Zaytinya

Zaytinya, Washington D.C.: Pearl Verdict

If you've been to Zaytinya once, the question on a return visit isn't whether to go back — it's whether you ordered the right things the first time. The answer is probably no, and that's the point. José Andrés' mezze-focused restaurant at 701 9th St NW earns its Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) not because it tries to be the most ambitious room in D.C., but because it executes its format — wide-ranging, shareable, Mediterranean small plates , more consistently than almost anything in its price bracket. At $$ (roughly $40–$65 for a two-course equivalent, excluding drinks), this is one of the better value propositions in the city for food that actually has a point of view.

What Zaytinya Does Better Than Its Peers

The kitchen's strength is breadth without sloppiness. Mezze menus often collapse under the weight of their own ambition , too many dishes, too little care , but Zaytinya holds its range across Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish traditions without the execution thinning out at the edges. The spreads are the entry point: multiple options paired with fresh pita, each distinct enough to justify ordering more than one. The mushroom kapnista with dates, walnuts, and labneh is the dish that earns repeat visits , richly layered, with enough textural contrast to hold attention across the table. Flatbreads and pide are crowd-ready, the kind of food that disappears without anyone noticing who ate the last piece.

Vegetarians are genuinely well-served here, not as an afterthought. The diversity of plant-forward dishes is broad enough that a table of non-meat eaters won't feel they're working around a menu built for others. On Sundays, the braised lamb is worth the trip on its own. If your first visit leaned heavily on spreads, a second visit should push further into the grilled and braised sections.

The wine list, under Wine Director Jordi Paronella, is worth your attention. At 140 selections with 170 in inventory, it leans into Greek and Lebanese labels that most D.C. restaurants wouldn't know where to source. Pricing sits at $$ on the wine scale , a range of price points, not all expensive , and corkage is available at $25 if you're bringing something specific. For a Mediterranean-focused list of this geographic specificity, that's a genuine differentiator.

The Room and Who It Works For

The space is sleek and modern, with energy that tracks the time of day. At lunch it runs quieter , better for conversation, easier to pace through a meal without feeling pushed. By Friday and Saturday evenings, when the kitchen runs until midnight, the room fills and the ambient noise rises accordingly. This is not a quiet dinner venue after 9 PM, but it's not trying to be. The format suits a business lunch as well as it suits a group of friends ordering too much food. Solo diners are accommodated comfortably. It's a room that works across contexts, which is rarer than it sounds at this price point.

Chef Sam Garcia runs the kitchen day-to-day, with General Manager Ally Scott overseeing the floor. The ownership structure , José Andrés and Rob Wilder , means this is part of a larger hospitality operation, and the professionalism of service reflects that. If Andrés' modernist project minibar is where you go for boundary-pushing tasting menus, Zaytinya is where the same culinary intelligence gets applied to accessible, repeatable dining.

Practical Details

Hours: Monday 11:30 am–10 pm; Tuesday–Thursday 11:30 am–11 pm; Friday 11:30 am–12 am; Saturday 11 am–12 am; Sunday 11 am–10 pm. Reservations: Easy to book , this is not a venue where you'll be waiting weeks for a table under normal circumstances. Dress: Smart casual; the room skews polished but not formal. Budget: $$ cuisine (two courses ~$40–$65 per person before drinks); $$ wine list with a $25 corkage fee. Address: 701 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001. Google rating: 4.5 across 8,610 reviews.

How It Compares

See the full comparison section below.

Pearl Picks Nearby

For more of D.C.'s dining scene, see our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide, bars guide, hotels guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide. If you're weighing Middle Eastern options in the city, Albi operates at a higher price point with a more focused tasting format. For vegetable-forward cooking with a sustainability angle, Oyster Oyster is the comparison worth making. Elsewhere in the U.S., Zaytinya's approach to cuisine mastery within a defined regional tradition compares interestingly to what Atomix does for Korean cuisine in New York, or what Smyth achieves in Chicago with its seasonal tasting format , different traditions, similar commitment to doing one thing with genuine technical depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should I wear to Zaytinya? Smart casual is the right call. The room is modern and polished , think business casual rather than formal. You won't feel underdressed in clean jeans and a jacket, and you won't need a tie. It reads closer to a confident lunch spot than a white-tablecloth occasion.
• How far ahead should I book Zaytinya? Booking difficulty is easy by D.C. standards. A few days ahead is typically sufficient for weekday lunches and dinners. For Friday or Saturday evenings, aim for a week out to have your pick of times. The Bib Gourmand recognition drives some demand, but this is not a venue where you need to plan a month in advance the way you would for Jônt or a tasting-menu format.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Zaytinya? Lunch is better if conversation matters. The room is quieter, the pace is more relaxed, and the $$ price point makes it one of the more compelling midday options in Penn Quarter. Dinner on a Friday or Saturday has more energy, but the noise level climbs after 9 PM. If you're going for the food and the wine list, not the atmosphere, lunch delivers the same kitchen at lower ambient stress.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at Zaytinya? Zaytinya does not operate a tasting menu format , this is a mezze restaurant, and the menu is designed for sharing across multiple dishes ordered à la carte. That's the format to embrace. If you want a structured tasting experience in the Andrés portfolio, minibar is the relevant comparison. At Zaytinya, the value is in ordering widely across spreads, vegetables, and mains , not in a set progression.
• Does Zaytinya handle dietary restrictions? Yes, and better than most in its category. The vegetarian selection is broad enough that plant-based diners won't feel they're making do. The mezze format , many small dishes rather than one protein-anchored plate , naturally accommodates flexible eating. If you have specific allergies, contact the restaurant directly before booking; the menu's range means there are usually multiple paths through it.
• Is Zaytinya worth the price? At $$ (two courses roughly $40–$65 before drinks), yes , particularly given the Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition, which signals value relative to quality rather than price alone. For Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking in D.C., Albi at $$$$ delivers a more refined, focused experience, but Zaytinya gives you more flexibility, a better wine list for the price, and a room that works across more occasions. For what it is and what it charges, the value holds up.