Sofra

Their falafels were genuinely some of the best I’ve had. They were delightfully crunchy, tasty, and came with silky, rich hummus and caramelized onions. The pita bread was soft on the inside but crunchy on the outside — just perfect! The grill was also really good, but was not on the same level as the falafels. Regardless, we had a great experience at Sofra! Highly recommended

My new favorite spot! It’s more than just a meal — it’s an experience. Kenan is a great chef and truly passionate about what he does, and it shows. He’s created something special here. The food at Sofra was fresh and full of flavor, with a lot of delicious Mediterranean dishes to enjoy. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive. We were even offered complimentary Turkish tea, which was a really nice touch. Solid portions, fair prices, and an overall great experience. I’ll definitely be coming back.

So happy to have found Sofra! The food was amazing, the lavender cocktail was the best drink I’ve had in a long time and the space is absolutely beautiful and homie. I’ve had it for lunch, dinner and takeout and they were all delicious, highly recommended!

Kenan was such an amazing host & chef! He made my friend’s birthday dinner so special and fun and the food was absolutely delicious! We’ll definitely be coming back again soon and I’d highly recommend to anyone!

I went to a restaurant called Sofra, and the food was clearly burnt. We had traveled a long distance, so we were forced to eat anyway. We did complain, and I can say the staff were polite and understanding. However, the food was by far the worst, most burnt, and lowest-quality meal I have ever eaten in the United States. I went with my spouse and friends, and we will never return. I absolutely do not recommend this place.

From outside it’s almost un noticeable. The service was great. Atmosphere was cool and easy and friendly but the most important thing the food was excellent. The Turkish coffee was excellent. Tea was excellent. We really enjoyed it and bubble baklava for dessert was superb.

The best turkish/mediterranean restaurant I have been to. The owner was amazing and the food was so delicious. Definitely coming back!

I was just walking by and went in! I loved it. The food was great, they had some live music w a gentleman playing saxophone, I wish I took pictures of my food! It was tasty! Jaqueline was so sweet and the other girl who helped me was too!! They both were so nice and attentive. Thank you for a great dinner! Gotta go back (:

The food was amazing, a hint from back home. People serving you are so friendly, even the owner ( creator of the menu) recommends what we had. Bottom line the food and experience was amazing

One and done. We've been looking forward to try this place for awhile as we've heard great reviews for the last few months. The food was good, but the cocktails were too sweet and the service was Dreadful. There were two other tables so no reason for it. I was willing to overlook it to a degree, but the ultimate insult was seeing an automatic 20% tip for barely existent service. DC restaurants have had a bad enough time over the years adjusting to COVID, an well-meaning but Ill-conceived Initiative 82, and now a roll out of Brown-Shirts and National Gardeners timed to crush tourists and local businesses. There's a lot of great options nearby, but for here, We won't be back

Let me first say, this is a gem of a restaurant and perhaps a new favorite of mine and I am so grateful it's near my home. From the moment my friend and I walked into Sofra, we felt it was a warm welcoming atmosphere. It was cozy and felt like you were part of the family. My friend and I went at an off time for a late Sunday lunch which was a lovely time as it was not too busy. Our experience matched what their website so beautifully stated about the restaurant. It was an incredible experience for mind, body, soul and taste buds! We enjoyed EVERYTHING we ordered. It was marvelous. The menu is designed in such a way, it can be enjoyed as family style. When we looked over the menu, everything sounded incredible. The pictures were very alluring and had us wanting to try everything. We decided on the Shrimp and Garlic, Chicken Shish and Manti. The flavors were just incredible-- a marvelous balance as well. We loved each dish. The bread and Turkish tea were wonderful too. We ended our 2 hour dining experience with another round of Turkish tea and baklava (which is made fresh everyday). I will definitely be back with friends and family!

Wow, if you want home cooking on a cold DC night, this is your place. Jacqueline is the best host!

Amazing flavors and very attentive service! The fried cauliflower and the tea were my favorites.

Service was top-notch. According to the owner, the restaurant is Farm-to-Table, and all ingredients are from an Amish farm nearby. The Adana kebab, baba ghanoush, and hummus was incredible. Prices are reasonable and ambiance was great. Highly recommend!

Got to DC and was REALLY overwhelmed, but walked down the street to this spot after seeing pics of the food and menu online. If I could eat here every day that I'm here, I will. The drinks are amazing, the food is so fresh and doesn't sit heavy in your stomach, and even with short staff and quite a few people in the place, the ambiance is peaceful and allowed me to catch my breath and really enjoy the food and moment! The ruby cocktail is divine

We were very disappointed by the quality of the food. The manti was frozen packaged manti with no meat. Roca salad was another disappointment and the bean and rice dish had no taste. We got charged 120 dollars for 2 . And we shared one bottle of beer. Pricy and low quality food. Service was fine. It is no fault of the hostess.

