Best baclava and falafels I've ever had!! Great ambience and kind people. Large portions and great prices. I will be back!
Omar Yaghi
The food is delicious- beautiful presentation. The Maqlooba and Musakhan are some of the best I’ve ever had. I asked for white meat after receiving my meal with dark meat any they brought me an extra chicken piece for free (very generous and welcoming). The place dates back to the 1960s you can read more about Mama Ayesha’s story at the entrance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kibbeh
Verina B.
What a gem of a place. Great Palestinian food and amazing vibe. Everything was executed pretty well. I will say some dishes were better than others but if you want authentic food, this place has it. Unfortunately the service a little slow
Wassim Z
Nice place Good food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew C.
Very friendly family- Muhammad was an excellent server- prompt- the food was excellent especially Malfoof - very hard to find Malfoof loved they had it in the menu. Tabbouleh was disappointing- bland taste and bitter. Overall a great Palestinian restaurant in Washington DC. Highly Recommend- Next time will get the spicy sausage and Kifta. Great variety of menu items.
Julie P.
The last time I was at this place was ten years ago when I was in DC - I decided to stop by on my trip last week and was so glad I did! The food is as good as I remember - the musakan is one of my all time favorite dishes. the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and great service. This is a hidden neighborhood gem where you can get in without a reservation.
Starr Bowie
Food excellent, variety and portions ample; service friendly, courteous, efficient, prompt, inobtrusive ; atmosphere warm, comfortable, relaxed; decor pretty; location easy to access by public transportation. Wish they were open for lunch as well as dinner!
Naria W.
3.5 stars! Came to Mama Ayesha's with a friend on a weeknight around 7pm and had an overall good experience. We had a reservation but the dining room was totally empty with only two tables dining so walking in without a reservation would be easy. A server came to me immediately to take my drink order. I had a "fresh mint lemonade" which ended up being I'm pretty sure just minute maid with mint. They graciously let me trade it in for another drink. To start we had falafel and labneh with pita. Both were tasty though the falafel was way smaller than expected. For my main I had chicken skewers which has a few roasted vegetables on the skewers and a side of rice. The portion was a good sized. Enough to take home for a second small meal and everything tasted good. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The rice was lukewarm and not super flavorful but totally fine. For dessert I had baklava and coffee. Baklava was a nice treat and the coffee was good. Overall a 3-star experience made better by the really attentive and friendly staff! Wonderful service all around and a very nice team that let us stay chat and sit around way longer than most restaurants would. The atmosphere was cute and pretty quiet overall so it was the perfect environment to catch up with friends. The place started to fill up around 9 and I got the impression that this is very much a loved neighborhood spot. Worth a visit for the friendly service and good vibes.
Jeremy Schatten
Food was depressingly bland. It was like someone with no taste buds and who has never heard of salt made the bamya stew.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Sahara s
Finally tried this place after hearing about it for long. Everything we ordered was perfect.
We shared several appetizers which were quite good, I had the lamb shank which was a little sweet sauce for me, the lamb reheated without the sauce was much better. Portions generous. The service was stressed because huge Saturday crowd. It's a cozy spot to dine and reasonable prices for dc. Decent wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Dan Murphy
A spot where cleanliness seems to stray, with mice as guests who've come to stay. Health standards in question, a worrisome sight, as servers stumble in culinary night. Descriptions falter, knowledge quite thin, leaving patrons wondering what's within. Dust gathers, adding to the scene, a layer of neglect, not quite serene. And the food, alas, lacks its rightful zest, far from the flavors one would expect as best. A dining experience that leaves much to desire, in need of improvement, and a spark to inspire.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Nicolas d'Arros
20% gratuity (no choice)+ Additional $10 if you pay by card (no choice and even with a debit card)= A very hefty bill for the kind of food they
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
E Jimenez
Awesome place. Small and quiet. Food is great and the attention is paramount.No kids menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
katherine baer
Dolmas, falafel and tabouli salad are all excellent! I order from Mama Ayesha’s regularly and it’s always fresh and delicious.
