No Real Hoop-La about "Neyla"

C Says...

I’ve been to Neyla a few times – in fact my first visit to this Georgetown establishment was way back in my 20s when I first moved to DC (yes, I still remember that). Neyla is a great location and venue for a big group of people.

The décor is inviting and the space a expansive without feeling massive. During a weeknight the place was rather empty, but clearly picks up on the weekends. Unfortunately I found this evening’s meal just on the so-so side of the scale.

The hummus was good, a bit lemony, but good; the pita was plentiful; and the shawarma tasty. For the main course I selected the beef kafta, a perfectly fair meal, but nothing to go swingy from the rafters screaming about.

All in all, Neyla’s a nice location for a selection of mezze in the heart of Georgetown – perhaps good for a Christmas shopping snack, but it’s not someplace I’d put on my “oh my god, must eat there again” list (read Black Salt in Palisades).

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J Says...

This was my first visit to Neyla, and quite frankly I had never seen it in my years of walking the streets of Georgetown (wink). I found the decor stunning and the service adequate...and the bar was definitely an after-shopping/after-work kind of place to hang.

I started with the shawarma, to balance C's hummus. Quite delicious and the perfect size for an appetizer. For my main course I tried out chicken shish taouk which was plentiful in both taste and quantity.

All in all, the food was good but no better than some of the other great Mediterranean locales in the city. (See: Cafe 8) But its always a great evening when I get together with C.


Neyla - 3206 N Street NW, 202.333.6353, www.neyla.com