Zorba's Café

This restaurant is in such a lovely place. Two facts: The food was fantastic, and the service was impressively quick. However, they played some sad Greek music, which made the atmosphere feel a bit down. Back to the food, it was absolutely delicious. The portions were small, that make you order more, but it’s the kind of place where you truly enjoy the rich, authentic taste of Greek cuisine.

The food here was delicious. I highly recommend the Greek fries with feta and black pepper. It was super quick and easy to order, you just place it with the person at the counter and they bring it out to you.

A great little spot for Greek food. Friendly counter service with all the classics. Food was freshly prepared and the restaurant was clean throughout. The baklava was delicious. They offer a small selection of wine and beer to pair with your food too. Prices fair. Parking may be challenging.

Loved this spot! The food was super fresh and delicious, and the wine and beer selection was on point. The staff was so friendly and attentive—it made the whole vibe even better. Definitely coming back next time I’m in DC!

I do want to say that the menu is authentic and has lots of good Greek traditional staples and isn’t just a full menu of gyros and souvlaki but unfortunately the execution fell a bit flat. DC is expensive but for these prices, the portion sizes were quite small and especially the psaree plakee (fish plate), it was a piece of not fresh tilapia not cooked well in wine as described but seemed to be boiled and had some tomato sauce put on top. Had to douse it in hot sauce to eat it and it was a small portion. Then the tzatziki that came with the chicken skewer plate had the consistency of ranch dressing and was liquidy and goopy I thought they gave me ranch at first. Maybe some kind of non fat yogurt was used instead of Greek yogurt? It came in a little cup and if I wanted more they said it was $1. Also a horiatiki salad at $15 is quite steep but we wanted some veggies. The one good food item we agreed on was the bread roll… it was well baked and had texture. Besides some of the price to food quality issues, the interior is beautiful and has two floors and the service was great

Service: We came to Zorba’s Café as a group during the lunch rush. It was a bit busy, but ordering was quick and efficient. We ordered at the counter, got our table number, and the food was brought out to us in about 5–10 minutes. The staff was friendly and moved things along smoothly despite the crowd. Taste: I got the Souvlaki plate with chicken, fries, and a Greek salad. Everything was delicious—the chicken was juicy and well-seasoned, the fries were hot and crispy without being too salty, and the salad was fresh and balanced. Everyone in the group enjoyed their meals and left satisfied. Ambiance: Casual and comfortable spot, perfect for a quick lunch with friends. There was a steady flow of customers, but it didn’t feel overwhelming. It’s a relaxed, welcoming environment with a nice local vibe. Overall Review: Zorba’s Café is a great choice for a quick, flavorful meal in the area. The food is tasty, portions are reasonable for the price, and the service is efficient. Definitely a solid lunch spot—we’d all come back!

A really nice spot, very aesthetic and cozy. It is quite spacious with lower, upper floor and patio seating. Got a chicken stew and fries. Very soothing and refreshing on a rainy day.

I so badly want to love Zorba’s and come here regularly, but the portions keep getting smaller and smaller. I got a gyro today that had literally only seven small strips of meat on it. It looked so bare when I unwrapped it that I had to count. And this was a $14 gyro. The photo I’ve attached is before I ate anything. The staff is always so nice, and the atmosphere is great — the food portions are just making it increasingly difficult to justify going there. Be prepared to leave hungry unless you want to spend a fortune; my barren gyro, small Greek salad, Diet Coke and happy-hour Mythos added up to a $40 lunch.

This review reflects my experience dining out with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that requires me to maintain a diet free of gluten (including cross contact). SERVICE: 5/5 stars DRINKS: 3/5 stars FOOD: 4/5 stars AMBIANCE: 3/5 stars VALUE: 5/5 stars OVERALL RATING: 4/5 stars Last weekend, friends and I visited Zorba's Cafe for dinner before a comedy show nearby. The restaurant's convenience can't be beat--orders are taken, individually, at a counter and brought to your table. Such a setup supports placing individual orders for a large group without inconveniencing a server to split checks. Unfortunately, I timed my order with the arrival of approximately 100 interns at some company of unknown origin; that meant waiting in line to order for nearly 15 minutes. But, the food was worth it! Zorba's Cafe provides a menu annotated for four diets and allergens (dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, and vegetarian). As a person avoiding gluten because of an autoimmune condition, I was thankful that many options were available to me. That night, I ordered the chicken shish kebab, which came with rice, a Greek side salad, and a gluten-free pita (the only one in the city of which I'm aware). As they are my weakness, I also ordered a side of French fries (purported to be gluten-free as well). To accompany my dinner, I purchased a half carafe (equivalent to approximately three glasses) of the house white wine. The meal was very affordable, especially compared to full-service options nearby. After waiting about 15 minutes, my food arrived via one of the restaurant's servers. Everything was delicious; I could not finish the meal in one sitting. I did not love the taste of the wine, but appreciated that it was quite inexpensive. I did not experience symptoms of exposure to gluten following dinner (that night or in the days following). Zorba's is a neighborhood gem. I'll be back there soon to dine with friends.

