The Tastiest Lebanese in Washington

ilili Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (614) • $$$

"WOW! Finally a memorable dining experience out of all of these places that have popped up in the last 3-5 years. DC has done Mediterranean well with spots like Zaytinya.. Ambar.. heck even The Greek Spot, and Ilili is no disappointment! Service was slightly confusing because it seemed like i had 2 waiters until one just stopped checking on me.. dont know if they got their wires crossed or what but my waitress was great. My water glass never went empty thanks to the bussers. I started with the Tabbouleh and Chankleesh, which was deeelicious- i'd never had it before but it was a great starter and went really nicely with the duck shawarma. That duck shawarma... oh man. The duck was perfect and the accompaniments took it over the top. The prawns fell kinda flat in comparison but they were well-executed and a great size! My cocktails were delicious. 5 stars all around for Ilili!"

Lebanese Taverna

★★★★☆ 3.7 (860) • $$

"I hadn't been to Lebanese Taverna for a while and saw that it's undergone a major transformation. I did a double-take to make sure it was the same place and founding family running the show. And both are still true. A second generation is in charge now. I was told that the makeover was accomplished a few years back. I like the new look--captures the spirit of the Eastern Mediterranean nicely.The lamb sharat platter is to die for, can't go wrong with it. Fried artichokes are yummy, come with a garlic/lemon dipping sauce that's slamming. The baba ghanoush is smoky and creamy although I prefer it without the pomegranate seeds on top, however easy enough to work around. The mezza fries, lightly sprinkled with sumac, cumin and garlic, arrive hot and plentiful.Service is gracious. I'm a fan of Lebanese cuisine and think that this restaurant has done a good job of serving it up over the years."

Fettoosh

★★★★★ 4.5 (564) • $$

"When we hurried in at closing time on Tuesday night, the host (presumably the owner) told us we were lucky--he had already turned off the grill when we called to see if Fettoosh was still taking orders for take out, and he was just at that moment reaching for the lights. There had been a problem with the phones in the wake of Labor Day, he told us, but he had found a way to call me back nonetheless when I enquired about whether the restaurant was open. The answer was it would stay open for us, if we could come within 15 minutes. And so we picked out a handful of items that leapt out from the menu (SFEHA BI-LAHMI; chicken shawarma wraps, fresh tabouli, Bastilla chicken, and Harira soup) and rushed from the coffeeshop where we had called in Clarendon. Upon arrival, we watched as the food was cooked before our eyes. The host said he could not let us go home hungry, as if he knew the journey we had undertaken to get there without our even mentioning the distance. We had driven over an hour (from Silver Spring) with our car-shy rough collie in the backseat, and on the cusp of 9.30, we were simply famished! We were very lucky indeed, as it turned out. The dishes were delicious, down to the creamy hummus and homemade semolina bread that were mere sides. We are Greek gourmands, and I am a super-taster (my taste-buds detect when there is too much spice, or salt, an ingredient that does not belong e.g. MSG, or spoilage of any kind), and this was simply one of the best restaurants we have encountered on our quest for Mediterranean cuisine in the DMV. There wasn't a sprig of parsley left in our Styrofoam containers when we dug in at the dining table at home--in fact we did not even manage to dish out the meal on real plates--we gobbled it all down so fast! My siblings and I look forward to returning to Fettoosh on our next culinary detour to Northern Virginia. We will make a point to order what we missed out in this first round because of the late hour at which we showed up. We are looking forward to the kabobs, the couscous, and the tangines!"

Raouche Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (565) • $$

"Speaking for dine in experience: We came here and it was pretty crowded on a Sunday afternoon. The lady that sat us down said we could choose any table we'd like to sit at, but the tables weren't cleaned off (that's where my star deduction comes off) Other than that, the service was very fast! Here's what we ordered:LENTIL SOUP This one knocked it out of the park. I've never had such flavorful lentil soup that adds a squeeze of lemon. Would order again!BABA GANOUSHThe texture was well blended yet you knew it was still eggplant and garlic. This went really well with the combo plate and side salad. It came with Pita bread but it's definitely NOT fresh... it was dry and lacking in fluffiness COMBO KEBAB PLATE Comes with a side salad which was nice; I loved the chicken kebab, it was so juicy. The kufta was a little dry but still flavorful. I'm not sure what nuts were in there but it worked really well with the rice (attn: nut allergy). They also give you a garlic butter on the side which amped up the flavor profile of the dish. Overall I would definitely come here again! I hope next time they would have cleaner tables upon entry and better pita but other than that, it's great. I'd like to give their sandwiches and fries a shot too!"

