Tigris Middle Eastern Grill

This place used to be our favorite. Recently everything from the food to the service has gone down. The last two times the person on the counter has gotten our order entirely wrong. I tried to verify and make sure we were getting the right things the second time around, but the person on the counter seemed more interested in moving us along rather than getting the order right. Despite the fact that there was no one else in the shop. These people are best avoided.

One liner — Avoid like the plague
TL;DR — As a result of the recent change in ownership, this place, a beloved kebab house for those preferring the flavor from this side of the Euphrates, has gone to the dogs.
Short review — I’ve been a patron of Tigris for the last 7 – 8 years, dropping by every couple of weeks for their weekday lunch special. The kebabs were juicy, the delicate oily flavor soaking the rice and lending the perfect counterbalance to the two other parts of the trifecta — the spicy green sauce and the tart pickled radish. The chickpeas and raita provided the necessary dilution of flavor as well as lubrication in case you wanted to savor the warm naan.
On the service end you had the decorated (swimming-​wise) owner with the friendly moustache and the middle-​eastern/​Latino axis providing top notch service and cooking as though it was their very own meal they were preparing.
Sadly, all of that has changed.
The chicken (ground) is dry, hard, and chewy. You may have difficulty cutting it with the plastic cutlery on hand. There is no juice or oil coating the rice.
The naan I received was burnt *and* cold (picture provided in Exhibit A). The replacement arrived ten minutes into the meal after I had already finished eating what I could.
The picked radish was not in the salad. The pieces they provide on request were huge chunks and difficult to cut with the flimsy cutlery.
I don’t mind change. But this is change that took this place to rock bottom.

Used to love the ground chicken here, however the owner has changed and the quality has gone down tremendously. I used to be a regular here, but probably won’t come back anymore

Ordered carry-​out food from there a few times and it has been hit or miss.
Now when they missed baaaaad they did not charge me for a $ 45 dollar order. So they have done right by me. In the end they just underestimate the time it takes to prepare the food and then rush the prep or disappoint the customer with long unexpected wait times. Just tell me you want 20 minutes in the first place, I am cool with waiting.
But they always make it right, free bread or sides etc, so I am appreciative and keep giving them a chance (because there are a lot of options for this type of food).
The food is awesome, though, recently they changed their containers and they are less appealing, the bread is great! I enjoy their chickpeas and the salad tends to be good too. So the food is great, and I am sure the logistics will get better.

I used to work down the street and came here at least 2 times a week. The $ 6.95 beef/​chicken kabob lunch special was a steal. You get 1 skewer each of ground beef and chicken, a small salad (pretty much a few pieces of lettuce, a wedge of tomato and some onions), a huge piece of bread (made in house), a ton of rice and a some chickpeas.
The flavor and texture of the kabob isn’t mind blowing but for $ 6.95 it’s pretty damn good. The value alone makes this place 4 stars.
I’ve also heard the previous owners have sold this place. I no longer work at the same office so I haven’t eaten here in a while. However a few weeks ago I stopped by and it seemed to be the same quality of food.

My office was very disappointed with the food we had last week. They said this place was amazing and we quickly found out how disappointed we could actually be. Apparently the ownership has changed and it’s obvious in the food. Please shape up or we will not be returning.

So to start off with these are new owners. I haven’t been in awhile but the gentleman and his family that owned it have sold the business and now its well… bad. The two women who now work the grill and cash register are very rude. In need of a major attitude adjustment. The quality of the food has gone down. My beef kabob was over cooked and burnt along with the pita bread. The rice was stale. Could only imagine had i gotten a salad how old that would’ve been. Just in case they actually read this. A customer should never feel like theres asking for too much of you when they are asking for a different type of rice. I understand when something runs out its out but barking back that you only have one rice right now and that you aren’t going to make the other is not acceptable. Will not be coming back.

This place is absolutely delicious. Whether I get falafel or the chicken I am never let down. I try to eat healthily but I always give in to their flat bread and basmati rice!

Is it under new management? I have not been there in a few months. I ordered the lunch special for carryout. The price has gone up but it’s still a good deal. I have always loved the bread that comes with it. I got home only to find crappy store bought pita and the kabob meat was meh. What a shame.

I ordered a chicken shawarma with tzaziki sauce to go. My hubby ordered chicken kabob. I didn’t like my sandwich at all! I bit into it and it was filled with some kind of very strong pods– I still don’t know what the hell they were. I spit it out, opened the other half of my sandwich, picked out the disgusting pods and ate the rest with a fork. They also put tahini sauce instead of tzaziki so now all I can taste is garlic garlic garlic. I am so sorry I ate part of that sandwich. I will be breathing garlic and herb pods for days.

I recently came across this restaurant! I was with friends when we stopped by! Food was beyond description! The kibbeh appetizer was so yummy and crunchy! Very friendly people and prices are so reasonable!
I took what was left over and I ate the rice two days after! It was still fresh and delicious. I would definitely recommend this place.

The food here is really yummy. I love the shawarma and kibbeh, they are worth every penny. The service is great. Highly recommended.

This is a very small, very casual restaurant. It’s okay for a quick sandwich, but I think it’s definitely best for take-​out. The seating is cramped, the ac barely competent, and it’s rather dingy. The kebabs are decent — nicely spiced. The falafel is dry and flavorless, and the sauce for the sandwich adds nothing. The appetizers are lacking flavor and served in very small portions. Humus, baba ghanouj, and tsatziki are generic and very bland. The sides are of poor quality — the cold-​served green beans are straight out of a can, the tebuli tastes good but the last time I was there it had zero bulgur in it, so it was basically a sauce. Options for something to drink are minimal. The prices are rather high for such lackluster quality. The staff is friendly, and I think with a little work, this place could be a lot better.

