Miramar Shawarma & Hookah Bar — Restaurant in Washington

I don't like writing negative reviews, especially of small businesses, but my strange experience at this place has been on my mind for days now and I need to share it. I went into this cafe in the late afternoon on a Thursday to work on my laptop for a couple of hours, have some shisha and maybe a bite to eat. The door was unlocked, but it didn't seem open or ready for business when I arrived. There were things everywhere, quite messy, and no other customers. I still wanted to give it a chance. I was never given a menu. I asked for the afternoon special shisha price I saw on the online menu ($20), and the gentleman working said ok. I ordered Moroccan mint tea, but it tasted nothing like Moroccan tea, and my spouse is Moroccan. It wasn't hot enough, didn't taste of mint at all, and was bitter and stale. I couldn't even finish one cup. That ended up costing me $7 or $8. The shisha was just ok; it still tasted like whatever flavor the last person smoked, it burned quickly, and my coals were not replaced until it was too late. I ordered harira soup about 30 minutes after I arrived and was told that they didn't have it, but they had onion soup. I said ok, onion soup sounded good (I wanted a vegetarian soup). About an hour and a half later it was almost time for me to leave (I needed to meet my child after daycare and my parking meter was expiring), so I said to cancel the soup as I had still not received it and I needed to go. He said, don't leave- the soup is ready! I hate wasting food and I imagined some auntie in the kitchen making it just for me, so I waited for him to go downstairs to get it. And I waited. I now felt like a hostage-- I couldn't leave because I hadn't paid, but the gentleman was nowhere to be found for about 20-30 minutes. When he came back up with the soup, it was lamb soup, not onion soup or harira. I hadn't ordered this, and don't eat much meat (I hardly ever eat lamb), but I didn't want to be disrespectful and figured it was on the house since it wasn't what I ordered and it took an hour and a half to be served. I ate a few bites of the fatty meat because I was hungry and wanted to be polite. I couldn't finish it because I just don't like eating lamb, which felt wasteful. I wasn't given a napkin until I asked for one after finishing. I was sitting on a sofa with a low table in front of me, so I had to hold the heavy bowl and plate in front of me to eat it, hunched over, very awkwardly. Then I absolutely had to leave, but waited and waited to pay at the counter while the gentleman was on the phone. I received my check and it was almost $60!!! I was stunned to see that I was charged for the soup-- several more dollars than the harira would have been, and charged $30 for the shisha I thought was $20. There was a young women there at this point who I think worked there as well. I asked her about the price discrepancy, and she said, "the website isn't updated." Bear in mind, I was never given a menu, so I was going off of what I saw online. It is their responsibility to update their website and be clear up front about their prices. I paid and breathed a sigh of relief when I finally got out of there. It was one of the strangest experiences of my life, and I really want my money...

I only stopped by to order takeout and to try a new place on a whim, but I underestimated the Lamb Mandi that I ordered. It was so satisfying...

To be honest, I had no idea what it was, but the owner recommended it to me and I was feeling spontaneous so I said sure. It's pricey at $29.99 and, admittedly, very basic in appearance... but when I took my first bites out of the Styrofoam takeout box, sitting on the steps looking out at the Georgetown sunset over the water, I realized I had underestimated this dish.

The lamb meat looked a liiiittle fresh and undercooked at first glance, but gosh it was tender and juicy. It was very satisfying indeed. I took before and after pictures for contrast. Clearly, I was satiated.

The rice was basic, as well, no frills, but it--along with the simple side salad--was satisfying and paired well with the meat. I can't say I had complaints about the quality of the food.

The service was attentive upon walk in, though there weren't many people at all, only one pair of folks inside at a table, and a couple groups outside at the front patio. Very sparse for a Saturday night.

I will say, I originally tried to order the much cheaper Kufta Kabob, but the owner suggested the Lamb Mandi and kept saying it was very good and very popular that night. I feel a little played, as I didn't see how much it cost until after I got the receipt. I don't regret the meal, but do know that it was one of the higher-end dishes on the menu.

I also got the Ayran (mint flavored) yogurt drink and found it to be quite tasty, and paired well with the Lamb. Tried to order Baklava but they were out. The owner suggested Kunafa, which is a sort of spongy-like dessert, not unlike tres des leches cake, but it was a little dry for my taste and unsatisfying.

Not much else to add, other than to reemphasize that the Lamb Mandi was expensive, a little raw-looking, but VERY tender and juicy and satisfying.

Maybe give this place a try. I'd go back to try out their Kufta Kabob at some point. Hopefully that's also satisfying.

*NOTE that parking is very likely going to be street parking or garage parking nearby. No close metro stop in Georgetown. I also did not try the hookah, as I was ordering takeout and don't actually smoke. The people next to me seemed to be enjoying theirs, though.

**Also didn't check the bathroom, so I can't comment on its maintenance. The inside restaurant was a little unkempt at first glance, with few tables inside for dining.

4/5 stars...

Let me tell you about the greatest hookah experience I've ever had. It was our last night in DC and we wanted to just hangout in a spot that didn't play loud music or have a ton of people in it. We stumbled on to Miramar's and met Chico. We ordered two hookahs, and some Moroccan tea. I'm Middle Eastern so I have some expectations and experiences to compare to. The hookah was amazing (best I've ever tasted) and the tea was delicious. The tea in my cup never saw the bottom because Chico kept it full. We were there for 3 hours just hanging out with my friends and we lost track of time. We were able to hangout, smoke, and drink tea in a very comfortable atmosphere and that's mainly because of the owner (or manager) Chico. He is one of the nicest and most pleasant people I've met. Pricing is also pretty cheap (If I remember it was like $12 for one hookah and like $4 for the tea) so this is a super great deal. If you're looking at another place, stop, and go here. You will not be disappointed. Seriously, out of any hookah place I've went to, this is the best. Might book a trip back to D.C. just to have another cup...