If you're looking for good service and a great meal don't put this restaurant on your list. I took my niece is there for Sunday brunch. We had the worst service could not get a glass of water in a timely manner. Our food was just OK. I ended up being very sick that night after the brunch and the drinks were terrible. We actually had to send them back, it was just a terrible experience and a disappointment for a brunch that was designed to be a nice great memory with my nieces.
Shannon M
Worst service I’ve had in years. Food was poor as well. Ordered a salad that was $21 and served in a bowl so small that the food kept falling out of it onto the table. The salad was delivered late from the other guests entrées without apology. The salad was also missing two main non-cooked ingredients and when asked it took an additional 15 minutes--the waitress actually never came back with them and we had to ask someone else. No water refills, nothing. When the server finally brought our check, she changed and dressed in street clothes, ready to leave for the day- it was only 2:00pm. Perhaps she was getting ready to leave so she couldn't wait on us. So disappointing overall.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Katie Q.
Such a nice spot out of the main King street drag. The interior is elegant, inviting, and intimate - certainly a change from when Bilbo Baggins' was in the location! The food is both delicious and beautifully plated. The menu has great variety too. The cocktail menu was unique and intriguing - I wanted to try almost everything on it! We had a lovely evening. The only potential downside was that service was a little slow, but that could have been more due to the server having more tables than comfortable on an unusually busy weeknight. And seeing how crowded it was on a weeknight was definitely a good sign! Will definitely return for more cocktails and some of the local author events that the owners host here.
ElizabethV
The food was incredible! The owner sat us and told us about her grandmother, Elaine. The service was great, and the room was full, yet we could easily have a conversation. The place cleared out by 10 though, so definitely not a later-night spot. Go elsewhere for your after-dinner drink. Can't wait to go back!
Monica S.
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.
Lee P.
The place is certainly original. I didn't recognize anything except the grilled shrimp and the branzino. I had the shrimp and it was very good, kind of hard to mess up. The format of the restaurant is a "tasting" menu. They obviously want you to try a few appetizers and a few entrees. The problem for me is the portion sizes are really tiny. At $29 for maybe 8 small shrimp I'm not ready to spend more on an app or another entree. So, a collection of very unfamiliar food with small portions and steep prices. Not my cup of middle eastern tea.
FrequentDiner
Very welcoming at door and throughout the evening, enjoyable atmosphere. Range of appealing cocktail and menu options. Cocktails were good and well priced wine options. Good appetizers. The moussaka was non traditional but very tasty. And the Alexandria shrimp was also very good - full of flavor. Portions were normal - not oversized like so many places these days. Great bread. Overall, very flavorful meal.
Elli B.
Wonderful service, atmosphere, food and drinks. Jeffrey and Cynthia are amazing! Highly recommend. Loved the interview of Jeffrey and his new book, The Forever Game.
Jake Schaffner
We were two couples having dinner before a play on Friday night. Arrived at 6. Greeted by the most-thoroughly bored appearing hostess. Seated us quickly so she could return to her cell phone. I found the furniture and seating nice, but the dining area was very brightly lit, not welcoming, and not conveying any sense of intimacy. Our server was polite and eager to help, but not knowledgeable about wines appropriate for the dinners we ordered. He also surprised me when of all the bottled and draft beers on their menu only Amstel Light and an equally tasteless beer were available. “We’re having new menus printed” was his explanation. His recommended wine from Lebanon was bitter and it was the first wine the four of us have ever sent back. We settled for a nice California Cabernet. Our friends split the lamb shoulder and enjoyed it. My wife and I had the moussaka and were very disappointed. It was blazing hot and took a long time to cool to where we could eat it. Then it was bland and needed salt or any seasoning to help it. Overall nothing in the menu struck me as Egyptian or tempted me to try it. All the menu items could be found in any of a number of better Greek or Italian or other Mediterranean restaurants. The bar area looked to be full of neighborhood folks and I wish we had gone there instead. I do not recommend this for a special or romantic dinner and nothing about it seems Egyptian.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Braised Lamb Shoulder
Jodie R.
