Tarbouch Mediterranean Grill

We came here late night after going out in Clarendon. We wanted to hookah which they said we would be charged $ 18 for the hookah and $ 10 per additional person which is absurd. It was for a friends bday so we ended up just staying and ordering food. The food was ok. I got a gyro which was nothing special. Sadly we don’t plan on coming back anytime soon.

Have been going there for a long time and the quality is still there. Great food and great hookah, however, hookah is quite expensive ($ 23 a hookah). It used to be more reasonable. Service is okay but then again it depends on who your waitress is.

The food isn’t spectacular and it’s mostly God awful expensive for what you get. The atmosphere is ‘meh’. Tons of my friends come here for hookah very often but I can’t comment on that cause I don’t smoke. Honestly, there are better places to go to for Arab food.

The hype is not real here everyone says it’s amazing you should go but it’s not really that good the hookah is average but it’s overpriced the food is a little but above average but overpriced. The seating is terrible not comfy at all. Its very small and you could hear other people’s conversations that are sitting across the room. The waiters are very slow to bring you coals and they bring them not lit which makes things even worse. It is not a place I would go twice too. There are a lot of other places much better and fair priced. Speaking of the mind of someone that makes hookahs for 2 different hookah bars they make the sesha burn really fast. But at least the hookah looks «clean»

They need a security person to check IDS. too many under age smokers like cloud

The food here is really good. I always get chicken kabob to go and their white garlic sauce is so so good. The downside is that you have to walk through the hookah room to get to the counter to purchase your food, so if you want to eat here you have no choice but to leave smelling like smoke. I rate Tarbouch 3 stars for great food at a slightly too expensive rate in a hookah den that I’d rather avoid.

Definitely a major update… service not tgat awesome but the girls are sweet and they try their best. When they are very busy and you decide to help yourself and go to the counter … they tell you to wait for the server. And the server is busy… so just wait. Hookah is alright. Not the best yet not the worst. The food is really tasty finally. The meat is hand crafted and marinated. Salad is always fresh and amazing fattoush. The hummus with meat is also nice and filling.
The kebbah is too beefy and has a cowy taste… horrible as well as mesakka is beyond oily.
That’s all for now.

This was a delightful surprise. I’m in the area on business and stopped in for a late lunch/​early dinner. A friend ordered the chicken kebab and I had the falafel sandwich, both were superb! The hummus and fresh baked, warm bread were near perfect as well. The service was also attentive. The food was authentic and the patio a perfect place for a little hookah. I almost forgot about the baklava, which was also excellent. All in all a perfect meal, rivaling most of the similar fare in my hometown of Los Angeles… will definitely be back before I leave town!

It’s not half-​bad at Tarbouch. It’s ALL bad.
I can’t help but to feel like I’ve been given a cavity search in public when writing reviews for places like this — but sometimes it just needs to be put out there — a dicey establishment that once warranted dignity and respect — gone down the hopeless path of sorrow and desperation that the late Zenobia Lounge in Georgetown went through — it’s difficult and disheartening to see. And now, what was once a veritable bonanza of tasty Middle Eastern fare has entered into the phase of lazy and lethargic service (I think all of the beautiful but bored gum-​chomping Russian-​born waitresses might have come over from Zenoboa upon its demise), astonishingly overpriced food, and of course the terribly pretentious interiors. And that is such a tragedy — given the easily accessible location just outside of the District and the reputation of a once formidable Arab Restaurant that rivaled Mama Ayeesha, (the former) Nayla, and Me Jana. Tarbouch — now turned into a illegible haze of Hookah Smoke in search of an identity.
The food is sadly entering the «Cesspool of shit» category. I mean the lamb kabobs are scrawny and overcooked, the rice is boring, the kibbe is bland, grainy, dry, and just gross, the humus was too salty and almost tasted of artificial smoke. With dishes like these, who needs to write bad reviews of Zikrayat down in Alexandria? It’s places like these that completely bastardize the deliciousness of Lebanese and Syrian Mezze cuisine and the discerning of the owners already know it. And the pity of it all is that this was once a place that actually produced lively and exciting food before the appeal of the Hookah took over. And the even greater pity is that people will take this kind of slodge at face value as «authentic.»
2 Stars for the approachable prices of the hookahs.

