YELLOW Georgetown — Restaurant in Washington

We went to Yellow on Thursday, May 15th, and we didn't have a reservation. We signed up for the list (the guy who served us at the time told us we'd have to wait an hour, or even an hour and a half), so we thought we'd wait while we strolled through Georgetown. We gave them our phone number so they could let us know. We checked our phones a couple of times for messages, but there where none. We came back after about 50 minutes, as the guy had told us we'd have to wait between an hour and an hour and a half. When we arrived, the person I assume is the manager told us they'd sent a message after 30 minutes (from then on, it wasn't an hour or an hour and a half), and we checked our phones and there was nothing. The manager showed us that she had sent the messages, and yes (I don't know if it was my number, but she had some messages in her system), but I also showed her that we had nothing. Nothing in iMessages, nothing on WhatsApp, nothing on an iPhone, and nothing on an Android. We told her we could wait a little longer but wished she could give us priority, and she told us rather rudely that no, the only thing we could do was order at the register and go to the tables outside (It had just rained). We told her again that, in addition to not having any messages, we had been told the wait could be up to an hour and a half, and since we had nothing, we had returned after 50 minutes. She asked if she could please try to do something for us. She told us again that she couldn't do anything, that it was either order at the register or leave (and she left at that moment. We even think she went upstairs through an outside door. We don't know if she lives there or if there's an office, but she left us standing there). It's worth noting that there were two tables reserved for two people, one of which took 25 minutes to occupy. Since we were already starving, we decided to eat that way, paying at the register and at the tables outside, but the experience was already ruined.

And look, the food? It was very good. We really liked everything we ate (the food is VERY good as in VERY good fast food and YES IT´S PIZZA). But the service experience, in relation to what had happened, had already given us a very bad time.

We are art professionals (that´s why we went to DC), we work with international teams from the USA and Europe, and I say this because we've never had any problems receiving any kind of iMessages, notification, or WhatsApp on our phones, and we didn't have any messages from the restaurant.

I can't say they didn't send us the message, but what I can say with certainty is that we didn't receive anything, and that the person in charge didn't have the empathy to do anything for us, even if it meant waiting a little longer.

ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT THING: I contacted @chefmichaelrafidi and the bakery and coffee managers, in addition to filing a complaint on the Yellow Instagram page, and ALL of them blocked me. I imagine it's customary at the chef's restaurants? Blocking complaints about poor service at their restaurants? This was doubly bad because my approaches to them were kind and considerate, letting them know only about the poor treatment, lack of conscience, and lack of consideration from the manager on duty (who literally left us standing there and walked away). This long post will OF COURSE also be sent to the Michelin Guide, both for the poor service and for the blocks due to...

If you're looking for a cozy cafe serving up unique, Mediterranean-inspired pastries and coffee, a great spot for an intimate dinner of (not) pizza, or a way to experience Michelin-level cooking with a more affordable price tag, Yellow is the place for you. Yellow is a wonderful Levantine cafe perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a mid-day snack. It tends to be a bit crowded and there aren't really reservations (except for dinner), so be prepared to wait for a table or swoop in right as another group is leaving.

In the mornings and throughout the day, they offer a delightful selection of flaky, buttery pastries and decadent caffeinated beverages with a Mediterranean twist. Their specialty drinks do trend a bit sweet, but how can you pass up something as incredible-sounding as a baklava mocha or halva honey latte? I'm a huge fan of their smoked dirty chai, which is slightly less sweet than a few of its peers, and also carries a great smokiness, depth of flavor, and combination of spices from the combination of the tea and espresso. Their coffee is fantastic even without any of their mix-ins, so I'll occasionally just get a classic latte or americano as well. They have a variety of sweet and savory pastries, but I absolutely adore their za'atar croissant, which is coated in heaps of the fragrant Levantine spice blend and filled with loads of rich, creamy labne that elevate the already phenomenal croissant to the next level.

Speaking of labne, their soft serve is also incredible. They usually have two flavors, a seasonal one and their classic labne, which is rich, creamy, and slightly tangy. It's served with a delightful pomegranate molasses that is sweet, tart, and a refreshing way to cut through the richness of the labne. If you want to try both out, they usually also have an option to get a twist.

The lunch service is arguably even better than their breakfast / coffee shop selection. They have five incredible pita sandwiches to choose from, and they are all absolutely to die for. I am obsessed with their BBQ harissa cauliflower; it's slightly spicy, smoky, and deeply flavorful, and the cauliflower is beautifully charred and tender on the inside. A huge heap of the lovely florets are served in the softest, most pillow-y wood-fired pita and topped with a variety of veggies and sauces. The torn herbs, pickled onions, and cabbage offer a bit of freshness to brighten up the sandwich, while the feta, labne, and whipped tahini come together to bring the entire dish together and give it an incredible richness. However, if you come to Yellow for lunch, you absolutely HAVE to get the batata tots! These glorious little fried cubes of goodness are made up of over a dozen layers of potatoes and coated with generous amounts of za'atar. They go wonderfully with the slightly spicy and tangy dipping sauce the order comes with, but I highly recommend getting a side of hummus to dip your...

What can you expect from Chef Michael Rafidi, the chef and owner of Albi? High expectations that can be met!

When we heard that Yellow the Cafe had opened in Georgetown, we flocked to it like seagulls to grain. Yellow offers a menu of wood-fired pita sandwiches, mezze, egg dishes, sweet and savory pastries, coffee and specialty drinks, and even soft serve. We've gone twice now, the first time to get coffee and the second to eat lunch.

Yellow's coffee is sourced by Counter Culture, a North Carolina-based roaster. The cafe has unique $6 lattes like golden date (date molasses + vanilla + salt); baklava mocha (roasted walnut + rose + orange blossom); halva honey (tahini + brown sugar + honey); and turmeric and honey (turmeric + honey + salt). There's also specialty iced coffee in the form of coconut cardamom (iced coffee with coconut cold foam) and 'spro and tonic (espresso and charred lemon simple syrup).

For non-coffee lovers, Yellow offers various teas; sumac lemonade (pink lemonade + tart); tamarind iced tea (lavender tea + brown sugar); baklava hot chocolate (roasted walnut + rose + orange blossom); apple chaider (chai and local cider); and damask rose milk tea (assam tea + toasted cardamom + rose water).

I had halva honey, and it was so lovely. The flavors of tahini, honey, and brown sugar complement each other and make it a wonderful fall/winter drink. My husband really enjoys their 'spro and tonic (he's a big fan of espresso tonics when they're done properly). We also shared a orange blossom croissant ($5.50) and a harissa egg croissant ($8), and we can say that both the sweet and savory croissants are worth every penny.

The second time we visited, we had lunch with friends. We ordered the chicken shawarma ($17) and the crispy falafel pitas ($16). Both were fantastic. The chicken shawarma has amba spice, fried batata, and green tatbili labne (a garlic jalapeno relish and strained yogurt). The falafel comes with many pickles, feta, and red shatta yogurt. All wood-fired pitas come with cabbage salad, herbs, and whipped tahini. Taste explosion upon taste explosion. We meant to share our individual pitas, and I could barely stand to share my falafel. It was that good.

The only downside to this place is that it's much too small to function as a cafe with food like wood-fired pitas. Twice we've come, and folks are packed like sardines. We could barely get a table, even with Yellow's no-laptop rule. It'll likely be a little easier when it gets warmer, as they have outdoor seating. Just be prepared to wait during the...