Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro

Went here on a fleeting sunny Sunday for brunch during that stretch of never-​ending rain in May. We were desperate to sit outside, and Rosemary’s certainly has a great outdoor seating area. I’ve walked by a number of times, but never actually dined here.
I’m sure they were busy, but we waited almost an hour for our food to come. I had grilled shrimp with rice and a salad. It was fine, but not too exciting. Two of my friends got quiche that was apparently burnt… pretty disappointing when you wait that long for your food.
Redeeming factor is that it is super cheap. Including tip, it was barely $ 15.
I’d keep it in mind for another day when I want to sit outside, have a beverage, and munch on some hummus. That seems like a good plan B.

Made a reservation on open table. Showed up and it was closed for a private party
Saturday night on a holiday weekend in DuPont circle
A call would have been nice!

This is the perfect weekend brunch spot. It never fills up, so you don’t have to wait for a table, and they have outdoor seating. I’m a fan of almost all their brunch options. The omelettes are good, the quiches are good, the pides are great. Full disclosure, I’ve never tried their lunch or dinner options, but for brunch — two thumbs up. Coffee is also decent and the bread basket to start is strangely phenomenal (and I think baked in house?). Perfect place to take relatives from out of town (that are maybe not that adventurous in their eating) or for very large parties.

A very nice Turkish-​Mediterranean restaurant. The food was very tasty and filling. This is definitely a place to come for a casual, well made meal.

Pros: Plentiful seating.
Cons: Mediocre food — bread was too oily; French Toast was bland. Waitstaff was overly pushy when taking orders and inattentive thereafter.

Had dinner there last night
Good side salad
Good lamb burger
BUT the dessert was no good…
A slice of chocolate cake that was supposed to come with ice cream but they were out, and not even willing to put whipped cream or something instead! And no price break either! So $ 7 for a small slice of chocolate cake that ended up tasting like mold. Because apparently it was old. Will probably not be returning here, which is unfortunate because it’s a block from my home.
I had been there about half a dozen times before with no problems so this is a disappointment. The only reason it’s three stars and not one is because of those prior visits with no issues.

Judging on food and drink alone, solid 5 stars. There are few places that Mr G and I both say «We have to go back there.» Rosemary’s is one.
Decided to try it because we really like happy hours and we are ecstatic when we find really generous happy hour specials. Rosemary’s has an excellent HH Drink list, including at least 10 martinis for $ 7. When is the last time you saw an espresso martini on special for $ 7 everyday? Rarely happens.
So we went for the drinks and stayed for the food. Happy hour food specials ranged from 50 cents to $ 2 off regular menu appetizers.
Mr. G chose fishermans stew and a lamb burger. The man never eats lamb but he said it sounded delicious and he had a feeling it would good. He’s usually right about these things. He was this time too. Loved both dishes.
I ordered the Manti happy hour appetizer special. So glad I didn’t order the entrée because the app platter was big enough for a meal and it was delish! Ate it super slowly so I could savor every bite. I also had a blue cocktail that tasted like I was in the Caribbean. Yum!
So four stars are only for 2 reasons: our server wasn’t mean or rude but not particularly friendly and the tables were a little too close together. And yet, I’m still looking forward to going back.

My friend and I had a late brunch at Rosemary’s on a Sunday afternoon. There were so many delicious-​sounding items it was hard to decide, but I opted for the Turkish omelet with sujuk, which was incredible and tasted a lot like chorizo. The omelet was absolutely delicious and the potatoes alongside were great as well.
Unfortunately, my friend had an experience that wasn’t as great. She ordered the quiche of the day, which arrived cold and under-​cooked. It was returned to the kitchen and after a long wait, the owner of the restaurant let us know that they were not able to get the quiche quite right so he would be taking it off our check. By the time my friend’s second choice for brunch arrived at the table, I was finished with my meal.
Despite not being able to eat at the same time, I thought the situation was handled well and we were both happy with our food. I’d definitely return for brunch and would be interested to try other menu items as well.

