Atilla’s Restaurant, web site, 2705 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-920-8100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Yelp]
Supposed to be a Turkish place, I have yet to go. It is attached to a grocery store and take-out, and is supposed to be quite authentic.
Bistro Med, web site (Flash and music), 3288 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-333-2333 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Turkish food in Georgetown, eggplant and lamb are the specialties.
Meyhane, 633 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC, 202-544-4753 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | WBFN]
I have yet to visit, and don’t expect to soon, I am happy enough with my local alternatives.
Cafe Divan, web site (Flash), 1834 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-338-1747, in the Georgetown Hill Inn, opens 7 a.m. on weekends (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Good but not spectacular. Does fill a gap in DC Dining, by giving the town a real Turkish place. But too bland and not adventurous enough. Still, good enough to enjoy.
Atilla's Restaurant, web site, 2705 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-920-6524 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Turkish food, tied to an ethnic grocery, doner kebab on Fridays and Saturdays.
Simit & Kabob, 9558 Main Street, Fairfax, VA, Turnpike Shopping Center, 703-426-1901 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Don Rockwell | Yelp]
They haven’t learned how to treat customers like customers. And they seem more comfortable serving boxed crackers from Turkey, or canned olives, than warm food. Nor are portions huge. That being said, they get the essentials of the taste right, and that is exactly what most other restaurants fail to do. So it’s worth going, at least if you have your priorities straight.
Temel, web site, 3232 Old Pickett Road, Fairfax, VA, 703-352-5477 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Washington Diplomat | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | WAMU | openlist | Yelp]
Mainly Turkish, but has some Greek and Israeli dishes as well, pizza also. Very tasty, fancier than you expect it to be, not as cheap as most other ethnic places. The worst thing is that the service is terminally slow, and without apology. Even at lunch a 45 minute wait to be served is not unusual. Draws a very mainstream crowd and doesn’t have much of an ethnic feel, despite the menu.
Kazan, 6813 Redmond Drive, McLean, VA, 703-734-1960, closed Sunday. In the McLean Shopping Center. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo (orange baklava) | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Receives less publicity than Nizam's, but better in my opinion. Closer to real Turkish food. One of the first oases in the dining drought known as McLean.
Nizam's, web site, 523 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, VA, 703-938-8948 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | Wash Times | WaPo (Phyllis Richman) | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Doner Kebab on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. A full-priced restaurant, and old-fashioned in style, but the food is good. A Vienna institution, pretending to be a real fancy restaurant. I like the ravioli in yogurt sauce.