Marrakesh Restaurant

They are capable of refilling water. Service sucks. We came in a large party and the set menu is FORCED without letting us know beforehand. Personally I have food ALLERGIES, which I told be server however he still brought me something new that I’m allergic to. They should be careful of being sued by sending a customer to the hospital or end up killing someone. We waited 2 hours and the forced set menu still is not halfway done. Asked to talk to a manager and no one shows up at the table. Are you a vegetarian? They will bring you chicken. Don’t come here. Waste of time and energy.

Needs more variety in the menu.

I came here for Valentine’s Day, and I was super excited in that we were going to see some belly-​dancing! I heard that this place is popular in the DC area; the restaurant itself looks like some underground club, and when you step in, you see some pretty tiles and a fountain. There was a huge crowd waiting, and even though we had a reservation, we still had to wait until the previous time slot were finished with their round of courses. We were seated in a nice cushion-​y area with our own individual ‘coffee-​like’ table. We started off with the Three-​Salad Platter (cooked eggplants in tomato sauce, cucumbers and bell peppers in Mediterranean seasoning, and Oasis carrots with coriander); the B’Stella (layered pie with chicken, assorted nuts, almonds, eggs, parsley, and onions, topped with confectioner’s sugar and traced with cinnamon); some chicken with lemon and olives; marinated Berber beef shish kebobs; a basket full of fruits and walnuts; and, to finish it off, some baklava. The waitstaff were pleasant, and although the whole experience took us about 2.5 hours, it was enjoyable.
+live belly-​dancing
+friendly staff

This place has moved. Look up Marrakesh P Street on Unilocal

I see this location is listed as closed and I really hope that is only temporary. I love this place! Tons of food, great atmosphere and very reasonably priced! I can’t remember exactly how many courses you get, maybe 5 or 6, but everything is plentiful and amazing. You eat with your hands and sit in a nice lounging area. Some of the food seems odd, but the way they prepare it, I even eat things I don’t traditionally like. Their puffed pastry filled with rice, chicken and eggs is fantastic and I especially love their Moroccan mint tea. I really hope it opens up again since I like stopping by when I am in the DC area.

In 2010 I wanted to do something different for my friend Dwain’s birthday dinner. I googled several restaurants but kept going back to Marrakesh website, and I’m glad I did. To say the least, this was a great experience from ambiance, service, parking, food and the entertainment. The best way to describe it is «Experience» I felt like I was in another country while here. Again, I was a first timer with the culture and moroccan style food, but I’m glad I was open to something new. The cultural décor was gorgeous as we were seated in pillos, our hands were washed prior to eating. The belly dancing extravagnat performance was absolutely spectacular… I now take belly dancing lessons (lol) and what a abs workout. The most memorable detail of that night was the honoring of my friends birthday with a certificate that neither of us can read. But the owner of thie fine establishment explained it to him and he still has it to this day. I do warn you that his is a seven course meal so take at least 6 – 7 people with you so the food don’t go to waste. Needless to say, I have not been able to top this birthday experience but I will keep trying.
This experience was worth every penny paid.