I walked in around 2:15pm. The place had that weird odor most sushi places have. That combination of cheap cleaning products and who knows what else. I was solo so he sat me by the window in the sun which I liked. They gave me the lunch menu, drinks menu, and the dinner menu. The lunch is from 11am to 4pm I believe. Having that many menus was overwhelming but it was helpful for one thing: the lunch menu only lists the names of the salads but doesn’t say what is in them. The dinner menu has all the ingredients listed so it was good to have a reference. The food wasn’t anything special. The service was fine. The location is great and there is street parking. They do have outdoor weather. There is a full bar as well. It was an OK experience but the initial smell brought it down to two stars for me. I don’t plan on going back.

We sat down as it was an abnormal warm day in December and what attracted is was the okay ratings but the nice outside space sealed the deal.
We got a flat bread and a chicken Alfredo. Who can screw up either right?! WRONG!!! The flat bread tastes metallic and was unedible. The sauce they provided was even worse. The chicken Alfredo was disgusting. Noodles tasted very old and the chick was so little you couldn’t even see it.
I would not recommend this establishment to anyone who appreciates good food.

Rosemary always delivers deliciously cooked Turkish foods at an affordable price. I’ve come here multiple times with my boyfriend and friends, and all of them have been impressed with the appetizers and entrees. I try sticking with the traditional Turkish foods because they prepare it so well. Ranging from the mantis to the various pides, you won’t be disappointed at all. The food makes you feel so warm and content inside :-).
If you’re on a budget or looking for happy hour specials, they have them every day from 4pm-​7pm. They serve various dishes along with affordable alcoholic drinks.
I do agree with some of the other reviews that this place is cute and at an ideal location, but it could use a renovation. The bathrooms are very cramped and kind of close to the kitchen. Nevertheless, the restaurant is clean, spacious, and very welcoming.

Wonderful food, cozy atmosphere, and excellent customer service! Seda was amazing as our server and she made our experience even better. Highly recommended!

We went back here about 3 weeks ago when my roommate’s mom was in town. The service was terrible and so was the food. I was so disappointed because I recommended this place! She ordered the special, which was 2 filets. They were tiny tiny and butterflied! Who butterflies a filet (unless specified) when ordered medium rare! We complained, the waiter was nice and understanding, but then gave us another steak that was cooked medium at best. All of the other food was just «eh.» So disappointed and won’t be back.

Horrible food and service! I got sick on their food the next day. We ordered their nachos and got our food quite cold that there was bunch of blobs of cold cheese on top which got me sick. Their pasta dish had a big chunk of eggplant partially uncooked. One other thing I noticed, they had used the bruschetta tomato base in the pasta which I though was the lazy way out of fixing the pasta dish. The waiter was really rude with us for asking questions about their menu items. He spoke so fast to be done with us and move on with his hours for the evening. I would rather eat at Panera than this expensive junk place. They charge 15 bucks for a bowl of penne pasta which is ridiculous!!! I don’t mind paying for good and creative food but putting big uncooked eggplant in the middle is not creative!

Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro is a cute Turkish restaurant with great outdoor seating. They have a happy hour menu with a few of the appetizers slightly cheaper than the main menu. We made it just in time to order a bit off the happy hour menu. The rest we ordered from the main dinner menu. Highlights included Cacık, domatesli from Trio Med, and Seafood Tagliatelle. Service was slow but overall a great meal and perfect for sharing.
Ispanaklı Börek (Oven baked layers of phyllo dough stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, and herbs) — We got this from the happy hour menu. It was good.
Cacık (Creamy yogurt, garlic, cucumber and dill served with pita bread) — I love tzatziki and this is the Turkish version. Yum! Recommended!
Trio Med (Hummus, baba ghanoush, and domatesli meze served with pita and tortilla chips.) — The hummus and baba ghanoush were standard. What really stuck out was the tomato domatesli — loved it! Highly recommended!
Seafood Tagliatelle (Shrimp, crawfish, and mussels sautéed in a tomato-​chardonnay sauce.) — Wow this is a really amazing pasta dish and the best seafood pasta I’ve ever had. Highly recommended!
Eggplant Pasta (Eggplant, tomatoes, onions and garlic sautéed in a tomato sauce. Served with your choice of pasta) — Good if you really love eggplant.

