Roti Mediterranean Grill

I am seriously digging this Chipotle/​Subway style assembly line hearty fare pickins and fixins style of building lunch and dinner! It’s reasonably priced fare for a healthy meal choice so it’s feel good for your body and your pocket — which can be hard to come by. The trick, as another regular pointed out to me on my first visit to roti, is to get the salad option, and pile on their beautiful sides. At the moment that I’m writing this review they have a tahini cauliflower quinoa option which is filled with parsley as a salad not just an herb and it is delicious. They give you a pita with that so definitely leave some space for that. Of the sauces they have a s’hug that is spicy and believe me you, it is very spicy! The dill cucumber yogurt sauce is standard mediterranean fare and it is a very good complement. The falafel, chicken kebab, and chicken roti (it doesn’t actually come with a naan/​roti so that’s a misleading name in my opinion but is still delicious nonetheless) are the best filling options! Also it’s not a very crowded place and the outdoor seating during your typical DC summer is so idyllic and beautiful!

I specifically recommend dishes: salad plate with chicken kabob and the rice plate with roti chicken. If one is hungry, the salad version includes up to nine or twelve toppings If one is only moderately hungry, the rice plate limits toppings to three. Note the salad plate costs $ 8.45 and the rice plate costs $ 6.95. The signature dish of roti chicken is tasty in my opinion.
I think the serving size on the rice plate could be enhanced as I hungrily arrived and left partially satiated but became hungry an hour later.
Overall, this restaurant should be chosen when does not wish to wait in a line at nearby restaurants. We were able to order and eat restaurant quality food in fast food time with zero lines.

We had our office lunch today:
— Chicken Roti, Grass Fed Steak Roti, Chicken Kabob, Falafel
— Roti rice, classic hummus, spicy feta hummus, tomato & cucumber, red cabbage slaw, fresh vegetables, Spanish eggplant, cous-​cous, house-​baked pita bread,
— Sauces: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Dill, Yogurt & Cucumber (, and our spicy S’hug
— Classic hummus, spicy feta hummus, fresh vegetables, Spanish eggplant, tomato & cucumber, and cous-​cous.
— House-​baked pita bread and pita chips
Gluten-​Free Mediterranean Chopped Salad (feta on the side)
it was delicious and so versatile, whether you’re a vegetarian, or not or on a gluten free diet all the dishes are delicious.

This is a Chipotle, but much more flavorful and creative. The main items (chicken, beef) can be a bit overcooked, but I really enjoy eating here for the variety of toppings. It is a quick and basic meal, and good every now and again.
— overall quality: good (3 stars)
— service: rushed (2 stars)
— cost: decent
— atmosphere: relaxed, but a bit loud when crowded
— my # of visits: 5 – 10 times
— my return: every few months

Yes, Mediterranean Chipotle. A little bit confusing to me as a first timer because the menu on the wall isn’t entirely clear about how the pricing works, and the line goes right to left and the menu read ALSO reads right to left to match, so the sections are arranged backwards for us non-​Hebrew readers. Once you get that you’re OK. They were friendly and helpful when I asked any questions. Good thing there wasn’t a line.
The food is actually for my money (and it wasn’t that much of it) better than Chipotle and definitely more interesting. The only shortcoming with the food is that the chopped up chicken was a little blackened from the grill. OK, this is semi-​upscale fast food, and is not going to be all that carefully prepared by top chefs. Considering the price, no tip, no waiting etc. I didn’t really mind. And it mostly seems organic and free range and all that. Even the rice has other grains in it.
The overall atmosphere was a bit short of a typical Chipotle with cheap Formica (fake wood pattern or something like that) tables and cheap chairs etc. It was dark out, and the lighting seemed a little cafeteria-​like. But none of this is a serious drawback under the circumstances. Probably fun outside in nice weather.
Anyway, we found this place at random just when we wanted a healthy, quick, and inexpensive dinner and it hit the spot. It’s right near the Foggy Bottom Metro stop, the closest (but not that close!) stop to the Lincoln end of the mall. We both left happy. I’d go to any of their locations if I was in the neighborhood.