Tarbouch is a little hole in the wall type of Mediterranean place, but really they’re a hookah bar, one of many in the Arlington area.
Ambiance leaves much to be desired, Cloud down the street definitely has nicer décor (a bit overboard), and is a classier joint.
If you’re looking for a low key hookah bar that has good hookah, and good milk shakes, this is a good place to go. If you’re looking for the club like feel, this is not the place for you.
Overall, the staff at Tarbouch are attentive and friendly. Though I didn’t eat anything there, their green tea with mint was really good, the kanafeh was decent, and their hookahs are well made, and smooth.
You can’t go wrong with Tarbouch if you’re looking for a fun little spot to hang with the friends.

The food is good. Service is good. But the worst part is that never give your cars to valet. I have seen them scratching and hitting cars. And couple weeks ago, the same thing happened to my friends car, they scratch it, and brought back the keys right away. It was dark and we couldn’t notice. We called back, they ask for details and stuff and they said they will take care of it. No one ever called. Their google phone goes to voicemail no more answers. Parking elsewhere they might tow or ticket it. If you give valet always check your car. Or go eat somewhere else where they have free and good parking lot!

Its a great location clean and casual. The crowd is very very diverse which puts a smile on my face. The stafff is attentive and very pleasant the food was just okay. The appetizer were a the meat pies great presentation and nothing stood out for me. For the entrée had the grilled chicken with was slighty burnt and bland it was as though it was parboiled. A great place for good conversations possibly a first date. BTW no booze. It looked as though people enjoyed hookah and the tea looked yummy.

So it was my first visit to this place. I went for hookah which was amazing and very pleasant. I also tried the tea which was great after the meal we had before.
They have indoor spot and a outdoor spot too. Well ventilated. Do try the baklavah.
Ample parking but do come early cause this place becomes packed. There is some street parking there too. Oh yes they do have Valet.
Will definitely try again.

I love Tarbouch!
During Ramadan they have this AMAZING buffet! It is absolutely worth it! I would Highly recommend everyone to stop by but make sure you make reservations first!
Don’t forget to try the kenafa, in fact, I would suggest starting with the Kenafa or two

First off, I was forced through Unilocal to give one star, if I could, I would give this place zero stars!
This place sells hooka, that’s their bread and butter, supposedly, so if that is your money maker, you make the best hooka… nope, not this place. I’ve been here numerous times and each time I have to ask which flavor is available, regardless of what’s on their menu.
One occasion, I ordered a cheeseburger, and received a steak and cheese sandwich… I still can’t figure out how that happened… waitresses are all from Ukraine or some other former Russian country.
Numerous other times, my hooka would die after two charcoals… very frustrating, especially when you have to wait an hour and a half to just get a seat.
Save yourself the headache and go elsewhere. You’ve been warned!
Some other Unilocaler said this place is authentic Arab… they are right! Authentic Arab place where you get crappy service for crappy hooka.

For me, consistency is the key. I tend to frequent this spot and they’ve done a good job every time I come by. Food is good and doesn’t disappoint. There are usually daily specials, make sure to ask before ordering. The desserts are also worthwhile, with a good variety, from rice pudding, to baklava, to knafeh.
The argieleh/​shisha is solid. I’ve never had a bad experience or issues, and they make it very well, where a single smoking session can last over an hour.
Bottom line — it’s a great hangout spot to meet up with a group of friends. If you’re feeling a late night hangout, give this place a go