The service was great, the owner came to the table and helped us with our order. We ordered the falafel and the Yaglama, both were delicious. I even froze the left over yaglama and it tasted great even after reheating. This restaurant is now on my list of restaurants to revisit whenever I am in DC

SOFRA is a newer Turkish restaurant in the AdMo area. We came here for an earlier lunch, as we had read that they source their lamb from MD and all their breads are baked in-house. Looking over the menu, we knew we wanted to try some apps as well as some of their kebap entrees: +Fried Vegetables - with potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini, served with yogurt and tomato sauce +Falafel - served with hummus +a Sigara Borek - filled with white cheese and parsley +the Grilled Chicken Wings +Lamb Chops +and, the Adana - ground beef and lamb on skewers The kebap were cooked on charcoal grill, which provided that extra flavor; these entrees were served with rice and a tablaci salad (prepared with tomatoes, parsley, onions, sumac, garlic, and pomegranate molasses). The staff were friendly and attentive, and the interior of this place is cozy and intimate, with dim lighting. +offering Turkish cuisine +friendly service

The owner/chef/bartender was an absolute delight, creating the most welcoming environment! We loved everything we ordered (chicken souvlaki, hummus, grilled veggies, mojitos) but the real treats were the surprise items that were delivered to our table on the house (zucchini fritters, fried cauliflower, Turkish tea). Next time we are in DC we will branch out and order from the chef's menu to experience more of these Turkish delights. An easy 5 minute walk from the Omni Shoreham -- highly recommended!

The food is amazing here. Hidden gem in woodley park !!! The mix grill is a must have !!

Such a cozy place to eat after going to the Smithsonian zoo! First off the service at this restaurant was top tier. The server was so attentive the moment I stepped into the restaurant-- constantly checking on me to make sure I'm enjoying my meal and had everything I needed. I got the Sofra Beyti which was absolutely delicious & I demolished it in 10 minutes. Then to top it all off they give you a complimentary tea at the end of your meal. Bonus points for having bidets in their restrooms.

Amazing find! We happened upon this place within one month of their open. We tried several of the appetizers. The owner shared it is locally sourced farm to table. Beautiful decor and friendly service. My favorite was the borek, but the hummus, cauliflower, and halloumi were all delicious.

food was ok not good or bad , presentation was very good , service was average. the one thing that absolutely was awful was a 20% service charge. that was not a tip just some phantom number they decided to add to my bill. I was very clear that I wouldn't be paying it and to there credit they removed it. charge whatever you like on the menu don't try and sneak an additional fee on me .

Nothing great, meeeh... pricey for what you're getting, mediocre at best...the service was ok, nothing special.

Sofra is such a gem in this neighborhood! I cannot recommend this place enough. The quiet comfortable interior allows for a relaxed and enjoyable meal. The food was divine and the owner Keenan made us feel so taken care of. We came for Father's Day (party of 9) and let Keenan take us into his hands. He brought out all of his speciality home recipes-- Moutabal, Kozleme, Manti-- and then grilled meats. Everything was perfectly cooked, flavorful, fresh, and delicious. He cooks on a charcoal grill so you really won't get the same flavor anywhere else. Keenan repeatedly walked over to ask how we liked the food. He portioned the appetizers out so that there was enough for everyone to try it all. Keenan couldn't have been more thoughtful or friendly as a server. After the meal we had Turkish coffee and Baklava on the outside patio, and on the way out he was kind enough to compliment our family and shake everyone's hand. I feel like we had not just a nice meal but a really special afternoon and found a new gathering place for our family. Definitely visit this amazing restaurant, and make sure you are hungry!

The food and service were top notch, I would definitely go back. I had the Kavurma, it was unbelievable and I ate the entire thing. The Turkish coffee and tea snapped me out of my food coma so I could walk back to my hotel :)

Chef Kenan is the best! Had various dishes and they were all outstanding! Service is excellent!

Absolutely delicious and a great experience. Staff were very attentive and made me u suggestions that I ended up really enjoying. The food is cooked over charcoal grills and that makes for a really unique flavor profile that I loved.