Rude! Will never spend my money here again. If you don’t want to work at your job don’t take it out on me

Not only is it conveniently close to the Foggy Bottom metro station but the restaurant itself is worth the travel to.
The food is so fresh! The vegetables are still crisp, the chicken is moist and so flavorful and you get a full plate of food for a great price.
Overall, really great food with friendly staff for a good price. Love coming here!

I LOVE this place!
The staff is always friendly and outgoing. They are always ready to take your order, and they are quick to get your meal together. No matter how busy they are, they never have long lines because they are extremely efficient.
I love the food, the extras are only 50cents, and if you get a salad, they are free. This is fantastic because you can take it home and eat the 2^nd half for dinner.
There is lots of indoor seating, and their outdoor seating is heated year-​round.
I like to order the Sultan Sandwich. It is no longer on the menu, but for $ 6, it’s a amazing buy.
Definitely recommend this for a quick, easy lunch/​dinner

Fabulous eatery! I love Mediterranean food, and this place knocks it out of the park. Easy to understand menu that is very well labeled for the gluten sensitive as well as vegetarians. I’m a Celiac, so GF is an absolute must for me. When I asked for a GF entrée, each time the staff immediately washed their hands and changed gloves– something I’ve NEVER seen a restaurant do! I was dazzled. And the food was flavorful, priced right, and the atmosphere had a great vibe! Now if only they would expand to Los Angeles where I live!!!

Glorious, glorious Roti.
This is the Chipotle of Mediterranean food in the best way possible. You can select from salad, rice plate, or pita/​wrap with tons of different proteins and toppings.
On this visit, I went with a salad and added:
Chicken Roti (spiced chicken breast pieces)
Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper sauces
cous cous
roasted vegetables
red onions
hummus
tomato and cucumber salad
feta cheese
They offer a fresh whole wheat pita to pair with the salad and it was the perfect accompaniment. I was so full for the rest of the day and was completely satisfied.
The fact that Roti is so close to my office is both a blessing and curse. I’m sure I’ll be frequenting far more often than I intend, but damn is it tasty.

Have been to this place a couple of times to grab a quick lunch. They do quite good salads. This time I grabbed only hummus and found it very tasty! This is a better substitute to unhealthy snacks.

After coming to DC and checking into our hotel, it was around 9pm and we were starving. Lucky for us, Unilocal pointed us to Roti Grill which was only a 5-​minute walk from our hotel (Residence Inn).
The reviewer who called this a Mediterranean Chipotle is spot on. That was the impression I got as I walked in, looked at the menu quickly and built my meal. It was very reasonable and felt decently healthy. The chicken came on the grill right away and was cooked fresh, while I enjoyed some side vegetables, rice plate, hummus and baked pita. (Best Plate Ever combo).
We got our meals and went outside to eat on their patio, which is great for people watching… lots of folks coming and going as the Whole Foods is right in the next block.
I’d definitely recommend Roti Grill for a decent, healthy lunch.

For a quick, relatively healthy, meal that will keep you going, Roti is a decent choice. Just remember to hydrate.
We arrived just as they were opening — the staff were just putting the falafel in the deep fryer. MY SO and I both chose the Falafel Salad with various toppings. The falafel were crisp, not greasy and soft in the middle — I’d have preferred more cumin and parsley. Overall the toppings were fresh and tasted OK. The staff were friendly and with no one else in the restaurant at the service was fast.
My complaint, as with many restaurants, is the overuse of salt. A fully loaded Falafel salad contains more sodium than an average individual needs in an entire day so it behooves one to use the nutritional calculator available on their website and drink plenty of water.

I was extremely excited to find out that there is a Roti right by my job. I’m a huge Chipotle fan and trusted that Roti would use the same quality of ingredients as they do. I absolutely loved it! The meats are juicy and fresh, as well as there vegetables. They kept the Mediterranean tradition of baking the pita on the spot so that definitely added an extra touch. The rice also tastes authentic. I appreciated their variety of sauces too!
Def a highly recommended place!

The place looks and feels like a Mediterranean chipotle but the food and service as exceptional; amazing for the price. When I walked up with my friends, staff opened the door for us because they saw we had a wheelchair user in our group.
I had a falafel plate with hummus, rice, and eggplant and every item was delicious.