Subpar. Bolognese flavorless, waitress spilled a drink and olive oil within five minutes. Still, she was nice, the atmosphere was decent and the roasted red pepper dip was great. Won’t return, but not too upset about the meal.

This place is cute — but needs a make over. It’s definitely not the modern trendy places just a few blocks over, but then again, not everyone wants that. If you’re looking for a quiet bistro for date night (and probably a slightly older more mature crowd) this place is good.
Happy hour ½ price wine bottles. Descent food. Okay service

Great food great service. We lingered after we ate and never felt rushed to pay the bill and leave. We will most def be going back

Great happy hour blackened salmon salad with bread and olive tapenade on the house I come here just for this

Delicious Italian/​Greek/​Mediterranean bistro with great happy hour specials and pleasing aesthetics.
I came here with a small group of friends for dinner on a Saturday night and was very pleasantly surprised to find they had happy hour specials (half-​price wine bottles) even on Saturdays. We sat on the patio to enjoy the beautiful weather and forthcoming sunset. We scarfed down the fresh bread before diving into our entrees. My friends ordered the kabobs, which were generous and came with a Caesar salad, rice, and beans. After a struggle to pick between the homemade pasta and the pizza, I chose the Quattro Formaggio pizza (I had a race the next day so I chose the least heavy/​creamy option). I devoured the entire thing (#carboload) and it was delicious — homemade crust, fresh cheese, juicy tomatoes, and flavorful basil. I brought another pie home for my BF and he enjoyed it with equal relish.
The service was friendly and quick, and gave great menu recommendations. I would definitely return for another friend gathering or a quiet, romantic date, especially on a warm evening when we could enjoy the patio.

Ok. It’s a bit pricey, so take that into consideration. Excellent restaraunt. The homemade spinach ravioli was excellent and I highly recommend the saffron cream sauce. Rosemary’s salad had a lovely, light dressing – very fresh. The pizza was outstanding and, you know, pizza’s usually fine. We enjoyed our appetizers a great deal. Finally, our server was funny and nice and helpful. Don’t know her name but she added to the whole experience. If only I’d had room for the chocolate dessert which our server said tastes like «an ice cream sundae married a chocolate mousse» or the baklava which she also highly recommended. This place is the real deal and worth the price.

I’ve been here 3 times over the last few years, and the food has always been delicious. I highly recommend the freshly made pasta. Debbie, our server was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is dog friendly in their outdoor seating area.

Good food a bit expensive but great. Good service. The happy hour is amazing with half price bottle of wine, beggining at 15 $. I tried the babaganoush, two lamd platters and the pide. I liked everything, I would really recomend.

Delicious food and never crowded. A good neighborhood joint though I might not come here anymore if I didn’t live in Dupont. Brunch is your best bet here, especially in the summer. Their outside space is really nice and you can generally get in without a reservation. There’s also a decent amount of lighter fare on the menu for nights where you just want a smaller portion or a salad.

Wonderful place. The people who work here make it lovely. And the food is fabulous. New fave is the karides guvec. Try any pide. Come during happy hour for a delicious and discounted Manhattan or sidecar.

