamb chops, all charred to perfection. And for dessert, get the toasted, honeyed knafe over the Ilili candy bar, no matter how much your waiter pesters you." - tristiana hinton, omnia saed, mekita rivas, allison robicelli
"This glass walled restaurant is one of the only reasons locals venture to the tourist-crowded Wharf, and eating at the plant-filled spot before a show at the Anthem or Arena Stage is always a good idea. We like to make a meal out of Ilili’s cold and warm mezze, ordering plates of traditional hindbeh and chankleesh along with citrusy olives and nutty mouhamara for the table. You’ll want to try at least two pours from their robust Lebanese wine list, perhaps starting with a Lebanese take on a blanc de blanc before moving on to a fuller cab sauv." - madeline weinfield
"Nestled in the heart of the Wharf, Ilili serves Lebanese-inspired dishes in a stunning space with big windows overlooking the boardwalk. A meal here is animated but not overwhelming, which makes it ideal for an elegant birthday brunch in which you can actually hear whoever’s giving the toast. In addition to the shakshuka, we like the swiss chard benedict with dukkah and roasted butternut squash, and the smoked lamb belly topped with pickled thyme chimichurri and fresh lemon. For a sweet treat, get Grandma Marie’s Lebanese toast, which decadently blends the flavors of poached figs, ricotta labne whip, and Lebanese syrup." - mekita rivas, omnia saed, tristiana hinton
"Cozy up at Ilili for a New Year's Eve dinner surrounded by green vines, hand-painted Mediterranean tiles, and an indoor water fountain. For $250, enjoy a five-course meal at this Mediterranean restaurant at the Wharf, with options including a caviar cornet, king crab, lamb shank, and a hearth-baked flounder. Following dinner, the dining room transforms into a dance floor with a live DJ and belly-dancing performances." - omnia saed