Lebanese Taverna

★★★★☆ 3.5 (628) • $$

"Came here with a large group (15) for a work dinner. When I read the other reviews I was not excited, but they definitely exceeded my expectations! The restaurant has a good ambiance. Nice decor and doesn't feel like it's in the mall. The server was friendly and made recommendations, answered all questions with ease and kept our drinks full all evening! The Lebanese white wine was thoroughly enjoyed!!The food was great. I have actually never had Lebanese food before and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is Mediterranean fare and we had it served family style and everything was so fresh!The appetizers/small pates were so good! My favorite was the M'saka. Be prepared, it is cold, but I want more just thinking about it now! Falafel was not dry, hummus and dips were quite good. I personally was not a huge fan of the kibbeh, but I think that's just personal taste/texture preference. I would've preferred a bit more bulgur in the Tabouleh. Main course was just meat and onions and dip. The best dip turned out to be straight up pressed garlic. I've never seen/had garlic that texture so had asked what it was, imagine my shock when the dip turned out to be just garlic! The meat was cooked well, in that there was pink in the beef and chicken was cooked through. For dessert we ordered a few orders of donuts and Knafe, along with some baklava. It was all very good. The Knafe was super interesting in that it wasn't very sweet but I kept going back to it. The sesame "roll" with it gave it a nice depth. Overall, I really enjoyed this meal (maybe the wine influenced that? I kid, I kid). I will definitely eat Lebanese again because of this. Give it a try!"

Muncheez

★★★★☆ 3.7 (523) • $$

"Tbh, I would rather come here than any late night diner 100% of the time. I have driven from Rockville to get Muncheez on multiple occasions hehe.The shawarma is FIRE. I always get a wrap. I often get a crepe. Whoever thought about having a crepery in the window was a smart person. I so appreciate that the menu is small and simple but every single item so fresh and so deliciously made.I often see people come in picking up food togo. Delivery drivers too! The guys working hard to cook for you, be nice to them! They are so sweet and they work so hard and such long hours.Love this place and don't forget to tip! Hehe"

Lebanese Taverna Pentagon

★★★★☆ 3.6 (508) • $$

"Came here for a quick dinner with my coworker while I was in town. We ordered the hummus and I got the pita with a side salad. The hummus was amazing! I added some onto the pita and it made it super tasty. The staff here is also very nice and friendly."

Zikrayet Lebanese Restaurant & Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (449) • $$

"Had no clue it was also a hookah bar and lounge, but if the weather was nice there's a TON of patio seating.Food was quite good overall! Next time I'll just get a bunch of small plates because those were all excellent (sausages in lemon butter were PARTICULARLY great). Main dishes were ok and drink prices seemed high...thus the 4 star and not 5 star review."

Cedars of Lebanon

★★★★★ 4.6 (121)

"Doesn't get any more authentic than this spot. From the time you walk in the door, you feel like you are in Lebanon. The ambiance, serving and food is totally on point. I met the squad here for lunch and it was excellent. Highly recommend this place and will definitely be back."

LEBTAV

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (201) • $$

"Tasty Meal via Delivery!I ordered via Uber Eats Today.The "Taverna Platter" my selection(salmon, Lebanese rice, hummus & salad).Delicious fresh tasting ingredients. See Photo.My order arrived timely & well packaged.Supporting local business during Covid-19."

Olive Lebanese Eatery

★★★★★ 4.5 (91)

"Went here today to do brunch with some friends! I did not see a reservation system online, so my friend called and made a reservation for three at 11, which I would highly recommend on a weekend as they get very busy and very full! The place is right in front of Sola salon, we went around in a square because we couldn't find it, but it's behind the building, not on the street side, and we paid to park in the garage. Paid street parking is also available. Service here is very slow, but it's not bad at all; my friends and I had a really great time catching up and sitting there for a few hours, but if you're someone who wants to get up and go maybe it would irritate you. They are so nice and greet everyone who walks in, it feels very personal ! The meat is all Halal, which is very nice :) my friends got the chicken and OE kebab and I got the Beirut breakfast - everything was delicious and portion sizes were good! The drinks were delicious as well, my friend got a pistachio latte, the other got a peppermint hot chocolate, and I got the mint lemonade (I appreciated it was not slushy). We also got the chocolate cake and baklava. The baklava didn't have a lot of syrup so it felt a little dry but was still good and the chocolate cake was so rich! Bathroom was also clean - you do have to ask staff so they can give the key.I will definitely come back again !!"

Yasmine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (97)

"The drinks were good. The Baba ghanoush was just ok. Had a weird taste. But great portion to share.I'll be back for more. Great people watching."