Love this place! Why you may ask. Let me tell ya!
1) It’s fast, more specifically fast casual, which is great for when you’re constantly on the go and needing a quick bite.
2) Great prices, especially for an area where you can easily pay premium prices mediocre food.
3) It’s relatively healthy.
4) Most importantly, it’s tasty!!!
The premise of the place is pretty simple. You order a sandwich, salad, or plate, then select your protein (choice of chicken, beef, falafel, or salmon), choose up to 3 toppings or sides (hummus, cous-​cous, veggies, red cabbage slaw, eggplant, tomatoes and cucumbers), and sauce (5 or 6 different ones ranging from mild to spicy). I personally like to get the pita sandwich with chicken kabob. For $ 7, it’s not a bad deal.
One word of advice — the eggplant is delicious but cold, which I didn’t realize the first time I went here, so when they placed it on top of my chicken kabob and other sides, things went from hot to tepid (womp, womp).
**Side note: Mediterranean food is one of my favorite types of food so take this review with a grain of salt.

My health insurance plan offers online nutrition counseling in Mediterranean diet. At Roti, it comes in a roll or in a pita for for $ 8.
I don’t know where else in the United States you get a package of «fast food» with «mediterranean nutrition» and «big fresh flavor» other than Roti.
This place not only tantalizes the tongue, it pleasures all my other chakras. What else can one say about a place that offers red cabbage and carrot medley, barley pilaf, Greek olives, Spanish eggplant spread, garlic dressing, dill yoghurt Tsatsiki (kind of), and pickled onions to top off marinated grilled meats, in a matter of 6 minutes, on a good day?! Cripes.
I rarely have words of praise for American food culture in general. This is Mediterranean with an American twist, and in this instance, my jaw does drop in admiration.
Now for the critiques:
** I get that they have to serve «sodas». But they ought to add some middle-​eastern beers and just make the place civilized.
** A word on the assembly line food workers. I would counsel they breathe, and be present in the moment. You are serving people manna, the gift of the source of life. Crack a smile and don’t hustle as much, an extra second or two *will* make all the difference.
Peace and Roti!

Roti is voted the top lunch in D.C. For how quick, healthy, and relatively cheap it is, I’d probably have to agree it’s a great option. The pro tip here is that you get the salad. You can get as many toppings as you want and you get a pita on the side as well. $ 9 for this is amazing. Sure it’s not as good as Cava Mezze Grill (those things are like great white buffalos, BRING MORE TO D. C!!!), but Roti holds its ground and has its own band of loyal followers.
Roti — thank you for decently healthy and quick lunches and nice outdoor seating to grab lunches with friends.

Fairly decent mediterranean.
I tried the rice plate with the roti/​kabob chicken, Spanish eggplant, couscous and hummus.
The chicken was dry and cold. The pita was cold too. Everything else was ok.
On the plus side, The staff here was super sweet and helpful. And with the extra protein and 3 sides (not including the rice the comes with it) it was under 12 $.
So if you’re really hungry for mediocre mediterranean, you must try Roti.

If it weren’t for the flock of FRUIT FLIES that were flying around inside this location of Rōti every time I went there, I would give 4 stars for the food itself. Are they not emptying their trash or do they have bananas hidden behind their walls ?? I’ve experienced nothing like that in their other locations. I have to stop going here bc of this. Can’t eat food that might contain a dead fly.

Sorry to say but Cava just does it better.
Since the closest Roti location is closed on the weekend, I walked down to Foggy Bottom location to pick up their salmon rice bowl with couscous, hummus, and purple cabbage slaw to go.
My first thought when I saw how tiny the salmon piece especially for $ 2 extra was what a rip off — Appetizer sized at most — 2 bites and it was gone. To make things worse — it had been sitting around for way too long (Dry and cold) — Thank goodness for tzatziki sauce!
The purple cabbage slaw tasted pretty much like crunchy plastic. Where was the flavor? It was left to their creamy hummus and fluffy couscous to save the day. I would definitely eat these two sides again and again.
With Cava just the down street from where I live, probably won’t go out of my way to give Roti another try any time soon. Perhaps I would return for their falafel or chicken — but definitely stay away from the dry, cold salmon.