I was one of the first customers to dine at Tigress several years ago and have been a loyal customer dining there several times per month. The food and service was so good, it didn’t matter the air conditioning was (and remains) broke. Regrettably the place was recently sold and things have taken a drastic nose dive. Long time employees have left due to frustration. Quality of food and service are at a all time low. Tonight’s visit was a disaster on every aspect of dining; long story short we were given a full refund by a embarrassed employee. I’ve spent three years in Iraq and know it’s good food — what’s currently being served at Tigris is far off the mark. Tonight’s manager was too busy socializing with the ladies to realize a multitude of problems and a back up of orders. The beef kabobs were falling apart and into the charcoal. According to a worker, poor quality meat diluted with the addition of xtra fat was to blame. Greasy walls and menus illustrate the lack of care and attention previously found here. In summary, I feel as if I’ve lost a good friend; farewell Tigress. 1.5 stars.
OCT 2015 update: last month the Tigris’ new owners sent me a kind letter explaining their situation and asked I give them another chance. I took them up on the offer. They did a great job at refurbishing the interior décor — it really looks nice. I noticed the prices had been updated (increased) and reflected by hand written annotations to the large menu. I observed the employees working really hard but the food regrettably again missed the mark. The keftah was excessively fatty which masked the taste of the meat and seasonings (it actually made my daughter sick to her stomach). The lentil soup was so salty that a second taste wasn’t even considered. The salmon portions were vastly smaller than before. Lastly, one of the owners Romanian/​Bulgarian girlfriend uses this place as if it’s her personal playground which is super distracting to diners. She a nice girl and I have nothing against her except the supra issue.
In sum, place is clean and the new owners are nice people and appear to be genuinely concerned about making Tigris successful. IMHO, the missing link is quality food source and good portions like the original Tigris. Best of luck! 1.5 stars.
MAR 2016 update: Place has gone down hill dramatically. Latina cashier with horrible, I Don’t Care, attitude and manager, keeping it classy, can be seen sporting fresh hickeys on his neck. Food is half star for taste and quality. Décor is new and looks nice. ½ Star. :-(

The best kabobs ever!!!
The staff very friendly. The fresh Tandoori bread was very tasty.

We get food from this place regularly and it never failed us. The falafel is the best I’ve had anywhere, and the kabab is outstanding. It is authentic iraqi food thus it might be different from other middle eastern places in the area (mostly from Levant) and hence the discrepancies in the reviews. That said, try the falafel. You’ll thank me later!

I don’t think that you can get a lunch for $ 6.95 anywhere outside of Mickey D’s, but you still can here. You get a generous, impossible-​to-​finish size portion of hot made-​to-​order flat bread along with your choice of protein. The falafel is flavorful with a fabulous texture and delicious dipping sauce. The beef kabob is a ground beef (not chunks) formed with spices and laid over rice so you don’t miss any of that oh-​so-​yummy grease.
They have a couple outdoor tables and plenty of indoor dining so seat yourself and enjoy. No need to battle the lines (and attitudes) at Chipotle around the corner. Try the smiling faces and filling food at this non-​chain, local Oakton joint.

This is the first time I’ve ever writing the review for the restaurant, and I have to say this place was VERY DISAPPOINTED.
My boyfriend and I went to this place yesterday for lunch at 2 o’clock, and I ordered «beef kabob» as I looked at the picture that was posted with name on the wall.
I paid $ 10.75 and the cashier there, she never asked me about the side or nothing to me, so I just thought i don’t get to choose the any side.
I looked around the restaurant while I was waiting, then I figured out there was lunch special sign in front of the restaurant for beef kabob $ 6.99 deal comes with side.
I told the cashier that I have ordered beef kabob, but I don’t think I paid it as a lunch deal.
then she just pointed the menu list and said to me that I ordered number 81 which was «beef sheesh kabob» and i did not ask for lunch deal.
Are you serious? Who orders $ 10 menu when there’s almost same menu for lunch deal?
I doubt she can not hear or read. It says beef sheeeeeeesh kabob, I said beef kabob.
I saw menu is saying ‘served with your choice of two side dishes or appetizer’ but I NEVER got the choice even though i ordered beef sheesh kabob like she said. I was VERY unpleasant with cashier’s rude behavior. she ruined my first experience for kabob.
I won’t never go back to this place and hope you guys hire a lot better and communicable cashier.
Just one star is still too much for this restaurant.

The BEST kabobs and falafel I’ve ever had. The people who work here are the real deal.
I usually get a platter with chicken and falafel, with rice on the side. The portions are generous (I usually have to share), and the falafel is just the right amount of crispy and savory. I always come here when I’m in the area!

Ugh. I so wanted this to be good. My new office is located a few blocks away, and I am used to grabbing kabobs for lunch about once each week. I was at first impressed with the lovely menu, but shocked at how pricey it was. $ 10.45 for a chicken kabob platter for lunch? Now, at least today it turned out that this was the lunch special for $ 6.99, so I tried that plus a shared falafel appetizer.
Everything was disappointing, except maybe the bread. Ok fine, and the rice was ok too. The chickpeas were meh, but too small a portion and nothing special. The falafel was very disappointing (you can get better ones for your freezer from Costco). The chicken tikka was the worst I’ve ever had, thin, dry, and bland. The sauces included (tsatziki and tahini, I think) were completely uninspired.
Oh well, I’ll have to get in the car and drive to somewhere else more worthy to get my weekly kabob fix, I’m not doing this again.