Elaine’s

After a cold day of holiday shopping, I was looking for somewhere warm and comforting; other reviews led me to Elaine's and I enjoyed it. They had one of my favorites (Moussaka--good, probably overpriced) and a quiet place for me to sit by myself and enjoy my book.I had been hoping for a special holiday drink menu (I saw one on-line), but wasn't offered anything and didn't ask (bartender that served me was fine, but I felt I was bothering him).I'd give it another try, but won't rush over there again.

Returning a year later to review!Overall, I would go here for a drink. Espresso martinis were good.This restaurant is simply over-priced . The quality just doesn't align with the prices. It's ok food (didn't care for the hummus, chicken and falafel were mediocre, halloumi was a bright spot). Service was still slow and non-existent really We sat in the bar area at a table - seemed like a lot for the bartender to manage the tables as well (as he was making drinks for the dining area as well). Also, they serve it as it's made which is a bit weird when one person gets 4 plates of food (small plates) and then the other person gets their entree 10 minutes later.Cute ambiance. Cozy and dark in the bar area and bright and light in the dining areas.

We came here to celebrate a friends birthday! I'll give a full review of each of the items and courses. We got drinks both cocktails and mocktails. The pistachio mocktail is very good and unique, definitely recommend it. The old fashioned and mango daiquiri were also good. From the mezze, we got baked artichoke, Brussels, and calamari. The latter two were very good, the artichoke was just okay. It came out later and also was cold but it said baked so not sure what was going on?The entrees were all disappointing and overpriced. We got the eggplant moussaka, omelette and fava bean dip. The portions were small and the flavors unimpressive. The restaurant itself is nice and clean inside with an intentionally curated and decorated space so they definitely put effort into it. The service was really slow and felt we were forgotten. Overall I wouldn't come back, but if you're here already then get drinks and mezze.

We tried Elaine's for the first time for brunch and it was delicious! The restaurant was bright with a sophisticated ambiance offering Mediterranean cuisine with an Egyptian flare. Their cauliflower and hummus were delicious and flavorful. I was a fan of their mushroom crepe - it was delicate and filling. Their cocktails were well balanced, tasty, and offered a nod to the 1920s too. Elaine's would be great for groups or even a nice date! I highly recommend and definitely want to try their dinner!

Located in Old Town Alexandria, Elaine's offers a cozy ambiance and introduces you to middle eastern cuisine with a flair of European influences. First things first, the thing always on my mind...parking! There is a little across the street that is a $10 flat rate- a convenient option. If you don't mind parallel parking and some walking, there are some 2 hour street parking zones--but this was hard to find on a friday evening. There are some 3 hour free parking zones a bit further away, that were still available. Re: Food. I think the appetizers hit the ball out of the park. We ordered the halloumi goulash (per owner's recs), calamari, and hummus. All delicious! My friends got the koshari and I got the scallops (may not have been the best scallops I've had but the fava bean puree was the highlight and really brought the dish together). I heard the koshari was good- I had a bite, and it was good but I was glad I ordered something else. The popular dishes seem to be the halloumi goulash, steak, koshari, and branzino. My pistachio martini was interesting and different; next time, I'd like to try their espresso martini. My friends got the baklava and the phyllo- wrapped brownie, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Service was good, our waiter was mostly attentive and would frequently check in. We did; however, flag people down for refills of water and drinks. I was a bit disappointed when we weren't notified that there would be an extra cost for additional pita bread. One of our members asked for a little more pita bread to finish off the hummus...which after looking at the receipt that I texted to myself, I noticed we were charged an extra cost. I'm not complaining of the cost, but I feel like we should've been told this. I think it was a nice touch that the owner and the chef were making rounds and checking in with the tables. The chef was very kind/ personable; he knew exactly what we had ordered (despite plates being cleared) and notified us that they have brunch on the weekends and have seasonal menus. The owner had checked in and offered suggestions at the beginning of our dinner, and told us that she names the restaurant after her grandmother. This is probably just my subjective feeling, but I felt like she was just speaking to my tablemates with body turned toward them (it had me wondering if it was because I was the only non-caucasian member of the trio). I had also made the reservation and asked for a nice table, away from the hustle and bustle as some coworkers and I were celebrating International Women's Day. Our table was okay, but it was right in line to the door and kind of got cold. The upstairs appeared to have a nicer ambiance with a "library" type of feel. TLDR; cozy ambiance, good service, appetizers were great.