Made a reservation for 8:45 on Saturday. When we got to the restaurant no one was there, no hostess, no waiters, we waited 5 minutes at the door before we just seated ourselves at the bar. The bar experience was unprofessional and uncomfortable. There were two bar tenders and just one other couple at the bar, yet we had to ask for menus and water. The bartender who was "taking care of us" made us feel like we were bothering him. He was rude and unprofessional. When we asked to order he said he needed to check if the kitchen was open (we had a reservation for dinner!) he said yes but we had to order quickly because they were closing, why take the reservation if the kitchen was closing? At the other end of the bar the bar tendered was focused on making custom drinks for the other couple (her friends) and the another employee who was seated at the bar. It felt like we were at an employee dinner instead of a nice date night. No one asked us if we like our food, wanted an additional drink, dessert. Nothing! The food was good the drinks were not, but with such a terrible atmosphere we were better off saving our money and eating at CAVA.
Food was delicious-very fresh - love the mezzes; even the pita was made to order! Lebanese wine was terrific and they let customers taste two different kinds before choosing a bottle or glass. Service was impeccable: Muna not only did her job by serving with a great attitude and beautiful smile, but was beyond personable, chatting with us about her amazing immigrant story! The American dream! Ambiance was lovely. We will be back!
Jehan M.
My wife and I had an exceptional meal at Elaine's. As usual Muna took care of us by being attentive and going above and beyond to make sure we have an amazing experience. Chef Sameer's latest creations were delightful.
Sara Helfer
Great food and atmosphere, cozy and literate. Good space for a private event.
Zerah
This was our first visit to Elaine's and we'll be back. The hummus with fresh, warm pita was delicious. We ordered Steak Shish and the Scallops and both were absolutely amazing. Can't wait to have a reason to go back.
Backhome Ballermom
We had a friend visiting so we took her to Elaine‘s upstairs for lunch. She and I had a sandwich while my husband had a salad. All very delicious including the brussel sprouts appetizers. Highly recommend.
If you're looking for good service and a great meal don't put this restaurant on your list. I took my niece is there for Sunday brunch. We had the worst service could not get a glass of water in a timely manner. Our food was just OK. I ended up being very sick that night after the brunch and the drinks were terrible. We actually had to send them back, it was just a terrible experience and a disappointment for a brunch that was designed to be a nice great memory with my nieces.
Worst service I’ve had in years. Food was poor as well. Ordered a salad that was $21 and served in a bowl so small that the food kept falling out of it onto the table. The salad was delivered late from the other guests entrées without apology. The salad was also missing two main non-cooked ingredients and when asked it took an additional 15 minutes--the waitress actually never came back with them and we had to ask someone else. No water refills, nothing. When the server finally brought our check, she changed and dressed in street clothes, ready to leave for the day- it was only 2:00pm. Perhaps she was getting ready to leave so she couldn't wait on us. So disappointing overall.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Such a nice spot out of the main King street drag. The interior is elegant, inviting, and intimate - certainly a change from when Bilbo Baggins' was in the location! The food is both delicious and beautifully plated. The menu has great variety too. The cocktail menu was unique and intriguing - I wanted to try almost everything on it! We had a lovely evening. The only potential downside was that service was a little slow, but that could have been more due to the server having more tables than comfortable on an unusually busy weeknight. And seeing how crowded it was on a weeknight was definitely a good sign! Will definitely return for more cocktails and some of the local author events that the owners host here.
The food was incredible! The owner sat us and told us about her grandmother, Elaine. The service was great, and the room was full, yet we could easily have a conversation. The place cleared out by 10 though, so definitely not a later-night spot. Go elsewhere for your after-dinner drink. Can't wait to go back!
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.
