ala - DC

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.

The beautiful thing about this restaurant is I have managed to walk in every timeAmbiance is nice outside, especially with fans in the summer. Inside, I would recommend sitting downstairs! The upstairs feels like I am clocking in for work - the tables are in cubicles with uneven harsh lighting and was really warm.Service was okay. Our waiter was also working a table of 20 so ‍. I think they should have just left a pitcher of water on our table.Food was good. It seemed a little off (cold items) but taste was still the same. Great for the vegetarian in our group.

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.

My friends and I went to ala looking for a place to get drinks and grab some food. I can't say anything about the food because my friends and I waited 30 minutes and didn't even get our orders in. Meanwhile, the tables next to us were served, despite having larger party sizes and coming at the same time as us. I was excited about the menu, which looked great but I expected better service.

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 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!

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 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!

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.

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!