My boyfriend and I have been expanding our palettes and trying new restaurants along the journey. So, what better time than Restaurant Week to check some spots off of our foodie list, right? Perfect opportunity to try out Elaine's, esp since we LOVE mediterranean food!We made reservations and were promptly seated on the bar side of the restaurant right in front of the window. The other side was a more bright dining room while the bar area gave a very svelte vibe. We were cordially greeted and off to a good start. The menu was briefly explained to us by the host, and then we were given time to review and make a decision on what to indulge in. Luckily, it was happy hour, and only one other table was occupied in our area, which you would think meant faster service since the waiter/bar tender only had two tables. Wrong. But let me start with the drinks and food experience before I head to the service. We decided to partake in HH and grab some Egyptian meatballs to hold us over. I'm not sure what kind of meat this was, but they were good. We were thinking of lamb, but I'm not sure. Would I order again, maybe. We both tried the martinis. I ordered the Scriblerus Club Pistachio Martini, and my date ordered London's Olive Oil Martini. We both took one sip of our drinks, and we're like "WOAH"! They were good and STRONG! So, we were one and done there, which worked out because we were only asked if we wanted another drink one time. For RW, we ordered the Mediterranean Salads, Crispy Cauliflower, Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Salmon, and Braised Lamb Shank. The cauliflower was nothing to write home about, but the salads were super delish! The shrimp was good but a tad overcooked. My salmon was cooked perfectly, and the lamb Shank was falling off of the bone. Pretty darn good. Our fave was probably the salads, though. For dessert, we ordered the Baklava and Phyllo-wrapped brownie. The Baklava was very dry. Not a fan. The brownie wasn't bad but not as moist as I thought it would be. Nothing to even grab pictures for, honestly. Now, on to the service. This is where we were MOST disappointed and frustrated with the experience. For the most part, empty dishes piled up on our small table and sat there. I noticed this was the same for the other couple in the bar area, as well. I'm not sure why because the bartender/waiter for the area wasn't very busy. Also, he wasn't very cordial/inviting to us, either. About 20 minutes into our dinner, a group of four came and sat at the bar. This is where our waiter was nothing but smiles and laughs while his tables went neglected like we were the live version of "Lady and the Tramp" 2024. You would think after the other table decided to leave that service would get a bit better since one less table to ignore, but NOPE! At one point, we stopped a person in passing for assistance. Our waiter approached us maybe 3 times our entire 1.5 hour $150 dinner later. The host even came to check on us after noticing that we were basically playing the waiting game for service. We even had to wait nearly 15 min after finishing entrees to even order our dessert. He walked off so fast that we didn't get to tell him to pack it to go. By this time, we felt beyond disregarded and were ready to go. I, at first, thought, okay, it's HH, and they are sitting at the bar and getting prime service. Maybe that's where he feels best, but that is no excuse to ignore other patrons in your area. That experience alone was enough for us to say that we don't see ourselves returning, which is unfortunate because there were several other items that I wanted to try on the menu someday.

I am incredibly disappointed with this restaurant. I was so excited to go here for Valentine's Day and my husband's birthday and made a reservation weeks in advance. This morning I got a call from someone claiming to work at the restaurant and asking for my credit card number to hold the reservation. This is entirely plausible, but in the current climate, I was worried about giving my credit card number over the phone, especially from a number that is not connected to the restaurant. I told the woman that I would be happy to put my credit card number through OpenTable if possible, and she said that I could. This afternoon I received a voicemail stating that I could provide my credit card number and confirm the reservation or it could be canceled. I tried to call the restaurant back and immediately was sent to voicemail. The voicemail says the mailbox is full. I just checked my email and the reservation was canceled.

Absolutely OUTSTANDING!!!! The staff, the genuine kindness and hospitality, the bar tenders helping me to find a wine I like!!! The herbs and flavors in the food were ECSTATIC!!!! THANK YOU!!!We will be coming back with family and friends!

Calm, pretty restaurant - perfect for a special occasion. Menu of traditional Egyptian and Mediterranean specialties, often with a twist or new ingredient. Upstairs literary salon available for events and groups. Paid and street parking nearby. Friendly, excellent service.

Attended a lovely author event last night in the upstairs library joined by many mystery and romance fans, and also by people who love great food. Love the author events at Elaine's. Like to stop by for a lovely meal and to see the owners who are great people as well. Had the marinated branzino (my favorite) with a Hemingway espresso martini. What's not to love. I can also recommend the crispy Brussels, the crispy calamari and the salmon potato salad. The signature cocktails are delicious. The pistachio martini and the Higgins Aviation are divine. Great wine list as well.