La' Shukran

La'Shakrun is a hidden gem--literally. Tucked away in a back alley, you'd miss it if you didn't know it was there. But once you step inside, it feels like you've been transported to another country. The air is filled with aromatic spices, the intimate ambiance is unmatched, and the entire experience feels special from the start.We went for a birthday dinner, and the service was wonderful--attentive and welcoming. It's worth noting that it's easier to get a reservation for a group than for two people, so plan accordingly. Our group of six decided to share dishes family-style, and I highly recommend doing the same if you want to experience a little bit of everything.The food was absolutely delicious, and the rooftop and bar make it an even more unique community experience. Whether for a celebration or just a memorable night out, La'Shakrun is a must-visit.

KenScale: 8.0/10Visits: February 2025Michael Rafidi's restaurant Albi in DC's Navy Yard delights my wife Jun and I whenever we visit (by my count, we have been to the restaurant eight times since we moved down to the DC area in 2021, last with my parents when they visited last year), so I was very happy to hear that the chef won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in 2024. Coming off of this milestone win, chef Rafidi's team recently opened a new project in the Union Market area, a more casual bistro style restaurant called La' Shukran. Compared to the more polished Albi where you could have a fancy, destination-worthy dinner, La' Shukran felt more like its free-wheeling sibling suited for an after-party revelry with some cocktails and snacks. Jun and I have yet to visit Middle East in our travel itinerary, but I could totally feel the vibe of a hip hangout in, say, Beirut. As for the food, there were some really delicious dishes at the restaurant, but one disappointment somewhat dulled our momentum.The menu at La' Shukran consists of snacks, hummus and an assortment of savory dishes, followed by handful of dessert options. Among the snack bites, we liked the falafel with trout caviar and dill on top. We've always had outstanding spreads at Albi, so getting at least one hummus dish was a no-brainer here. Despite my plea to Jun to share the escargot spread, she wanted to go in a different direction with BBQ'd maitake mushrooms; no complaint there, the smoky mushroom (lacquered in date molasses on a scallion-ginger relish) was spot-on to go along with the hummus. I only wish we had received the wonderful pita bread we would always get from Albi when ordering spreads instead of the normal-ish (and not quite warm) bread served here. The best dish of the night was a surprise. I don't normally go for quails on a menu, but Jun, after looking at some reviews of the restaurant before our visit, noted how the quail at La' Shukran seems to be a standout dish so I went with her suggestion to split it, which turned out to be a very wise call. I couldn't remember ever having a quail dish this delicious, with perfectly moist, tender meat dunked in Ramallah chili oil. With the quail, the grilled arrowhead cabbage was quite a nice vegetable complement. The one big disappointment at the restaurant was also a surprise, knowing that the lamb kebab at Albi is one of the best dishes we've ever had in DC, period. I expected La' Shukran to pull off a similar feat with its steak kebab prepared 'au Poivre style, but the steak was surprisingly dull, with the meat's texture somewhat off from my ideal of a filet mignon. Jun was equally puzzled that the steak kebab was underwhelming, especially considering the $58 price tag. Our disappointment was somewhat alleviated later by the pistachio knafeh with naulbi cheese and apple cider sorbet, but we couldn't shake off the "what if" feeling had the steak been as good as the lamb from Albi. La' Shukran is one of the hottest restaurants in DC at the moment, so planning ahead for advance booking (Resy reservations are open up to 21 days in advance) is absolutely critical. As we were checking in, we saw a few desperate visitors trying their luck with walk-in seats at the bar area. Not surprisingly for a sister restaurant to Albi, which has one of the best beverage lists in the DC dining scene, La' Shukran also has some really interesting beverages, including wines (many of them from the Middle East) under catchy themes as well as cocktails (some using the traditional spirit arak from the Levant). As noted above, the atmosphere at La' Shukran can get pretty insane with loud music and dark lighting; on our visit, there was a photographer with blinding flashlight on his camera roaming around the kitchen (where chef Rafidi was also on site) and the dining area. If you are looking for a fun dinner and wouldn't mind the noise and dizzying atmosphere, La' Shukran is worth checking out. I certainly would like to come back again for the quail. For now, I think we stick with Albi as a regular with a calmer dining experience (and yes, that killer lamb dish).