I went to Sofra with two friends. We arrived around 6PM when there were few other patrons and ordered humus, two salads and fish. It took nearly an hour for the humus appetizer to arrive and well over an hour for the two salads and fish to arrive. When the salads did arrive, they did not include the ingredients advertised on the menu. The server was dismissive of our questions about the salad ingredients and the extreme wait for the food to arrive. We asked at least three times for the check so we could leave early because of the very long wait, requests that were ignored. The service was far from friendly and it was insulting that an automatic 20% tip was added to the check. The server did remove the humus from the check, but he neglected to bring an extra order of pita bread that he had promised. We'll not be returning to this restaurant.

The name and description were perfect- we love Turkish food. We even made a reservation. No need. The place was empty on a Friday night. It was like a cafeteria trying to upscale. Terrible food. Terrible service. Table cloths on half the tables. The kitchen is exposed and in this case should be hidden. I couldn't finish my dinner. Then the bill came to nearly $200 , what? Oh- there's an automatic 20% service charge and 10% DC tax- so 45% in charges for terrible food and warm white wine. Never again. Sad. Great idea- but need good food and service.

Good food/service , & environment was nice. It was a nice lunch to have after long morning at the zoo.

The owner, Kenan, was very welcoming and made the environment so warm! Truly grateful that my friends and I were able to experience a piece of Turkey culture and great food! Highly recommend it to all friends and family, with great prices and quality food. Haven't tried food like this in a while, 10/10

Excellent food and service. Ambiance was excellent. First time was a charm. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone. I will return.

Quite possibly the best food on the Woodley Park-Cleveland Park corridor. If there is another restaurant better, please inform me. Tragically poorly lit and signed from the exterior, many a driver and pedestrian has likely passed by Sofra without knowing it is open, or even exists. I among them until this restaurant's (well deserved) five star rating lured me inside. (Even then, I had trouble finding it.) This is a tragedy. The food is scrumptious, well beyond what you'd expect from a $20-$30 price range. The tea is also fantastic. The first time we showed up ae got the Sofra experience, which was just outstanding. Among the best meals I've gotten for that price in DC. We ordered two appetizers, and two entres, splitting both. The appetizers were both eggplant based dipsand came with recently baked loaves of bread. One was merely good, the other gobsmackingly good. One entree was beef, and the other a chicken dish. Both taste and presentation were that of much more expensive food. While the taste and presentation is bougie beyond belief, the aesthetics of the place were more hole-in-the-wall. Like it's not bad, but you get the sense that perhaps the owner is far more keen on good food and plating than creating an accompanying atmosphere. Like the restaurant was only halfway done before he got impatient and started cooking up a storm. Thus the lack of signage. This is too bad, because as a good food enjoyer this place MUST survive. Which is why I'm writing this review. All you Northwest DC residents better get in there and start enjoying brilliantly spiced eggplant dips and exquisitely cooked meat too, because if you don't then I can't. And you guys can't take this away from me. If this place closes its doors it'll because you never knew, but I did. And I'll be so, so sad. Sorry for rambling. tl;dr you all should go here, it's really really good.

The food was amazing and the service excellent. I had the kavurma beef as an entree. We got calamari to start as well as hummus and moutabal with warm pita. We finished the meal with Turkish tea and baklava. I got the rose drink with the sumacwhile my friend got the lavender one. Both were delicious.

We met some out of town friends here for dinner on a Friday night. We had a great time! Food was all very good, good ambiance and nice staff.

We are from the Woodley Park neighborhood and we had to try out our new Middle Eastern restaurant, Sofra. The name means beautiful and that fits because the food is amazingly "beautiful" and incredibly full of "beautiful" flavors. We shared Hummus with homemade bread, chicken shish and Sofra Beyti. Each dish better was wonderful. And then ended the meal with one of the best rice puddings ever. We will return!!

what an incredible find! Everything from the food to drink to the service was five stars. Don't miss the branzino!

The food is always so fresh here! The owner is so friendly with the guests! Highly recommend. It's such a calm environment, not so loud like other restaurants! Perfect for a large gathering and a romantic date!

This restaurant happened to be near our hotel and while searching for foods we had never tried before, we thought we'd give it a try. What an amazing welcoming experience and my goodness the food is out of this world. I love that the owner/manager said if you don't like it come back and he'd refund our money. No worries! I essentially cleaned my plate as did my husband and our friends who were with us. We happened overhear the table next to us describe a similarly fantastic first experience, and that's why she had brought her friends back to this restaurant. I definitely recommend this restaurant and will seek it out when I'm next in the district.

Super good food, very friendly service. Perfect for a casual dinner! Highlight was the baclava and tea to round out a delicious meal.

My husband and I walked into Sofra and immediately were warmly welcomed. We ordered the Sofra Experience dish for 2 that was recommended. The dish was perfect as we were able to taste different appetizers and I can not rave enough of the meats on the dish. The lamb and chicken were moist and tasted amazing! I highly recommend this dish! We ended our evening with Turkish tea and baklava. It was a perfect ending to a perfect meal. We highly recommend Sofra.

