Zaytinya

Every time I come to Zaytinya, I’m reminded why I keep finding reasons to come back!!<br><br>Angie, Michelle, and Tristan set the tone the second you walk through the door, making you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.<br><br>From there, the service never misses. If someone isn’t making sure your glass stays full, there’s a good chance fresh bread is headed your way. The attention to detail is unreal.<br><br>Chris and Issa were wonderful as always, but a special shoutout to my servers, Jacob and Ricardo, who took incredible care of us throughout the meal. And the bar team? Estaban*, Antonio, and Wilson are in a league of their own. . . . every cocktail is executed flawlessly!<br><br>What stands out most is how seamless the experience feels from beginning to end. Every person on this team contributes to an atmosphere that makes dining here feel special without ever feeling forced.<br><br>Safe to say I’m still not tired of spending my money at Zaytinya. 10/10 experience, every single time. Part of me wants to gatekeep it, but places this good deserve the recognition. ❤️🍸🥖✨

The food at Zaytinya was excellent, and our waitress was outstanding. She was attentive, knowledgeable, and provided the level of hospitality one would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.<br><br>Unfortunately, our experience was significantly diminished by the sommelier. We had kept the wine list at the table because we intended to select a bottle after enjoying our cocktails. When he approached to retrieve it, we explained that we were still deciding. His response and overall demeanor suggested that our interest in thoughtfully choosing a wine was somehow an inconvenience.<br><br>What was particularly disappointing was observing him discuss us with a colleague while standing within clear view of our table. Regardless of the intent, it came across as unprofessional and left us feeling unwelcome.<br><br>A restaurant can have exceptional food, impressive wine, and beautiful ambiance, but hospitality is ultimately defined by the people delivering the experience. While our waitress exemplified that standard, the sommelier did not. It was a surprising lapse in professionalism for a restaurant operating at this level.

5 stars for my server Gunchin. When my seat got moved to the waiting area (which was odd and I couldn’t enjoy the atmosphere), Gunchin took great care of me.<br><br>The scallops are the standout dish. Otherwise I would say the food/cocktails are high quality but just decent value for price.

Everything we had was amazing! I’ve now tried all of the Jose Andres restaurants/bars in this building and I’ve gotta say this is maybe my favorite! Quality was top notch and it’s hard to find good soujuk so I had to get that and do recommend that to share. All the mains from lamb to beef to salmon are great too and staff is kind, professional and attentive!

I visited Zaytinya with my partner and I have mixed feelings about the experience. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was very good. The quality of the dishes really impressed us.<br><br>However, I was quite disappointed with the seating situation. I specifically asked for a corner table for my partner and me, but I was told that all of them were reserved. During our entire dinner there were four corner tables empty and no one arrived to sit there while we were in the restaurant for about an hour.<br><br>Because of where we were seated, we had to almost yell to hear each other during dinner, which made the experience much less comfortable. I truly wish the staff could have been a little more flexible, especially since the tables remained empty the whole time.<br><br>It honestly breaks my heart to leave a review like this because the food is excellent. I just hope the restaurant might be more accommodating with seating in the future.

Can’t thank the team at Zaytinya enough for such a wonderful birthday dinner experience! I emailed with the team literally the day before my event, and they pulled together a customized menu and seating for 14 people in the center of the restaurant. The food was fantastic and the service was excellent!<br><br>Perfect spot for a group event or any dinner date.✨

Nice place with good service, nice ambiance. and lovely cocktails. Good selection of mezze for both vegetarians and meat lovers. The food quality is good but not exceptional. Service also very good, friendly and polite. Great place to share food but better to under order to start with as the food comes out quickly so you can judge the quantity as you go along.

We went here for a birthday dinner for one of my best friends and the atmosphere was amazing. A bit tough to get reservations but definitely worth it for the vibes and food.<br><br>My favorite bites of the night were the Chicken Muhamarra, Kebab Platter and Celebration Rice.<br><br>Just as a heads up, only items with chicken are halal!