For my tastes, this is the best Moroccan restaurant in the area (and there’s a quite a few of them) in terms of overall experience. Located right on the always busy New York Avenue in Northwest DC, Marrakesh puts the UP in upscale when it comes to fine dining in a traditional Moroccan establishment.
Parking is a pain so going the valet route is absolutely worth it. Be prepared to wait a little while for your car if you go on a Friday or Saturday night though due to the high volume of guests as well as traffic caused by other motorists headed to the local clubs and bars.
The exterior of the restaurant is very discreet and offers a certainly level of mystery. Basically you walk up to a large metal door that has no knob or door bell… just a bright handle that you use to knock. Magically, the door is opened and you’re whisked away to DC’s version of Morocco. Quick note– Marrakesh is actually a city in Morocco that historically was referred to as the capitol for several centuries and is known for it’s large and busy markets.
Once inside, you’re captivated by a huge, dimly lit open room that features several seating areas that are strategically positioned to straggle the line between privacy with your own dining party along with a certain level of contact with other guests. The furniture is very traditional with Moroccan couches, which are soft cushions placed either very low to the floor or on the floor along with several pillows that can be used for back support or to lean on. The seating and general atmosphere makes this a great place for date nights and group gatherings.
The service is generally reflective of the cultural hospitality they are trying to represent. The wait staff are dressed in traditional garb and are friendly and accommodating. The food comes at a relatively brisk but somewhat measured pace.
The dinner consists of a seven course meal which is as follows:
First Course–
Three salad platter (eggplants in tomato sauce, cucumbers and bell peppers in Mediterranean seasoning & oasis carrots with coriander).
Second Course–
B’Stella (Layered Pie with chicken, assorted nuts, almonds, eggs, parsley, and onions topped with confectioner sugar and traced with cinnamon)
Third Course–
Roasted chicken with lemon and olives
Fourth Course–
Choice of marinated Berber beef shish kebab or
tajine of lamb with almonds and honey
Fifth course–
Couscous Grand Atlas topped with vegetables, chick peas, and raisins
Sixth course–
Basket of fresh fruits
Seventh Course–
Hot mint tea & Moroccan pastries (primarily baklava)
Everything is properly prepared and comes in pretty nice portion sizes. Mind you, while you can have silverware, the tradition is to eat with your hands, which can be a little messy considering some of the dishes. They do bring out a bowl and towels for you to wash your hands before the start of the meal, which is a nice touch (no pun intended) for a germaphobe like myself.
The salad platter, fruit and tea/​pastries are all refreshing beginning/​ends to the meal. The salad in particular is tasty with a light dressing that is similar to Italian.
The B’stella is different to say the least and can be a boom or bust. If I could compare it to something I’d say it’s a Moroccan version of a chicken pot pie. The difference is the dish is more sweet than savory and the pie crust is made of filo. I found it to be ok but my dining companion could not have been more disturbed by the flavor combinations and the powered sugar on top of the pie.
The rest of the meal is decent however the meats, while relatively moist and tender, are barely seasoned if at all. The restaurant does that on purpose on account of everyone having different palates. Personally, I hate that policy!
As far as entertainment goes, they have a belly dancing show that is actually pretty good. The whole room becomes dark and all the lighting becomes focused on the belly dancer in the center of the room. I must say that the performances at this restaurant are a lot better than some of the other Moroccan restaurants in the area. The key is that unlike a lot of the other restaurants, this one employs a professional dancer. I think the lesson is go with a professional as opposed to the owner’s cousin’s sister in law, who may or may not have just had twins.
It is definitely pricey (dinner for two may run you close to the $ 100 range). It’s also a cash only establishment.
Late breaking news: After several years at their location on New York Ave., the restaurant is moving to a new yet to be announced location. Hopefully they maintain their standards and traditions.

I hosted a milestone birthday here last weekend and was incredibly surprised. I no longer live in the DC area (though I am here on an extended trip) and had not heard anything about this place in years although back in 2004, I hosted my mother’s 50^th birthday here and had a wonderful time. Quite honestly, based on the Unilocal reviews, I wasn’t sure what to expect and was praying that the event was not a flop.
I am so glad I went with my own instincts. We had a wonderful experience. I agree with a previous reviewer about the illegible «itemized» bill, that made it near impossible to figure out who owed what, however that was not enough to knock it any stars.
The staff was fantastic! Since they knew it was a birthday, as soon as I walked in the door (carrying a cake I was allowed to bring from an outside baker) they grabbed it from my arms and my bags of gifts and helped me to my table where my group was already waiting. Many members of the staff came over and wished the birthday boy (who arrived with me) happy birthday and immediately got us our drinks. There were members of my party unfortunately running very late and the server had no problem waiting a bit longer, she was incredibly sweet and kind the entire night.
Marrakesh was celebrating their 30 year anniversary that night and as an added bonus, the ladies in the party received free watches (cheesy but cool nonetheless) and the birthday boy received a really special memento — a certificate of celebration of his 30^th from the Marrakesh staff. What a sweet touch!
The food was great! Maybe we just came on an extra special night, but the meats were well marinated, and juicy, they salads were full of flavor and the wine selection was perfect. The belly dancer came out and mesmerized the audience (with the unfortunate exception of a table across from us that apparently didn’t get out of the house much, rude, yelling, chanting, and acting like they were at a strip club without throwing out bills… that is of course beyond the restaurants control, but was probably the only downside of our night). Everyone was incredibly stuff at the end of the night and had a really amazing time. It is still quite a unique experience to share in the DC area.
Thank you Marrakesh for making 2 milestones special to my friends & family!