We had an amazing meal at Sofra. The staff was extremely warm and friendly, and the food was incredibly delicious. There were many great vegetarian options too. Can't recommend the restaurant enough!

Food was amazing!! Fabulous ambiance! Would definitely come back. Try the manti and kofte.

Excellent food, service, and ambiance. This place is a gem!!! Delicious and authentic Turkish food and it feels like you're in an adorable European cafe. Highly recommend!

We were in town from Ohio visiting my daughter and thought we would try this new Turkish restaurant. What an awesome find. We tried several dishes and all were outstanding...Lamb Shish, Lamb Chops, Salmon, Lentil Soup & Ceasar Salad. The meat was lean and tender and a friend noted the salmon was the best she had ever had. The service is efficient and very courteous. The atmosphere is comfortable and the ambiance is perfect for a family dinner. Sofra is on my return list without hesitation. And as a bonus, we enjoyed some Turkish tea before venturing into the snow.

It was my first time here and my party was greeted as soon as we entered the restaurant. Got seated and waited on immediately. The atmosphere was quiet and welcoming too. The waitress was extremely kind and we got complimentary food unexpectedly. After we ordered the food was quick to come out. The portion sizes and flavor of everything was fantastic. Highly recommend, everything was more than expected!

Food was good and the inside of the restaurant was nice! However, the restaurant did not seem busy when we were there but service was extremely slow. There was a 20% surcharge on our bill that I didn't notice until after we had left (20% is added for parties of 1 or more was the wording???)

Best food I have ever had in the DC area!!! The service was so awesome and very authentic food and style!

We had a wonderful dinner there!! We just moved into the neighborhood and after a very long, rough day wanted to get some food. The restaurant was very nice. The service and food were great! We got the hummus, Moutubal, crispy cauliflower (the last two being the owners personal recipe), falafel, salmon, and a chicken dish from chefs special. Everything was amazing and the fresh bread was absolutely to die for! We also got a Negroni and a violet breeze for cocktails, both of which were fantastic. At the end they gifted us baklava and Turkish espresso martinis which were fantastic (my mom tried to eat my baklava) and it had to be one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had. I highly recommend this place! There's clearly a lot of love put into the restaurant and it was a great first experience in the neighborhood :)

Great customer service from Gilbert! We didn't know what to expect going in but the food was amazing!

We stopped here after a day at the zoo. Nice ambiance with light background music. I had the lamb shish and my wife had the chicken shish, both were cooked perfectly and the rice was delicious. Servers were attentive and polite they took the time to answer several questions we had and even explained the technique used to cook the rice. All in all, a very nice dinner. I'd highly recommend giving them a try. Such a peaceful, not rushed, dinner after an amazing day at the zoo.

My husband and I were visiting the area so we stopped by here for lunch. My family has a lot of Mediterranean and Caribbean in it. All I can say is WOW. From starting with the calamari and ending with 2 coffees and pistachio baklava, we will absolutely be back again! We own a Sicilian food truck and appreciate quality, delicious and authentic ingredients.

Sofra was absolutely amazing from start to finish! They were able to accommodate our large party no problem. The owner tended to our table personally and he was so helpful and kind. He made excellent recommendations and his passion truly shines through. We tried a lot of different dishes and everything was incredible. We were told that you can't go wrong with anything on menu, and it's true. We especially liked the Sofra Beyti- It was absolutely delicious. We loved the restaurant so much we went back the next night for dessert- and let me tell you that dessert is a must! Sofra has, easily, the best baklava I've ever had. Sofra is a DC gem and we will most definitely be back on our next trip to the area.

Stopped here for a very late supper on our way back from Zoo Lights. I was immediately charmed by the welcoming atmosphere inside. Service was prompt and amiable, the food was fantastic, and they went the extra mile to accommodate my gluten allergy. A serendipitous discovery indeed. I look forward to dining here again!

This place has some of the best food I've ever had. We were a party of five and shared our dishes family style. The falafels were hands-down the best I ever eaten. I had no idea falafels could be that good. The manti were fabulous. I can't praise this place enough. We will definitely return.

Review of the Sofra restaurant This new addition to restaurant row at the Woodley Park Metro stop is well worth a visit. The Turkish/Mediterranean food is excellent and so is the service. The four dishes my wife and I shared were all delicious. In order: appetizers Moutabal (eggplant) and Mushroom Casserole, and entrees Manti (mini dumplings) and Kavurma (diced cubes of beef sauteed in vegetables). Please go and enjoy!