Gotra say this off the top, every time I have come here, the waiters wildly WILDLY over inflates the number of mezzes each person should order. I being big backed couldn't finish that much let alone most ladies.<br><br>That being said, their olive oil with pomegranite molasses dip should be made standard at all mediterranean restaurants, willing to pay for it as an option even! Love the cauliflower, baba ghannouge, kibbeh and more. While many dishes are done well, it is very hard to standout in a crowded market like NY with excellent mediterranean restaurants at all tiers.<br><br>The place is elaborate, love the bar, service at later courses was lacking and slow.

I’m almost sure I had already written a review for Zaytinya because I truly love this place, but I couldn’t find it — so here I go again.<br><br>This time I visited for lunch (for a friend’s birthday), and the previous time I came for dinner (my anniversary). Both experiences were absolutely incredible.<br><br>The food has a truly authentic Turkish and Mediterranean flavor, and I genuinely love their menu. The Adana Kebab is outstanding — perfectly seasoned, full of flavor, and beautifully prepared. Portions feel just right, prices are fair, and everything tastes high quality.<br><br>The service is also a huge part of what makes this place special: the attention is professional, the staff is kind and attentive, and they’re very thoughtful with every detail. It feels luxurious without being stiff — the ambiance is relaxed and welcoming, which I really appreciate.<br><br>Even after finishing our lunch, we ended up coming back later for a drink at the bar, simply because we enjoy the space so much.<br><br>Highly recommended.

Gourmet diary.<br><br>If you’re a foodie and love chef’s story. Then you must come to visit.<br><br>My friend recommended this restaurant, then I read the story about chef Jose Andreas.<br><br>A chef with a great heart and talent of cooking fusion.<br><br>We really enjoyed the food and the vibe of restaurant.

Taste good in the neighborhood. Our favorite was the shrimp and octopus from the seafood maze section. Also the lamb meatball kebab was really good

Had such a beautiful and romantic dinner at Zaytinya in the city. The restaurant is absolutely stunning — cozy, aesthetic, and designed with a modern Middle Eastern touch that instantly sets the vibe. It’s warm, intimate, and perfect for a date or a special night out.<br><br>We went with their Chef’s Experience, which is $80 per person (or $125 with wine pairing) and honestly, it’s so worth it. You get multiple courses — appetizers, salads, sides, entrées, and two desserts. Even though the portions are smaller, the variety and amount of food you get make it more than enough for two people. Plus, you get to try so many dishes you probably wouldn’t think to order individually.<br><br>Everything was flavorful and beautifully presented. The spreads, salads, shrimp, falafel, and hot appetizers were amazing. I also tried a cocktail with za’atar, which was strong, unique, and really delicious.<br><br>The service was friendly and very attentive, and the whole atmosphere felt elevated but still comfortable. It’s one of those restaurants you walk into and immediately feel relaxed.<br><br>I would definitely come back to explore more of their menu. Highly recommend for anyone who loves Middle Eastern/Mediterranean flavors or wants a romantic, memorable dinner in the city.

As a regular patron of Zaytinya in DC, I knew what to expect for quality, service, and atmosphere.<br><br>This was NOT what Zaytinya delivers.<br><br>Our reservation was seated for 15 minutes before ANYONE even approached our table.<br>Service was slow, inconsistent, and failed to meet even basic expectations.<br><br>The food was delicious, as is expected. Our hummus and baba ganoush were decadent. The lamb was tender, the beef impeccably seasoned, and the chicken charred perfectly.<br><br>At the culmination of the meal, the manager apologized for not meeting service expectations and had 2 desserts delivered to our table.<br><br>There were issues with their payment system which resulted in our table being charged for the desserts., which we did not even choose. All in all there were multiple failures across their service lines.<br><br>I cannot recommend this restaurant despite their good food. This is NOT the quality of this restaurant that I have come to know and experience previously.

Some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life. Went there with some friends and ordered the tasting menu, with an extra order of their lamb chops. We ate so much fresh bread (it kept coming out) with their delicious hummus, that we had to stop ourselves. Notably, this place had the best hummus, brussels sprouts, salad (smoked beet salata), and Greek yogurt I’ve ever had. I never thought I would say that about a salad, but the candied walnuts worked so well with their beets and cheese. By the end of the meal we were stuffed and extremely happy with the food we received. Definitely a great way to celebrate a milestone!