We had about 17 in our group I believe… I was invited by a friend. We were late, so they quickly set up seats for us to join the group.
While I’m waiting for our seat/​couch… I look over and see the group next to us cracking fresh nuts, chomping down on apples and bananas and sipping some kind of drink in a small glass. I’m thinking that is the free starter… similar to how bread is served at the start of meals in some restaurants. So I“m thinking hey that’s cool… never seen that! I came to find out later that was two of the «courses» of the meal.
They come around and wash your hands before you begin eating, because you will be eating with your hands.
The best food of the night was the bread/​naan that you start off with, the coucous and the tender chicken that literally falls off the bone. All the other reviews are correct in that the chicken pastry is probably the worst course of the meal– unless you like chicken, pastry and powdered sugar. all together. The tea at the end was pretty good. And you can’t go wrong with caveman fare (nuts and fruit) BUT I think if I’m coming to this kind of restaurant I’m expecting something more impressive.
The service was SLOW and almost non-​existant except when they were bringing the courses out. It was busy and every table was full of groups, and there were some birthdays and other celebrations going on. I think it took us 4 – 5 hours to get all seven courses! Someone even asked the servers if they could speed up bringing out our food, but to no avail… the food came out on their schedule.
The restaurant was decorated nicely, the ambiance was great, they dimmed the lights and put a spotlight on the belly dancer. She was very entertaining. Another guest tried to outshine her when she pulled a few ladies to the dance floor… this lady kicked off her shoes and gave it her all, unfortunately she didn’t seem to get the cue when it was time to *exit stage left* lol
I paid around $ 45 – 50 and I did not leave happy, full and satisfied. And they don’t split checks for big groups, so thats always a headache. Bring cash!

This past weekend was the third time I visited this restaurant since 2005 and nothing much has changed except for the actual «Marrakesh» sign outside the restaurant. The nonalcoholic and alcoholic drinks in miniature glasses are super über-​expensive and the illegible «itemized» bill still exist. Despite those things, overall it was a great experience. Definitely recommend for larger groups. If you plan to partake on the seven course meal, be aware that most dishes will not have utensils so you will be eating with your hands. Only downfall to that is dish #3, the whole chicken-​olive, which was extremely hot.
For entertainment you will come across an amazing belly dancer. A word to the wise, don’t throw money at her. She is not a stripper. When I attended this past weekend, St. Patty’s day of all days, a rude customer approached the dancer twice and threw large amount of bills at her. Not classy at all and very disrespectful. If they welcome tips, fine but place the money on the stage. C’mon dude.
Anyway, if you are in the DC metropolitan area, you should at least dine here once. Remember to bring cash only as the place does not accept credit cards. There is a not very well known ATM near the bathrooms but if the drinks are steep, imagine the debit/​atm fees.

I have to say, all the time i’ve spend in DC, i have never seen or head of this place until i was looking for a location for a company «interactive» dinner. The style of the restaurant gives off a beautiful authentic Moroccan vibe, not a cliché-​culture style a lot of international restaurants tend to have. The food and style of eating is very specific to Moroccan taste, you either love it or hate it. You get 7 «courses,» as advertised, but its more like 4 courses and a few bite sized snacks. You sit low to the floor and eat with your hands, but they give you a warm towel to sit in your lap…
We had a large group of about 25, which they were very accommodating, after they gave up our seats in the main dining room and sat us in the large room in the back… but we were told that we would be served our first courses at 6:30p and the show would start at 7. An hour had passed and we only had our drinks. I asked them when the show would be starting and they said they wanted to fill the room up and have everyone eating the main course at the same time so waiters wouldn’t be walking around. Understandable, but we didn’t get our food until 9pm and the show started at 10.
This is only my review for attempting to hold an event there. It doesn’t really seem like they have set show times unless you are in the main dining area or can rent out the entire back room. The food wasn’t my favorite, and I would have preferred a fork, specially for the meat.
End result. I wouldn’t go again, but i’d recommend it, if you wanted an authentic international-​style dinning establishment & belly dancing.

This place is an amusing good time, particularly for groups. It looks a little sketchy from the outside, but inside it is nicely decorated and has a dimly-​lit loungey feel to it. From what I saw, all the table are rather large, so I think its only good for groups — it would be a little awkward for 2 – 3 people to be sitting at such a huge table.
The food is great, and the belly dancers are fun to watch. It is very festive in there and I love being able to shovel food into my mouth with my hands without it being considered rude. My biggest con is that I found the benches somewhat uncomfortable — the back is very small and straight and not pleasant to lean against and the benches are just far away enough from the table for a short person not to be able to reach very well. I ended up sitting on the floor instead.
Someone else paid, so I am not sure about the cost of the food and didn’t realize it was cash only. That makes a would-​be 4-​star place become a 3-​star place. But I definitely recommend coming here for the fun atmosphere, platters of scrumptious food and the freedom to use your hands to eat.