Had high expectations given how popular this was, but for the most part the food was very average. Ordered takeout, and when arrived (on time) was told it would be another 9 minutes (specifically). It took another 30 minutes after that to get my order, which was the first issue. Tried a good amount of things - overall thought the portions were on the smaller side, with a few being way overpriced. the greek fries were great, but a pretty small portion for $9. The tyrokafteri doesn't have any lemon/roasted pepper flavor, it's just very salty feta spread and was only about 4oz in a small container (also $9). The baba ghanoush was the same small portion for $9, which was lacking flavor/smoke. Tyropitas were ok, but wouldn't order those again, same with the phyllo custard dessert. The favorite of the night was the combination platter, of which the gyro meat was the best followed by the pork souvlaki (chicken souvlaki was ok). The meatball was also good. Side salads included with the entrees were standard greek salads, the hummus wasn't very flavorful, and the rice included with the entrees tasted like microwaved rice. Overall didn't think the value was there and I would not order from here again when they're even remotely busy.

This place was recommended to us by my brother in-law and it did not disappoint. Food was really, we ordered the Zobra's Combo to share and is more than enough food for us. Our Server Saul is amazing!

I visited here to order food to go. Whether you're eating in or to go, you place your order at the counter in the back and receive a number and find a seat. I line moved fairly fast. I only waited maybe 5-8 minutes for my order. I ordered the Aegean salad. It's a Greek salad with 2 chicken skewers and a roll. This is $17. The salad was fresh, and chicken was seasoned well. It could have used a little bit more toppings. The dressing was tasty. The salad was average size. It's not huge but decent. The to go order was packaged well with cutlery. Seems like the restaurant had a good amount of people dining in. It has a cute aesthetic and front of the building. It gives the Greek vibe. However, I don't believe staff is Greek. A solid choice for a decent meal while in Washington DC.

Zorbas is easy to miss but DO NOT MISS IT!! I sat outside here and had a delicious horiatiki salad with chicken. It was filling, fresh, and satisfying. It also came with a little roll, which looked unexciting but was actually very good bread! I found the pita and tzatziki to be my least favorite part of the meal, with the pita falling in between being a bread and a chip and felt almost stale.

This was a second trip to Zorba's. The first was my friend's 1st time having Greek food ever and they won her over. So now the second time I visited we had to go back. This time since we were with a few friends we did basically an enhanced sampler as they have a sampler but we also added the spicy whipped feta and a pizza. I think overall my favorites were the tabouleh, tzatziki and feta. We also had a few Greek beers and sat upstairs and chatted for almost 2 hours it was such a great experience and good time.

My mom and I popped into Zorba's because we were nearby and wanted a quick lunch. We were super pleased with all of the food we ordered. We had a vegetable plate, a Greek salad, and the garlic pita. On the vegetable plate, my favorite item was the falafel. It was flavorful and so crispy, and was perfect dipped in the delicious tzatziki sauce. The pita in hummus was great, as was the spanakopita. There was also a really good butter bean dish that was quite filling and hearty. The grape leaves were a bit salty for my liking. Mom and I both agreed the Greek salad was awesome, and that the garlic pita was really good (it was huge!) The center was crispy which mom preferred, and the outside chewy which I did so it worked out. It was also super interesting that they don't accept tips. I appreciate that. I hope that means their staff are well paid. They all seemed friendly and quick! (You ordered inside and they brought the food out to you). I'll definitely pop in next time I'm near Dupont Circle- I want to try some of the Greek wine they had on display!