Best baclava and falafels I've ever had!! Great ambience and kind people. Large portions and great prices. I will be back!
The food is delicious- beautiful presentation. The Maqlooba and Musakhan are some of the best I’ve ever had. I asked for white meat after receiving my meal with dark meat any they brought me an extra chicken piece for free (very generous and welcoming). The place dates back to the 1960s you can read more about Mama Ayesha’s story at the entrance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kibbeh
What a gem of a place. Great Palestinian food and amazing vibe. Everything was executed pretty well. I will say some dishes were better than others but if you want authentic food, this place has it. Unfortunately the service a little slow
Nice place Good food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very friendly family- Muhammad was an excellent server- prompt- the food was excellent especially Malfoof - very hard to find Malfoof loved they had it in the menu. Tabbouleh was disappointing- bland taste and bitter. Overall a great Palestinian restaurant in Washington DC. Highly Recommend- Next time will get the spicy sausage and Kifta. Great variety of menu items.
The last time I was at this place was ten years ago when I was in DC - I decided to stop by on my trip last week and was so glad I did! The food is as good as I remember - the musakan is one of my all time favorite dishes. the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and great service. This is a hidden neighborhood gem where you can get in without a reservation.
Food excellent, variety and portions ample; service friendly, courteous, efficient, prompt, inobtrusive ; atmosphere warm, comfortable, relaxed; decor pretty; location easy to access by public transportation. Wish they were open for lunch as well as dinner!
3.5 stars! Came to Mama Ayesha's with a friend on a weeknight around 7pm and had an overall good experience. We had a reservation but the dining room was totally empty with only two tables dining so walking in without a reservation would be easy. A server came to me immediately to take my drink order. I had a "fresh mint lemonade" which ended up being I'm pretty sure just minute maid with mint. They graciously let me trade it in for another drink. To start we had falafel and labneh with pita. Both were tasty though the falafel was way smaller than expected. For my main I had chicken skewers which has a few roasted vegetables on the skewers and a side of rice. The portion was a good sized. Enough to take home for a second small meal and everything tasted good. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The rice was lukewarm and not super flavorful but totally fine. For dessert I had baklava and coffee. Baklava was a nice treat and the coffee was good. Overall a 3-star experience made better by the really attentive and friendly staff! Wonderful service all around and a very nice team that let us stay chat and sit around way longer than most restaurants would. The atmosphere was cute and pretty quiet overall so it was the perfect environment to catch up with friends. The place started to fill up around 9 and I got the impression that this is very much a loved neighborhood spot. Worth a visit for the friendly service and good vibes.
Food was depressingly bland. It was like someone with no taste buds and who has never heard of salt made the bamya stew.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Finally tried this place after hearing about it for long. Everything we ordered was perfect.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We shared several appetizers which were quite good, I had the lamb shank which was a little sweet sauce for me, the lamb reheated without the sauce was much better. Portions generous. The service was stressed because huge Saturday crowd. It's a cozy spot to dine and reasonable prices for dc. Decent wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
A spot where cleanliness seems to stray, with mice as guests who've come to stay. Health standards in question, a worrisome sight, as servers stumble in culinary night. Descriptions falter, knowledge quite thin, leaving patrons wondering what's within. Dust gathers, adding to the scene, a layer of neglect, not quite serene. And the food, alas, lacks its rightful zest, far from the flavors one would expect as best. A dining experience that leaves much to desire, in need of improvement, and a spark to inspire.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
20% gratuity (no choice)+ Additional $10 if you pay by card (no choice and even with a debit card)= A very hefty bill for the kind of food they
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Awesome place. Small and quiet. Food is great and the attention is paramount.No kids menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dolmas, falafel and tabouli salad are all excellent! I order from Mama Ayesha’s regularly and it’s always fresh and delicious.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grape Leaves, Falafel