Gentleman, take note! You can only take a girl on motorcycle rides with pizza stops for so many dates before she starts wondering if you have any money. Which is why, after 4 days in a row of motorcycle rides, the time was ripe for a surprise dinner date at Marrakesh. Totally worked! And now we’re married. True story! Marrakesh is that impressive.
Okay it’s not THAT impressive, but it is pretty cool. In recent years, it’s become a little less secret than it used to be (it now says Marrakesh outside, in English, and sometimes there’s a valet parker), but it’s still relatively discreet and requires knocking on the big gold door to enter.
Food-​wise, it’s basically the same as other D.C. area Moroccan multi-​course bellydancing restaurants (seven courses, shared with fingers, including the big puffy thing covered with powdered sugar and filled with slightly dry chicken). But the ambiance is quality and delivers a real escapism experience – dark and surprisingly large back room hidden behind thick curtains, no windows, low couches, pillows, etc. Really well done.
Two Important Notes:
1. CASH ONLY! If you’re going for that impressive date, not knowing this is a bit of a slap in the face.
2. Not a great family dinner spot. Awkward sitting in the dark through like 20 minutes of sensual bellydancing next to your parents. And I’d imagine it’s equally awkward sitting next to your kids.

What can I add that hasn’t already been said. It is a piece of D.C. history! One of the first «high end» ethnic food restaurants frequented by some of D.C.‘s most powerful men, women, celebrities and scandals. It’s been around this long for a reason… isn’t it time you came to check it out!
I was here for a friend’s 30^th birthday party. Hands washed in warm rose water, cocktails (expensive) situated firmly in place, and the 4 course meal proceeded, correct with a birthday cake break (lights down, candles up) and a belly dancer to embarrass the birthday boy!
The food, solid! Moroccan cuisine has a great balance of greasy lambs, with both sweet and salty components. Starches paired with fruits, things you recognize like couscous, and other more classic dishes you may not have seen. The service was impeccable, the pace was deliberate, and the company was great. I’m not a huge fan of spending 2 hours in the cross leg position, and the bathrooms need some serious modernization… but I’m happy there is a place like Marrakesh giving this «International City» some serious international street cred!

So this was a Moroccan restaurant. Ha, I didn’t even know that until I started this review. I guess trivial details such as the type of food and what you eat don’t really become important when you’re a bit tipsy and a hot belly dancer starts showing her groove on the dance floor.
So…what did I think about the food? Can’t remember.
So…what did I think about the décor? Can’t remember
So what do I remember?
Belly dancer, belly dancer, belly dancer!!!

If this is your first time at a Moroccan restaurant and with a large group, you will likely be entertained and enjoy the neat experience. However it was rather a disappointment for me. Not that anything was wrong but nothing was exciting and memorable; ambiance, food, entertainment, service. they were all mediocre.
The belly dancer was not very impressive and only performed for 15 mins. She also did not go around the tables like many other places do. The service was ridiculously slow so it took us 3+ hours to complete our 7 course meal. The servers kept on bringing out new bottle of wineeven before our bottle of wine was empty.
At the end of the night, our total bill came out to be $ 700 because of the ridiculously overpriced wine at $ 35/​bottle.
Merrakesh is good or large groups have at least 2.5 hours for dinner. Don’t expect too much from the entertainment but maybe I went on a wrong night? Make sure you double check the hand-​written bill for overcharge and bring enough cash. Even though metro is in walking distance, driving is more preferrable especially after dark and taxis are difficult to find.

Disney world’s Moroccan branch in DC. I honestly don’t know what to make of this place. The food was not good. The ambiance, performance, décor, was… respectable.
This was a huge restaurant, perfect for large groups. The other reviewers have been pretty accurate in the seven course, hand eaten meal, with live belly dancing, and only cash-​payable at the end. Reservations only.
I disliked eating with my hands. Unlike other cuisines where they provide you with dipping bread of sorts, this was awkward and slightly dirty. I love a good Moroccan chicken pie but the chicken just didn’t taste fresh. It was ground chicken and, we were eating it with our hands.