Cute, casual, quick spot for authentic Greek food! We stopped here for lunch in DC and loved the pita sandwiches. The falafel was so soft and flavorful and the chicken shawarma pita was so tender and had lots of flavor. The fries were also fresh and crunchy! The service was friendly and very fast. You order and they bring you the food. My only complaint is the babaganous was lacking flavor and the pita that came with its seemed the same as what you would get from the store. Overall would return here for Greek food when in the area again!

Had the Gyro. Tasty, warm pita, love the sauce, and meat was well seasoned and tender. No complaints. Great venue, lots of history to this family-owned place. Order down front, pick up a number, then wait for your thing to be delivered to your table. Recommendedn

Zorba's is my favorite Greek spot in the city. With friendly service and a nice patio for enjoying the lovely weather, the restaurant is my go-to when the craving for Greek food hits. Importantly, they offer gluten-free pita for their gyros - something I'd never seen before! Their Greek fries are insanely delicious - heavily seasoned and perfectly cooked. Even writing this review is making me hungry.

This gluten-free and lactose-free option is fantastic--absolutely loved every bite of it!

The staff is very nice and helpful and quick to get you your food and drinks. There is a wonderful variety of food, something for everyone in the family. I love the option to sit inside or outside, both seating options are plentiful and allow you the comfort of a private dining experience or room to chat with friends and family. A great, hidden class in DC.

I got the falafel side which comes with hummus, and garlic pitta - the tomato sauce tasted fresh and we also wrapped the bread around the tender falafel and dipped in hummus.

The combination plate is a staple and was really good! I just wish that there were more vegetables so I might recommend ordering a side of vegetables or something. You go inside and order and the counter and then find your own seating!

I stopped by Zorba's Cafe for a social meetup. Overall, I thought the place was pretty nice especially the upstairs area. During my visit, I did not get a chance to try the food because I was more interested in a "liquid dinner" that consisted of a few Greek beers. However, the folks who ordered food at the event enjoyed what they were having. I thought the staff was pretty nice and made great recommendations in regards to the various beers offered by Zorba's. I will admit that I thought it was a bit interesting that the restaurant does not have table service, but it is what it is. Customers will order at the counter, receive a number, pick up the food when it's ready, and bring it to their table. While the restaurant has pleny of seating, the tables are really close together, but that's how they do it in Europe. While I did not eat anything at Zorba's, I'm more than interested in dropping by in the near future to have a bite or two.

I'm only skipping one-star because it's a nice setting and the owners were nice, but come on -- this is not proper Greek food. I ordered avgolemono and moussaka, two completely bog-standard Greek options. When the food came to the table, the avgolemono looked like a Thai chicken soup. Thin, no cream to it at all. It was so bizarre that I took it back to the kitchen to check for sure. They said it was the right thing, and while it tasted ok, I would never order it again. Then, the moussaka. It was as if I were eating a hockey puck. So overcooked. No flavor, all crunch. No, no, no -- never again. Again, the setting and the staff were nice, but this is just F-tier Greek food that you should not expose yourself to.

Nice family owned Greek/Mediterranean restaurant in the area. It was an order counter and they bring your food out to you. The decor was also very eclectic and unique!

Gluten free pita/gyro is excellent. I highly recommend. The gyro has some gluten in it but the staff warned me before ordering. There's a nice outdoor patio as well!

Cute place. Indoor and outdoor seating. Order at counter and they'll bring the food to you. I'm not a foodie and by no means well versed in cuisine but everything tasted good. It was incredibly filling. I could eat everything. This was the biggest spanikopita I've seen in my life. I liked it.

This is a good, quick lunch. Zorba's is always reliable! Easy to find a seat and the wait is never long.

Honestly I was very underwhelmed by my experience at Zorba's in DuPont Circle. The ordering process is a bit strange: you can sit in the courtyard area but must go in to order. Normally that's fine, but the employees don't bus tables quickly, so we had to sit at a table with empty drinks on it for over 20 minutes. Not a super pleasant way to wait for our meal. The cashier wouldn't tell me the total or give me a receipt... what? It was very odd. The food really underwhelmed across the board. The garlic pita came with tiny sauce and was a little burnt and not particularly garlic-flavored. The gyro was fine, and the pastitsio was fine but bland. The spinach dip was completely congealed! You shouldn't have to cut dip with a knife. And the falafel was flat out not tasty. I won't be back here.