I was disappointed with the quality and availability of food. The service was okay, but when we asked the waitress for recommendations she said something along the lines of — I don’t know what you like, so I can’t really tell you. When my friend said, so no recommendations? She just kind of nodded her head and stared.
Ordered the pizza, but the oven was broken so couldn’t have it.
Ordered the Fig Old Fashioned, but couldn’t have it because they didn’t have fig.
Ended up with:
Manti: Although the description is «Poached beef dumplings, served with a
garlic yogurt-​Aleppo pepper sauce,» it was more like ravioli drowning in tomato sauce. I didn’t see or taste any yogurt and this version certainly doesn’t resemble authentic Turkish manti.
Adana: The lamb was burned and the bread was more stale than toasted.
Calamari: Again the calamari was drowning in tomato sauce. It was also extremely fishy tasting, which made me wonder if wasn’t starting to sour.
Branzino: One of the better mezze, but low quality frozen fish heated and served on a lightly dressed salad.
Stuffed Mushrooms: The best mezze of the lot we chose, but nothing to come back for or recommend.
I also got two cocktails, the Pomegranate Martini and Aegean Citrus. I guess the DC craft cocktail scene has me a little spoiled. These two drinks were basic and nothing I would get again.
Overall, I was disappointed and wouldn’t go back or recommend anyone to eat here. There are too many better options within walking proximity.

The experience at this restaurant was a pleasant surprise! I didn’t know what to expect, since I don’t know much about Mediterranean food, however our waitress was extremely helpful and provided some great suggestions on what to order. I started off with the Nuts and Berries cocktail– amazing! Like Nutella in a glass. Although there was no chocolate liqueur, it sure tasted like it. Fine by me!
Now as for my entrée, I went with a modified version of the kebab combination plate: lamb and chicken shish served on top of butter-​toasted pita in a tomato-​yogurt sauce.oh. My. Goodness. It was so good! Both meats were perfectly tender, presentation was awesome and the taste was impeccable! I wasn’t extremely hungry from the start, but I enjoyed it so much I hated to leave any on the plate.
We were served bread and salad as appetizers. My advice is skip them and save room for the meal, you won’t regret it.

Went here for a friend’s graduation party and while the event was great, the food was mediocre at best. They had a pre-​fixed menu for us so I sampled the following.
Apps: Trio Med, Lentil Soup. Caesar salad
The trio med consists of hummus, baba ghanoush and domatesli. Not sure whether the hummus or baba ghanoush was more watery. You can get more authentic dips at the grocery store. Their pita bread was great, but unfortunately the basket was filled mostly with Tostitos. The lentil soup was pureed and was actually tasty. The Caesar was dull, especially the dressing, and I was put off on the fact that it was shredded instead of leafy/​chopped.
Entrée: Spinach Ravioli, Chicken Shish, and Mediterranean Pide
Spinach ravioli was gross. Very little cheese so you were just eating spinach and pasta — which would have been fine if the accompanying sauce wasn’t lackluster and the ravioli was actually cooked properly. The chicken in the chicken shish was incredibly tender and the flavor was good. The rice was bland and so were the beans. The Mediterranean pide is your Turkish flatbread pizza. The flavors fell short and was too acidic.
Dessert: Baklava and Godiva cheesecake
Baklava was good… hard to cut, but good. The cheesecake was average. Nothing bad about it, but nothing that makes me want more.
Service was good and the staff was welcoming and helpful. I love Mediterranean/​Middle Eastern/​etc. food so having this restaurant miss was a disappointment. They really need to shrink down their menu and concentrate on excelling at a few dishes instead of operating like a diner.

My boyfriend, a couple of my friends, and I went on a double date a few weeks ago and decided to check out Rosemary’s Thyme before venturing to the Board Room and Kramerbooks. Rosemary’s Thyme is very conveniently located just a few blocks away from Dupont Circle. It wasn’t too crowded on a Saturday night ar 6:30pm and we certainly didn’t need a reservation. This restaurant serves Turkish food and we had quite a variety to choose from. We ordered hummus as an appetizer and it was tasty. For my main entrée, I ordered the Chicken Iskender (marinated rotisserie-​roasted chicken on a bed of rice with tomato slices and butter pita pieces). It was quite delicious! I enjoyed the side salad it came with. We had a good experience at Rosemary’s Thyme and I would recommend it for groups.