Figs Lebanese Cafe

permanently closed as of jan 2016.

This place did not meet my expectations at all. The staff seemed so lazy, hardly moving, and all they had to do is microwave the food. The price of the food is overpriced… I dont mind paying extra for good food, but i do mind paying 40% more for a microwaved food.
In this place, NEVER again!!!

Love this spot. The hummus is fantastic, and I love the chicken shawarma. I always find the service is very friendly and kind. Reasonably priced as well.

Après lecture des avis, je m’attendais à bien autre chose en rentrant dans cet endroit. Finalement, les plus mauvais me semblent mieux refléter la réalité.
L’endroit exigu, manqué de charme. Mon regard est tout de suite tombé sur les coussins des fauteuils tâchés à souhait. La nourriture est male présentée. Plusieurs aliments non protégés sont exposés aux postillons des passants. Les tarifs me semblent trop élevés comparés au niveau médiocre du service et du cadre. J’ai préféré partir et né pas gouter aux mets.

I was here on a Saturday for lunch. I’ll keep this short.
1) Service is horrendous (slow, not friendly). Why does it take 20 minutes to bring out food you’re heating up in a microwave?
2) About 30% overpriced.
3) Food is decent, but they use lackluster store bought pita.
4) If you are the owner of this place, you need to be here manning the store. You need to run the show or hire someone who has real experience running restaurants. The 15 year old kid and the guy who doesn’t really speak English aren’t helping your cause.
This place has such potential. It seems like the owner has checked out and just doesn’t care.

Been here a few times for lunch when in the area. Solid halal food and good sized portions. Service can be slow even through they just have to warm up and plate food but not too terrible. Nice atmosphere and setting. Usually do the combo with a meat dish and 2 sides. While meat dish is a good portion the side dish can be small. Especially when getting rice as the side. Usually have to ask for extra. They always serve pita bread with combo which is good. Garlic sauce is awesome.

Very good ethnic restaurant, i love coming here and it is good service. i will return to check it out again. Service needs improvement.

So like TS’s review below, I agree with the cleanliness — its a huge issue here. The place is dirty. It just has not been deeply cleaned in a long time. Went to the bathroom and got a good look at the kitchen. Definitely not the cleanest to put it mildly. That being said the food tasted ok, but not worth 4.5 stars. The chicken tagine was good, but my wife’s chicken shwarmah was not. It wasn’t even shwarmah, it was shredded chicken. The meatballs were decent, but the hummus was bland — though I will give them props for making it in-​house. Anyways, if your not in the neighborhood, its not worth going out of your way.

Right down the road from me and a good place for a casual dinner. We parked across the street at Safeway (and did a quick grocery run afterwards).
The gentleman recommended the Chicken Tagine (Moroccan chicken stew with potatoes and peas) which I paired with the curried chickpeas and roasted vegetables. The chicken as tender, flavorful, but hadn’t been fully warmed up. Chickpeas didn’t rub me either way and the brussels were mushy, BUT the roasted sweet potatoes were divine.
Assuming I don’t move too far away, I’ll be back!

Very good food. A little slow and the staff wasn’t super helpful. They were not rude, maybe just a cultural or something. I’ll be coming back again.

Basic (like the corner of a big city type of place to grab something quick — wrong location for that). The choices looked good despite being located in a refrigerated case to be reheated (which I would have been ok with and tried just out of curiosity), but we decided to leave and try someplace with a little more ambiance (taking a friend to lunch for her birthday). Even bigger issue, cleanliness. The cushions on the seating were filthy and it just didn´t give off the air of a clean place. With so many great reviews, we expected much more. I hope they make some changes — because they could have a great little quick place with some work!

I really like it here! I got a chicken shawarma platter with bulgur, chick peas, and stewed green beans — all for less than $ 15 bucks, and I ended up with enough to take home for leftovers.
It’s a bit out of the way but I think definitely worth the trek.

Delicious. Fresh home-​cooked selections daily. The manager, Abdul, takes care of you. A neighborhood favorite.