The place is certainly original. I didn't recognize anything except the grilled shrimp and the branzino. I had the shrimp and it was very good, kind of hard to mess up. The format of the restaurant is a "tasting" menu. They obviously want you to try a few appetizers and a few entrees. The problem for me is the portion sizes are really tiny. At $29 for maybe 8 small shrimp I'm not ready to spend more on an app or another entree. So, a collection of very unfamiliar food with small portions and steep prices. Not my cup of middle eastern tea.
Very welcoming at door and throughout the evening, enjoyable atmosphere. Range of appealing cocktail and menu options. Cocktails were good and well priced wine options. Good appetizers. The moussaka was non traditional but very tasty. And the Alexandria shrimp was also very good - full of flavor. Portions were normal - not oversized like so many places these days. Great bread. Overall, very flavorful meal.
Wonderful service, atmosphere, food and drinks. Jeffrey and Cynthia are amazing! Highly recommend. Loved the interview of Jeffrey and his new book, The Forever Game.
We were two couples having dinner before a play on Friday night. Arrived at 6. Greeted by the most-thoroughly bored appearing hostess. Seated us quickly so she could return to her cell phone. I found the furniture and seating nice, but the dining area was very brightly lit, not welcoming, and not conveying any sense of intimacy. Our server was polite and eager to help, but not knowledgeable about wines appropriate for the dinners we ordered. He also surprised me when of all the bottled and draft beers on their menu only Amstel Light and an equally tasteless beer were available. “We’re having new menus printed” was his explanation. His recommended wine from Lebanon was bitter and it was the first wine the four of us have ever sent back. We settled for a nice California Cabernet. Our friends split the lamb shoulder and enjoyed it. My wife and I had the moussaka and were very disappointed. It was blazing hot and took a long time to cool to where we could eat it. Then it was bland and needed salt or any seasoning to help it. Overall nothing in the menu struck me as Egyptian or tempted me to try it. All the menu items could be found in any of a number of better Greek or Italian or other Mediterranean restaurants. The bar area looked to be full of neighborhood folks and I wish we had gone there instead. I do not recommend this for a special or romantic dinner and nothing about it seems Egyptian.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Braised Lamb Shoulder
Made a reservation for 8:45 on Saturday. When we got to the restaurant no one was there, no hostess, no waiters, we waited 5 minutes at the door before we just seated ourselves at the bar. The bar experience was unprofessional and uncomfortable. There were two bar tenders and just one other couple at the bar, yet we had to ask for menus and water. The bartender who was "taking care of us" made us feel like we were bothering him. He was rude and unprofessional. When we asked to order he said he needed to check if the kitchen was open (we had a reservation for dinner!) he said yes but we had to order quickly because they were closing, why take the reservation if the kitchen was closing? At the other end of the bar the bar tendered was focused on making custom drinks for the other couple (her friends) and the another employee who was seated at the bar. It felt like we were at an employee dinner instead of a nice date night. No one asked us if we like our food, wanted an additional drink, dessert. Nothing! The food was good the drinks were not, but with such a terrible atmosphere we were better off saving our money and eating at CAVA.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was delicious-very fresh - love the mezzes; even the pita was made to order! Lebanese wine was terrific and they let customers taste two different kinds before choosing a bottle or glass. Service was impeccable: Muna not only did her job by serving with a great attitude and beautiful smile, but was beyond personable, chatting with us about her amazing immigrant story! The American dream! Ambiance was lovely. We will be back!
My wife and I had an exceptional meal at Elaine's. As usual Muna took care of us by being attentive and going above and beyond to make sure we have an amazing experience. Chef Sameer's latest creations were delightful.
Great food and atmosphere, cozy and literate. Good space for a private event.
This was our first visit to Elaine's and we'll be back. The hummus with fresh, warm pita was delicious. We ordered Steak Shish and the Scallops and both were absolutely amazing. Can't wait to have a reason to go back.
We had a friend visiting so we took her to Elaine‘s upstairs for lunch. She and I had a sandwich while my husband had a salad. All very delicious including the brussel sprouts appetizers. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5