Ilili delivers an unforgettable Mediterranean dining experience with a modern Lebanese twist. From start to finish, everything was absolutely stellar--fantastic service and food that truly blew my mind. Hot Kibbeh: Like falafel, but elevated in every possible way--crispy, flavorful, and utterly satisfying. Hummus and Pita Bread: The hummus was creamy and smooth, with just the right touch of olive oil for flavor. And the pita bread? Soft, pillowy perfection! The never-ending refills made it impossible to stop eating--it's that good. Tabbouleh and Marinated Olives: The tabbouleh was exactly as expected--fresh and flavorful. The marinated olives, however, exceeded expectations with their bold, delicious flavors. Mixed Grill: The star of the show. The chicken breast was grilled to perfection--moist and flavorful--while the lamb chops were cooked exactly to my liking. The steak and lamb meatballs were equally phenomenal, rounding out a beautifully executed dish. Knafeh: The best I've ever had! The crispy polenta on top paired with the ultra-creamy cheese center was heavenly, especially with the warm simple syrup and soft sesame bread. A perfect ending to a flawless meal. Ilili nailed every detail, from food quality to attentive service. If you're a fan of Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist, this is an absolute must-visit. I can't wait to return!

Very good Lebanese food with impeccable service. The bread was warm and airy and the server made sure we never ran out. He described each dish to us and how to enjoy it. Not to mention the food was delicious. Highly recommend ilili.

One of the best meals I've had in a long time! Cannot say enough how quality the food is, how kind the staff is, and the vibe of this place is great too. The carrots were delicious and flavorful (not pictured), and that yogurt based dip was unreal. All of the meat-based dishes were so tender and flavorful, too. And the mint in the rice really was a nice combination. But I imagine they likely couldn't make a bad dish if they tried.

Came here for a birthday dinner with fam. The interior design is beautiful and made the experience better. Our server was also wonderful. He was very knowledgeable about the food and walked us through the menu. We ordered a bunch of dishes and basically shared everything. I thought every dish was well seasoned and presentation was beautiful. Drinks were good too. My husband said he would definitely come back again too.

My favorite restaurant in the Wharf area! Great food, courteous and attentive service, beautiful classy ambiance, and if you're lucky, large windows by the water to people watch. It's also a great date spot. So far, I've tried the following: - Almaza pilsner (Lebanon) - good light beer - House bread - soooo warm and fresh! I love the taste and texture - Baba Ghannouj - good soft and relatively simple dip - Chankleesh - really interesting and surprisingly good, seeing that I'm not the biggest fan of cheese in general. However, I really enjoyed this sharp, almost pungent yet flavorful cheese dish - Arnabeet Mekle - great cauliflower dish. Relatively large and filling compared to some other dishes here. - Duck Shawarma - although I still think Peking roasted duck is the best duck dish of all, I approve of this duck. The duck meat was juicy and flavorful, and the fig toum (Lebanese garlic sauce) was incredibly rich and creamy (almost buttery), lending an even richer flavor to the duck. Because of all this richness, I thought the duck tasted better and more refreshing with lettuce instead of house bread. - Octopus - delicious, and one of the best/most popular dishes here. It's my favorite dish here so far. The meat was thick and soft, yet also had a nice crispy crunch to it somehow. The sauce was very flavorful and loaded with spices. - Mekanek (sautéed lamb sausage) - meat was good, but it was definitely sour from the lemon, which I wasn't prepared for... lol. - Samkeh harra (bass) - bass was served in a large portion and had nice flavors and moistness. It was balanced well with the accompanying smooth tahini sauce. - Knafe Bil Jibneh - I really enjoyed this sweet cheese tart. It was a very novel dessert for me and tasted both sweet and savory. The server also put on a delightful show to serve this to us! - Ilili candy bar - good but quite rich and sweet, just fair warning. The black sesame gelato was perfect, but the cake was a bit too sweet for me. It was intensely rich and made me very very full by the end of the dinner! I really enjoyed the cake texture though--it was crunchy at the bottom which complemented really well with the soft creamy top/middle. Next time, I'll try the Mixed Grill, which looks good and very popular here.

Tasty Lebanese cuisine in DC right on the Warf! Such a fun spot with terrific shareable plates. This resturant was absolutely delicious with a very fun and upbeat vibe about it! I loved the ambiance in here and the water fountains in the middle of the resturant were so lovely as well. What we ordered: - Hummus - Labne - Chankleesh - Fattoush Salad - Falafel - Brussel Sprouts - Octopus - Mixed Grill - Knafe Everyone I was with enjoyed their food! My personal favorites were the octopus, falafel, labne and the mixed grille! Ilili also has two locations, one in DC & one in NY. So highly recommend to checking out this spot or their NY location & letting me know what you think!?

I found this restaurant by googling "most beautiful restaurants in Washington DC" and the ambience definitely met expectations. Only thing I have to say is that the tables are made out of a mirror which can reflect the overhead lights and be quite unpleasant. Food was actually mediocre. But maybe we did not order the best options. The meat platter was meh. My favorite item was the rack of lamb. I didn't like the other meats. The chicken in my opinion was dry. The steak was tough and didn't have a lot of great additional flavor. And the consistency of the kafta was oddly soft.

It feels like every other restaurant popping up in DC lately is Mediterranean "fusion". Even though this one is a bit on the pricier side, I figured I'd see if it could stand out among the others. The move here is to order multiple mezzes and share to try as much as you can. The batata harra (crispy, spicy, herby potatoes) were especially good. The ambiance is a real plus too; the whole place has a warm, inviting vibe that feels perfect for a cozy dinner date. No complaints- I'd come again!

The food is good and service excellent. The decor is also super nice. Definitely would return. I guess almost a five but mediterranean food scene in DC is pretty strong, so it does not beat others hands down. Duck grape leaf - amazing but i also love rice. It is still one of the best I havr Octopus - this dish is just ok, compared to the others. I have better octopus that would feel a bit fresher and Mediterranean. Fresher octopus is probably not the issue but lack a bit of zing! Grilled Akawii - this is good and above average. It is generally well balance (though sweet for a bitter person like me) Panna cotta is perfect finish for me. It is perhaps not sweet enough if you have a sweet tooth

Over the years I've visited ilili at least a dozen times and there are many reasons why I continue to come back. Whether you sit at the bar or are seated in the main dining area, the service is always excellent. It seems as though everyone that works here takes pride in their work and creating a great experience for customers. The food is also amazing. I've had a range of dishes that are absolutely delicious and the presentation is always beautiful. This restaurant is perfect for such a great range of occasions as well. It's upscale, so it's nice to dress up for a special occasion or night out with friends. But I've also come here in my sweatpants and hoodie numerous times and ever felt out of place. I love that it can still feel upscale without being overly pretentious. Overall, I've just had nothing but positive experiences here and am just grateful that it's a spot that I can easily walk to in my neighborhood!