Great overall experience from this fine establishment. The food was good. The ambiance and decorative touch to the inside of the restaurant was even better. I would recommend stopping by if you get the chance.

this gyro was exactly what i was craving. it felt like fresh, tasty ingredients and satisfied my craving for a delicious gyro (that was tzatiki forward, not feta forward which i prefer). just so good, im still thinking about it and already read to go back!

Nice little spot in DuPont. You order up at the register and pick your seat and they bring the food. We got the hummus which was okay and some beers which made the experience. We always stay looking for mythos and are rarely able to find it and this little spot has it!!!!!!!!! Service was quick and friendly. Definitely recommend if you're looking for some authentic Greek choices.

Zorbas has a beautiful vibe. The staff is friendly. Its easy to navigate the menu. Also, they have gluten free pita which was delicious. Unfortunately, the food was just okay. I had the Avglomeno. The chicken was dry and the vegetables were undercooked. I also had the chicken skewers where the chicken was also dry. The one saving grace was the gluten free pita and the spinach dip. It was delicious! I don't think I'd come back as there is better mediterranean in the city, but I'm glad I got to check it out.

Walkable from the conference I was attending. No line. Order inside and they bring it to you. Quick service. Yummy. Got eaten up by mosquitoes outside-

I just got the worst meal I ever got from. Zorbas. It was a saganaki dinner and while it was delibered by DoorDash, there was no issue with the delivery. The food tasted like it had been prepared by lunchtime and reheated to serve for dinner. The mousaka came apart and tasted stale and old. Quality here seems to be slipping

Made the mistake of choosing this place because it was conveniently located near my hotel and because it seemed very popular. It is an "order first, take a seat and wait for order to arrive" place. Nothing fancy but I was at least expecting it to be tasty. I like Greek food very much so if it remotely resembles it, I'm usually satisfied. Not this place. Ordered meatballs over rice with salad and it was awful. Meatballs were hard and burnt. Rice was a spoonful and cold and salad looked like I got the last part of the lettuce that had been left on the counter to be discarded. And what's with the "teeth breaking" piece of bread they give you with no butter? Service was horrible with surly waiters that definitely hate working there. They don't accept tips; they should rethink that. Inside it's hot and crowded with empty tables full of dishes that had not been bussed. Outside seating is better but furniture needs some wiping down.

We honestly just picked this place since it was close to the comedy show we were seeing that night but glad we did! It's a cute little Greek place. It wasn't too busy when we went since we were doing an early dinner but I truly enjoyed the food. I had the falafel plate which came out pretty quickly & I could say that was some of the best falafel I had in the area - not too hard, flavorful & crisp.

Solid food, really affordable. I like how you order at the front. Hoping gor some more variety of beer on tap.

Terrible service. Customers standing around confused, no help from anyone. But the souvlaki wrap I had here today was a disgrace. I felt completely ripped off. dry pork, definitely not pork tenderloin, some lettuce and the end of a tomato. Four tiny pieces of pork. I felt embarrassed for paying for this.

Reasonable prices. Chicken souvlaki was excellent, Greek pizza was excellent! We love everything we got, and such a cute atmosphere! Come on a nice day so you can sit outside.

Cozy, counter-service, Greek spot with a fun greek aesthetic and delicious food Plenty of seating inside and out Straightforward menu I came with my GF and a group of friends and we all really enjoyed our food. I got a chicken souvlaki wrap and a frappe and both were delicious

I got the pork combination plate. The first time I got it, it was good but the meat was a little dry. The second time however was perfection. That's when I really #understood the hype. The pork was so yummy, delicious, flavorful and juicy. The rice was perfect. Service is fast and easy. Everyone is nice. You order inside and they give you a number and then they bring you your food. You can sit inside or outside but I like outside cus it's nice and lots of tables. Very chill and good sized portions. A meal and a drink here probably run you about 20-25 bucks. Not bad! Would recommend, I am recommending it to you right now lol.

Yero sandwich Yero plate Appetizer sampler -- A cute family owned neighborhood Greek cafe in the heart of DuPont circle with lots of outdoor seating available!