Shemali's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (65) • $

"Located inside Foxhall Square, Shemali's is a cute little Lebanese cafe I just happen to stumble upon. It has a variety of food options as well as some spices and sauces that can be purchased and used at home. There are a variety of appetizer, sandwich, and platter options. I ordered the lamb gyro sandwich, which was sooo good and well complemented by tzatziki sauce inside it. I also got some kebbe, which is pretty much ground beef inside of a firmer exterior (similar to falafel but beef inside) and absolutely loved it. The prices are also pretty reasonable for the area, and the portions were fitting for a full meal with potential leftovers. Very friendly staff and I believe they also have catering options. Highly recommend if you're in the cathedral heights/tenleytown area!"

Beirut Butcher

★★★★☆ 4 (45) • $$

"The kind of local & small business we would love to and continue to support! We bought the garlic paste from here and it's jut authentic! Will come back and try more items!"

LEBTAV

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (66)

"It would take a major metropolitan area like the DC Metro area to accommodate a niche specialty food place like this Lebonese restaurant. It it was our good fortune to find it. The food here is very good! Try it."

Zazzy

★★★★★ 4.7 (29)

"My friend and I came here for a late lunch around 2:30ish. It was completely empty which was nice because the place we tried going to was completely packed. I got the chicken batata and my friend got one of the bowls. Mine was pretty good, the chicken was delicious. The potatoes were good, the ones that were super oily thought tasted a little weird. I like the crispy crunchy ones better. It's a cute little restaurant, aesthetically pleasing."

Muncheez

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (58)

"We went there a while ago and tried their crepes which was very delicious! We will be back soon! The workers were nice too."

Miramar Shawarma & Hookah Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (24)

"Owner is amazing and the entire staff is super friendly. Food is amazing and the shisha is splendid as well. Definitely try this place 10/10"

Kabab2go

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"Another great vendor from Solaire Social. My wife picked up an UberEats order next door to our apartment while my father was staying over which had a Lamb Kabab Sandwich, 2 Chicken Kabab Plates, and 2 Garlic Labnes. Everything was very delicious and we look forward to eating from here again."

Maydan

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$$

"What an incredible experience! This is a place to go for more than a meal. It's definitely an experience I won't forget. My husband and I went to DC to visit our daughter and told her to make a reservation somewhere that she's been wanting to try. She knew immediately where she wanted to go and while it took quite the effort to get reservations because they go quickly, she was able to get us in at 9:00 pm. Walking in I knew it was going to be special. They have a door that is beautiful and sets the tone for the cultural food experience. The staff was amazing! Friendly and helpful and the ambiance was incredible. The fire right there so you can see them cooking the pita and the fish and steak and lamb. We decided to try the tasting menu so we could get a large variety of items and it was a treat! I tasted two different wines and chose a bottle that paired perfectly with the steak and the Branzino. We had cocktails to sip while we worked our way through the first course and each bite, each sip was a celebration on the palate! The creamy hummus, the pickled vegetables, the fresh pita, the salad, it was so good that we didn't pace ourselves well and were getting full by the time our meat dishes arrived. The Branzino was fabulous! Perfectly cooked, flaky, flavorful and the presentation was beautiful. The Rib Eye was my husband's favorite because it was also perfectly cooked and so tasty. I would have a hard time choosing something else because these were so well prepared and made the meal! The dessert was light and if I could have eaten more I would have. My family finished it up without a problem though. For the amount of food, the ambiance and the quality of service, it was worth the price and lived up to the hype. 10/10 food experience! Thank you for making our visit to DC so special!"

Zaytinya

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"This is my favorite restaurant in DC. I've booked an office dinner here and was treated well in the upstairs space. This last time I came for restaurant week lunch for $35. The online restaurant week menu is different from the printed menu in the restaurant. The labneh is always my favorite. The brussels sprouts were perfection. Each dish was beautifully presented and packed with fresh, vibrant flavors. The warm fresh bread was amazing.The falafel was a disappointment because it was tiny which means most of it is the crispy outside and little of the flavorful inside. My friend got the salmon and I compared the size of her food, and how filling that makes her, and how she had to box it up to take home because her second entry the chicken filled her up. You can't compare a salmon steak to falafel, its not comparable. They should have had a better third course for vegetarians that is more filling. Falafal is street food in the middle east and so cheap to make. For desert I got the olive oil cake which was an embarrassment. Also I follow all the wonderful work World Central Kitchen does and after their volunteers were deliberately bombed and Jose spoke out against it, his restaurant should stop selling wine from the country that murdered his volunteers."