Marrakesh reminds me of an old man trying to hang on to his youth by rocking a thinning ponytail and wrinkly, faded tattoos. You can tell that this spot was definitely the place to be back in the 80’s (they have photos of famous celebrities who have dined there all over the place) but now everything seems a little bit faded and outdated.
There was not one item on the menu that I liked. It was my first time eating Moroccan food so I chalked it up to the fact that I didn’t like Moroccan food. Now that I am a more worldly diner I can say that is not the case… Moroccan food is wonderful, its just Marrakesh that sucks.
The belly dancing show was entertaining and my best friend got a free wine bottle since it was her birthday.

Marrakesh is a great place if you’re with a group and looking for a unique dining experience, but as for the food, it’s nothing to write home about. The atmosphere is one of the main reasons to come here, you enter through a small, heavy wooden door and enter into a room of individual dining «clusters» each with mountains of pillows and cushions. The walls are covere din traditional instruments and oil lamps. The meal itself is served over multiple courses and includes a variety of Moroccan dishes though none of them stood out for me. You are guaranteed not to leave hungry though. Towards the end of the night there is a belly dancer performance which precedes dessert and delicious mint tea.
If you’re coming for the food, there are better choices, but as a full sensory experience Marrakesh could be worth making a reservation for.

I came here for a friend’s birthday with a group of about 10. Marrakesh is perfect for birthdays or other special events because it’s an experience, not just a dinner. Expect to spend a lot of time here and don’t get too greedy with the food because it keeps coming. If you have a large group like I did though, it would be nice if the portions were larger because after everyone gets their grubby hands in there you’re not left with a lot. I won’t go into detail about what happens because the other reviews cover all of that, but I enjoyed the belly dancer and the communal atmosphere. I decided I should eat with my hands more, even though I’m often too clumsy to even eat with utensils.
The unexpected location and discreet signage forced us to drive up and down the street a few times before we actually found the restaurant, but it also added a little mystery and intrigue to the whole night, as if you’re stepping into someplace secret and exclusive. Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination.
I’ll admit that I’m not sure how authentic Moroccan food should taste, but I do know that I liked it, especially the lamb. (There were two lamb options but I don’t remember which one I had) It didn’t blow my mind, but it did make me want to have more in the future. Since it was my friend’s birthday the waiter brought her a dessert with candles on it. If I had the money for dinner experiences like this all the time, I’d be a regular. A big fat regular.

2.75 stars.
Very kitschy and touristy, Marakesh has been around for around 30 years and may have outlived it’s usefullness. It is an idealized, Arabian nights version of the Middle-​East and more about the belly-​dancing dinner show than an authentic Moroccan experience. That being said, it It can make for a fun evening as long as you manage your expectations. (As a side note, it recently underwent a face-​lift and both the exterior and interior architectural details are quite stunning.)
A synopsis of what to expect:
There is no sign in English outside (only Arabic), but it’s fairly evident from the architecture that you’re at the right place. Knock on the large wooden door and you will be ushered into a cavernous room where you are seated on cushions on the floor surrounding a table.
Costumed waiters will come around with hand towels (your napkins) and large pots of rose-​scented hot water to wash your hands (you will be eating with them). You are then served a fixed seven-​course meal with bellly-​dancing interlude. The courses are as follows:
Courses as follows:
1: Roasted eggplant salad + cucumber, tomato, & carrot salad
2. B’ stella [sweet flaky pastry filled with chicken, egg, nuts, etc.]
3. Chicken with olives and preserved lemons
4. Lamb with almonds and honey or beef kebab
5. Veggie couscous
6. Fresh fruit & nuts
7. Mint tea (poured high up from brass teapots)
Expect to spend two to two and a half hours for the the entire experience. The food itself is only middling, which shouldn’t be suprising since the owners aren’t even Moroccan, they’re Lebanese. I think the best thing that can be said of this place is that it’s good for groups, since it’s one set price; less arguing about splitting up the bill. However, they do serve wine and beer, so that can make the bill add up if you aren’t carefull. And be forewarned: they only accept cash.

How does this place only net 3 ½ stars!!! I’d give it at least 4.
That Cous Cous dish is amazing (and really simple, you can do it at home).
The lamb and the beef skewer options are both good, but the lamb is insanely good. (and kinda messy, lots of fun with drunk people.)
Order the Lebanese Pilsner (the name escapes me). It’s the most german-​like pilsner I’ve ever had (apart from actual german pilsners from germany).
And reserve the back room. It’s way more fun. you’ll see. (and go for someones birthday too… or just say it’s someones birthday).
And that tea, Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.
(loses a star because I’m pretty sure we’d never go there is a client wasn’t paying for it. I hear it’s a little pricey)