Baklava is SWEEEEEEEET! Oh my word... I noticed Zorba's Cafe while walking back to the Dupont Metro from an errand. I've wanted to try the Mediterranean desert for many years, and luckily for me, it was on their menu posted outside. $7 got me a decently-sized slice about the size of a croissant, picked up at their deli-style counter. Typically made of dough, pistachios, butter and a lemon-y simple syrup, the baklava reminded me of king cake with a hint of ooey-gooey. But because of the sweetness, I don't think I could ever eat more than one slice. So I've gotten baklava off my bucket list, thanks to Zorba's Cafe, and I absolutely love it. But I'll definitely need to let my taste buds recover.

Worst gyro I've ever had. Overpriced, small portions, bland, and cold. Do not recommend.

Portions too small and Too expensive. I have come here for decades, but not anymore. Gyro rate 4 ask for extra Taskiki sauce for extra $1 but still too dry. Ask for platter that includes salad vs sandwich. Pallini Zucchini rate 2 - too expensive and slices are too thick. Kalamari rate 2. Overcooked and too dry. $52 for 2 people food only. We drank water. Cannot recommend this counter service food.

Our family was lucky enough to find this place 8 years ago and it wouldn't be a trip to DC if we did not visit Zorba's at least a few times. Food and location is amazing but the Family that runs it makes the experience 5 Star.

Terrific and reliable. Hero plate and Chicken Souvlake are favorites. One of our "go to" places.

In celebration of International Women's Day, my office decided to order lunch from Zorba's (as they are woman owned). Our food was ready very shortly after ordering and was well packaged and labeled. Overall I think the office was happy with what we ordered, there were lots of options to satisfy everyone's tastes. I got the Yero Plate which which comes with fries and a salad. For $18 it was not great value for money. I live up in Baltimore, so obviously I am used to prices being about 20-30% less, but a similar meal at my local favorite would be both 30% less expensive and 50% more food. In addition to the yero plate, I got feta cheese dip. It was ok, but again, for $9 the portions were very small.

Great for lunch. Pleasant outdoor seating. Vegetarian plate included some of the tastiest falafels I've ever had. Shrine to Anthony Quinn is a plus.

Such a cute authentic Greek cafe in DuPont circle! Zorba's Cafe is a family owned business with such friendly and helpful employees. Their outdoor seating is definitely a vibe, but they have great indoor seating available as well. The entire cafe has a very homey feel. For food I tried their chicken shish kabob which was so delicious. The rice, salad and bread that came with it made for the perfect meal. When you enter you go straight to the counter to order your food. Then you'll get a number and you can seat yourself while waiting for your food to arrive. Very efficient and the food came out pretty quick!

This is a lovely little Mediterranean spot with reasonable prices and portions. I got a chicken wrap and a piece of baklava. The chicken wrap was super yummy but the baklava was rather average. They have both indoor and outdoor seating and are very accommodating

Shared 2 entrees and an appetizer with a friend. The food was pretty average and it is self service. The service crew seem like they couldn't speak English but were helpful enough to help me with takeout. Wish we came when the weather is nicer outside in summer so that we could take up the patio seats.

Good food, lovely atmosphere. A true DC classic. They prioritize good meat and classic Greek dishes.

I've lived in DC for 8 years and lived around the corner from Zorba's for awhile but never went, which I now regret. The food there is delicious and very affordable! They have a pretty extensive menu of Greek dishes that go beyond the typical assortment of gyros. They had some dishes that I didn't think I could get in the US at restaurants like loukaniko, psari plaki, and fasolia. They also had tons of desserts like loukoumades and other daily specials that change frequently! My friend and I sat outside on their patio on a sunny day, which has a ton of space. The food was absolutely delicious and I was thoroughly satisfied by the vegetarian plate. The spanakopita had a delicious filling and was perfectly crispy, crunchy on the outside. The salad was also really good! Is highly recommend coming here and sitting outside - it was such a nice meal!

Another really good reasonably priced casual lunch. Spanakopita, gyros, chicken, skewers, and moussaka are all excellent. the food at this restaurant is consistently good.

Stopped by Zorba's Cafe before leaving Dupont Circle farmers market. Very gf friendly! Gluten free items listed clearly on the menu and they even have gluten free pita bread. I got the Greek fries and chicken lemon soup with a side of gf pita. Delicious and toddlers loved the fries. Thanks for being delicious Zorba's! Also the restrooms were super clean.