We secured a reservation this past Sunday evening, and everyone was so excited. I believe it shares ownership with Yellow and Albi, and I personally enjoyed my experience at Yellow, so I was really looking forward to La' Shukran. Our server was attentive and ensured our cups were never empty. Between the five of us, we ordered a variety of dishes, and they were served in a timely manner.BITES: CRISPY SWEETBREAD - 17The order came with 6 pieces of fried sweetbread, topped with spring onions and served with a side of tahini sauce. The pieces I tried had a heavy fried batter, which masked the creamy, fatty texture of the sweetbread. The tahini sauce was phenomenal, and we ended up using it with the baguette we got with our hummus.HUMMUS: BEEF HEART SHISH - 22Each order of hummus came with 5 pieces of benne seed epi baguette. Unfortunately, the baguette was served at room temperature, with a hard texture that made it difficult to pull apart and scoop up the hummus. The beef heart was a rougher cut of meat, topped with some pickled vegetables. The hummus itself was smooth, but the combination of toppings and flavors didn't wow us. We weren't too impressed with the beef heart shish hummus.HUMMUS: SMOKEY ESCARGOT - 21This hummus, however, was a completely different story. We were thoroughly impressed. The hummus was topped with 6 escargots bathed herbs, parsley, and butter. While there was probably more herb and butter than hummus, the flavor combination was outstanding. The escargots were tender and had a nice chew. This dish was one of our favorites, and we highly recommend it.SIDES: SALAD SHUKRAN - 19This salad is more of an herb salad (warning: there's cilantro if you're not a fan) with fresh apple slices, pecans, and feta cheese. Sadly, the salad was a bit dry, as it lacked dressing. Personally, I wouldn't order it again.BARBEQUED DUCK BREAST - 46This was so good! The duck was neatly sliced and plated (9 pieces per plate), topped with fresh herbs, and drizzled with a BBQ sauce made from tahini and harissa. On the side, there were blood orange slices and radishes, adding a delightful sweetness and crisp. The duck was incredibly tender and soaked up the sauce deliciously. The first bite reminded me of the perfect medium-rare ribeye. These were incredible bites and quickly became a favorite at our table.SOUJEK DUMPLINGS - 32Each plate comes with 9 dumplings, topped with chili crunch and earthy mushrooms, served on a shallow bed of flavorful broth. In the center, there's a generous spoonful of garlic yogurt. The dumplings were quite small, disappearing after just a few quick bites, making it hard to savor their flavor. Besides that, the mushrooms were delightful, the garlic yogurt was bold and tasty, and the broth was rich and flavorful.HASHWEI FRIED RICE - 24The fried rice reminded me of sticky rice stir-fried with pieces of lamb, carrots, and almonds, all topped with a bit of yogurt and fresh herbs. There were plenty of toppings mixed in, so each bite had a bit of something. The rice tasted better the more we ate it. While this wasn't one of our favorites, we still appreciated giving it a try.PICANHA STEAK KEBAB - 62For this amount, we expected the most tender steak since each order comes with a small strip of steak, cut into 5 pieces. The steak was topped generously with pickled vegetables and fresh herb salad with an au poivre sauce. I was looking forward to it until I saw my friends to my left and right struggling to cut through their piece of the steak. Unfortunately, my piece was just as tough. While the toppings and sauce were perfectly delicious, the quality of steak of the dish was incredibly disappointing. I wouldn't order this again.CHOCOLATE CARDAMOM TART - 14This is one of two desserts we tried that night. The tart featured a blend of chocolate and cardamom flavors, but one of my friends found it to be a "hair too bitter". The bit of cream was topped with pieces of sesame brittle and a sprinkle of sea salt that softened the intense flavors of the tart. Overall, though, we weren't blown away by this dessert.PISTACHIO KNAFEH NABULSI - 14Knafeh Nabulsi is a dessert originated from the Middle East that has a layer of gooey, warm pastry baked with sweet cheese. Ours was topped with pistachio bits, floral syrup, and a scoop of apple cider sorbet, creating a unique experience where each bite was both warm and mushy, yet cold and frosty at the same time. The sweet and salty cheese (reminded us of ricotta) paired well with the fruity, chilled sorbet. The pistachio bits were a nice touch. We really enjoyed this dessert and would highly recommend itWe felt like the dishes here were either really good or just meh. There wasn't much room in between. If I came back, I'd definitely order the escargot hummus, duck breast, and pistachio knafeh nabulsi dessert again. Overall, La' Shukran was worth trying!

Yes, as good as people say it is. Loved sitting at the bar, enjoying the drinks and food. Pro tip: get there at opening time and you may have a chance to get a seat. I never thought escargot and hummus paired well, but they do. The dumplings are excellent. The oysters have a surprise: jalapeños!Actually, everything we tried was so good. Can't wait to go back.

I couldn't score a reservation online since they seem to book up within hours (reservations are released at midnight, three weeks in advance). On a Saturday, my husband and I decided to try the walk-in bar seating when it opened at 5pm. We got into line at 4:55 in an alley where the door to the restaurant is, and there were 9 people in front of us. There are 13 bar seats plus a high top table for 2 in a very dark corner behind the host stand, so we were able to score seats!Service at the bar was quick, as they are amply staffed at the bar. We ordered cocktails ($18 and $19). The bar stools have low back supports and there's purse hooks under the bar. The restaurant decor is beautiful. The bathrooms are so dim, good luck checking your makeup or the toilet seats. The menu has different categories, and we decided to order 1 bite, 1 hummus dish, and 2 mains = 4 dishes in all for the two of us to share. We were pleased with the serving sizes of the dishes, and didn't go away hungry. We tried the beef heart hummus and preferred eating the beef heart on its own and not combined with the hummus. Separately, both were delicious. Soujek dumplings were good but not memorable for me. The steak kebab was tender and flavorful but was the priciest item at $58.We were seated at the bar for maybe one hour and then we were done with our meal. Decided not to order dessert- wanted to have Yellow's soft serve instead!