I love to smoke hookahs every now and then and among the areas hookah bar, I would say Tarbouch’s has one of the best. The shisha here seems to be better compared to any other places that I’ve been. They also offer disposable hookah pipes which is more hygienic compared to the reusable version that a lot of hookah places uses. Tarbouch opens really late on weekends which is a plus however trying to get a spot is a pain. Come early unless you want to wait for hours for a spot. It gets really packed at night and it’s a favorite for a lot of middle easterner young adult. On the summer there is a higher chance of finding a place since they open up part of their parking for outdoor sitting. In the winter time, it’s confined to the indoor seating and there’s usually a lot of hookah smokers that ups the tables.
They have really good Turkish coffee and dessert selections if you enjoy a little coffee and sweets with your hookah.
A quick tip, don’t park on Walgreen unless you want to get your car towed and call ahead to see what’s the wait times are like before you get there.

This is a chill spot! Good place to kick back and relax, good hookah! Good food and cute girls… what more can you ask for?
Everyone seems to enjoy themselves here and its a great spot to hangout with your buddies and socialize. Food is very reasonably priced and delicious. I had the Falafel, hot mint tea and hookah… perfect combination!
Plenty of parking, tight spots but plenty and they are open till 4am, which is great!
Will definitely be returning again soon!

How I heard of this place: My neighborhood gourmand: Eamon.
Type of cuisine: A taste of the Middle East, one will satisfy any tabouleh, hummus, garlic paste or shwarma craving by making this one stop.
Ambiance: We parked outside and entered the strip mall-​looking establishment through the enclosed (completely windows) patio hooka lounge. We entered the double doors to a small room which housed the kitchen and meze display, making our way past the tall, glass pastry case and refrigerator of bottled beverages, to the amber-​glow dining room at the back. The large tiles matched the comforting yellow walls, sconces on above the mirrored walls creating the peaceful lighting against the grey clouds outside, hardly shedding light into the establishment. Minimal wall hangings look more like frames in their simplicity and haphazzard placement. We take our seats and peruse the laminated menus.
What I ordered: Beef Shawarma Sandwich ($ 7.50), sliced marinated beef, tahini, parsley, onions, tomatoes, pickles & diced tomato cucumber mix, with a Fattoosh Salad ($ 6.50) of lettuce, mint, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley & onions tossed with olive oil & lemon dressing topped with crispy pita chips on the side; the Beef Shwarma Plate ($ 11), marinated beef served with a generous helping of rice, tahini and pickles on the side; the Kafta Kabab ($ 11), seasoned ground beef mixed with onions & parsley, served with rice; and the Chicken Kebab ($ 11), Shish Tawook, boneless chicken breast marinated in garlic & lemon with Fattoosh salad instead of rice. One yogurt-​based drink, Ayran, and a mound of garlic paste, into which we dipped everything from the pita bread to the kebabs, to the roasted tomato and pickles!
What I loved: The garlic sauce absolutely stole the show! It was difficult to beat it, but the parsley-​infused flavor of the kafta truly surprised me. I also really enjoyed the marinated and tender chicken kebab.
Why I loved it: Quick and easy meal, take away options available, enjoyed inside the café or in the full and smokey outdoor/​patio hooka lounge.
Cost: Low to average ($ 6 — $ 15 per lunch entrée)

I think I take Tarbouch for granted. I’ve been here countless times and have never thought to write a review before. Not to worry — I’m here to remedy that — my bad TB!
Tarbouch is a consistent hang out spot for my group of friends. Whether it be for sheesha, dinner, coffee, or any combination of the above, we always seem to meet up here. The food consists of typical Mediterranean fare — surprisingly yummy kabob salads, great shawermas, and my favorite drink is this blended coffee beverage in the summer, and the turkish coffee in the winter months. The sheesha lasts a long time (sign of somebody packing the bowl right), is smooth, and I have not personally experienced them being out of flavors. The vibe is casual and welcoming — like going to a good friend’s house to have a chat and catch up over some food.
There’s plenty of fancier, sceney places to get the above in this town, but TB remains our main haunt for it’s all around good service and variety of offerings.