How I heard of this place: My friend and housemate.
Type of cuisine: «Not your traditional Lebanese restaurant, Figs offers a wide selection of healthy comfort foods adapted from a variety of international cuisines… Lebanese dishes she watched her grandmother cook as a child. She also wanted to make room for the British cuisine she fell in love with while attending boarding school in London, the Mediterranean foods she enjoyed on her travels, and the eclectic approach to cooking she developed in the United States. Figs cuisine reflects Reem’s international background while also focusing on healthy, vegetarian options.»
Ambiance: Eclectic with the comfort of home, an easy space to partake of lunch at the bar/​counter, or enjoy a bite on the patio outside, sit at the red, peanut-​shaped table against bench-​seating with chair cushions hanging as back rests, or take your order to go. Coming in from MacArthur Street, passing by two tables, on your left, with umbrellas overhead, heading down a set of six, brick steps, you may finally notice the small blue overhang that reads simply: FIGS. The first thing that captures your attention is the bright colored walls — in mint green and bright blue! Framed and matted photographs on the walls capture moments from the life of Reem and her family, her daughter, her son (who offered us drinks and served us, as well took our payments on the way out) and others. A chalkboard lists the daily selection of Figs’ Specials, including salads, sandwiches and vegan options. An array of children’s books, cookbooks and a handful of board games (such as Clue) in baskets and plastic tubs are available for patrons.
What I ordered: I ordered combination platter, which includes three items ($ 4 more for each additional item) from the grand display case tempting your taste-​buds and causing your eyes to protrude from your head! While I was excited about nearly everything in front of me, four things immediately caught my attention: the turkey meatballs in a thick tomato sauce, a chick-​pea and lentil salad with fresh parsley, lemon juice and olive oil, roasted Brussels sprouts, and when I told Reem my dilemma between the others, she recommended the turkey meatballs and the chick-​pea salad, «It’s really good!» as she exclaimed, with a huge smile on her face. The three selections were warmed and served to me in white, ramekin dishes, two small ones for the sides and a larger one for the meatballs, all placed onto a white plate. Her son offered me silverware (a fork and knife), a napkin and a class of water.
My dining companion, ordered the TBA sandwich ($ 9), turkey, brie and avocado, with pesto mayo and fig jam, served on barbari (bread). On the side, she selected a Sprecher’s Cream Soda, and a small container of babaganush (eggplant dip with tahini) to take home.
What I loved: I am always a huge fan of Brussels sprouts, and the roasted variety all the more enjoyable! The chick-​pea and lentil salad, light and flavorful, without feeling heavy or weighed down after eating it was beautifully prepared and deliciously served. The turkey meatballs, however, won my vote! Juicy, tender, melt-​in-​your-​mouth goodness, with the light tomato sauce prepared with onions and fresh herbs. The entire meal was a combination worth returning for and highly recommended!
Why I loved it: I love the cozy feel of the space, the quaint neighborhood setting (resembling the Madison Park area in Seattle, Washington), the friendly family cooking for and serving us. I loved the food, the flavors, the simplicity. I love the eclectic, somewhat kitsch décor and the beauty of family moments caught on film and displayed candidly for everyone to see. Overall, I give the place two thumbs up!
Cost: Average to high ($ 9-​$ 16 per lunch-​sized entrée)

I really enjoyed my lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. The food is delicious and their not afraid to make some spicy flavors.
5 stars — friendly staff, too. Would like to come back here again.

I came here from the very high Unilocal reviews and was disappointed. Overpriced DC arab food. While the food was good it was no where near the four and a half stars on Unilocal that it has gotten. The place is like a cafeteria in Whole Foods where there is lots of cold arabic food that is cooked in the morning and reheated for you — you can pick 3 small servings for around 10 dollars or so. This type of style may be popular for this part of upscale DC but you can honestly get better food at Whole Foods and for 10 dollars you can get higher quality arabic food at Muncheez or during the Agora Happy Hour where for just five more dollars you can get 3 big plates. Wouldn’t recommend this place.
As an extra plus it’s very clean and has free wifi. The Turkish coffee also wasn’t the best. And you can buy overpriced figs that you can buy for cheaper in the grocery store 10 min away if you cross the bridge to Arlington.

The service was good, although they seemed a bit annoyed that I didn’t get the platter, which they sort of push on the customers.
I ended up getting the beef shawarma wrap instead of the platter. It tasted pretty good, and I’m Lebanese so that’s saying a lot :)
I’ll definitely come here again!

Sunday, 1:30PM.
Quickie:
+Delicious food
+Clean
+Amiable staff
+Menu options
+Cozy setup
And then???
Fresh options. Sample lots. Pick favs. Get PHAT.
**********
Stuffed my face in:
1. Turkey meatballs
+Flavor on
2. Marinated beets
+Citrus sauce

Takeout treasure! Was at the vet next door and stopped in to get some salads for dinner. Excellent turkey meatballs, curried chick peas (spicy yum!), eggplant, beets and I forget what else. Delicious over mixed greens back at home and a great deal– dinner for $ 30? Yes!

Best thing: zaalouk.
Other great things: Bamieh, mousaka, and moudardara
I’m essentially a vegan, but my carnivore counterpart also enjoyed the curried chickpeas (made with yogurt) and the turkey meatballs.
Vibe is very, very casual, but food is delicious. If I lived in D.C., it’d be a preferred take-​out location. Though it closes early, so get it while you can!

Cyndy’s BOTTOM LINE: High price point for Mediterranean food in a warm casual café setting. The food was good but nothing special.
I was very interested in trying Figs Lebanese Café because the Unilocal reviews were so good. My expectations were high and as a result It wasn’t as good as I expected and it would not be a food destination for me. :(
This is what we ate:
1. Baba Ghannouj puréed eggplant with tahini, fresh lemon juice and garlic.
The baba ghannouj was nice and smooth in texture. The pita was ok nothing special.
2. Grape leaves by the piece stuffed with rice, onions, lemon juice, and olive oil. The grape leaves were delicious enough but high price point.
3. Chicken Shawarma sandwich thin sliced chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and garlic sauce served on a pita bread.
The chicken breast was dry but the garlic sauce made up by providing great flavor to the sandwich.
4. Chicken tangine traditional Moroccan chicken stew with potatoes, carrots and peas.
The chicken was tender and well seasoned.