The Team of Albi and Yellow has done it again!! This Team can truly do it all. From fancy with Albi to casual at Yellow to the in between. Shukran was incredible. It's hard to pin point the highlights because there were so many but I would have to say the Falafel, Beef Tongue, Dumplings, and Fried Rice were all amazing! Do not sit on any of them. Special highlight to Stefan at the bar, his drinks were fabulous. If you are a gin drinker like myself get the Filfil. Sooooo good. And major bonus, no hangover in the morning.Now we didn't have a reservation (those are hard to come by and now it's easy to see why) but we did get there at 5 when they opened and got seats at the bar. Recommend making that the move if you don't want to wait for a reservation.But seriously go, it's incredible, you will not be disappointed.

Since this is my first major review of the new year and I'm seeing a lot of these lists flying around, I'm going to do it like they do:Out: Vibe that is too loud!In: This place has the vibe juuuuuust right! It's giving sexy late night middle eastern market with a hyper sleek and modern bend. Candles are everywhere, the music is on point and juuuuust loud enough that you kinda dance in your seat a little bit but can still hear your table talk!Out: Levantine Stereotypical Food!In: Thoughtfully crafted dishes that don't sacrifice flavor for aesthetics! We've all had humus with a meat on top, but have you had humus that is PERFECTLY whipped with spots of tzatziki, pickled red onions and thinly shaven and perfectly flavored beef tongue (it was giving perfect jerky consistency)? Have you had pillowy and perfect bread instead of pita with said humus? Have you had falafel topped with caviar? Or dumplings with shaved truffles? An elevated beef kebab that is really just perfectly cooked steak that happened to be on a skewer and smothered in amazing gravy that had to be sopped up with the aforementioned bread!!!? Every dish was wonderfully flavored, simply presented and traditional in intention but modern in execution!Out: Lack of service!In: Smart fun service, educational service, calling the cocktail menu creator to your table to walk you through the amazing and deliciously inventive drinks service. Food coming out hot and fast, table being cleaned and new plates and cutlery coming out service. Refold your napkin when you go to the restrooms with the best smelling candles service! Doing all this but making you feel comfortable enough to come in in jeans and a t-shirt service, but also dressing up and going on a date service!Out: To dim to eatIn: Candles and Candles and more Candles. Did I mention vibes? Oh, and a sexy bar!I've loved everything the folks behind Yellow have done and this is no exception! La'S delivers the future of DC dining in a small but mighty space. Reservations are still tough to get, but come alone and sit at the bar, or just plan ahead cause the bar has been set and there's no going back!

The articles you've read about this being a swanky spot and a vibe are true! TLDR: Would love to come back!The Space: Its a bit difficult to find. You have to go around the corner from Yellow and into the alleyway to find the door. We snagged a reservation for Sunday 5pm which is when it opens. By 5:05pm, all of the "first come first served" seats at the bar were filled so suffice to say, this spot is packed. The Service: Our waiter was attentive. He walked us through cocktail menu including those made with Arak, a Middle eastern spirit that tastes like anise. His description gave me the confidence to try Warda which was worth trying -- yes, there was a faint taste of licorice but more so I tasted the coconut and lime. My husband for the Filfil and while it had a kick from the green chili, I was able to drink it fine (and am usually sensitive to heat). He regularly checked in on us and the food came out at a good pace. We were never left wondering "where is the next dish?"The food: Standouts for us included the mushroom hummus, the dumplings and mahalabiya sundae (milk pudding in sundae form with cardamom and rose YUM). The lamb fried rice was our least favorite - good but felt like something we could make at home.

What a great addition to NoMA. Cozy, Sexy, date night spot located in the alley. Ambiance is on the spot. I suggest coming here for drinks over the food. You can order based off the specialty cocktails menus or create your own. The customer service here is amazing where everyone is welcome. *Bar seating is small. *There's an outside patio that opens up with the weather is warm

Phenomenal food! No wonder it's hard to get a resy. The restaurant is very small and most tables can only accommodate 2 or 4 ppl. I did see one booth squeeze in 5 ppl. I was so focused on eating I almost forgot to take pics and mine turned out awful lol. I can't wait to come back!Date BBQ'd mushroom with scallion-ginger relish: 9/10. This hummus was very tasty and we enjoyed it more than the charred yam one. The bread it comes with is kind of hard but it does the trick. Bay Scallops w/ harissa butter: 5/10. These were our least favorite and tasted like a lump of chipotle butter. It pairs better with the bread than eaten alone. Grilled Aarowhead Cabbage: 10/10! This was next level AMAZING! I will get this every single visit, it's that good. It has a nice charred taste, with yogurt and almonds. Hashwei Lamb Fried Rice: 10/10. The dept of flavor in this dish is a tantalizing experience on the tongue. Everyone loved this dish!Whole Fried Hot Quali: 8/10. Small but mighty. The skin on this crispy and not like anything I've had before. Aged NY Steak Kebab: 7/10. The sauce really elevates the steak. It was good but nothing special. Mahalabinya Sundae: 10/10. This was delicious! Not too sweet or rich. The ice cream is soft and creamy. The frozen grapes made it refreshing and the raspberry meringue added a slight tang.