Gonul's J Street Cafe

I really like this café. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so... more

I really like this cafe. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so mixed that I had no idea what the experience would be like. Then I noticed that all the negative reviews were dated before May of 2008, and all the reviews with later dates were positive, so I inferred that the quality of the food and service had probably improved immensely since those early reviews were written.\r \r Anyway, I went for lunch. The later reviews were accurate. This is a really nice cafe, with an interesting menu and a pleasant casual ambiance. I met Gonul, and found her both charming and strongly committed to making her cafe the best it can be.\r \r For lunch I had a Turkish version of Paella, the well-known Spanish seafood stew. It was delicious. With it I had glass of a Turkish white wine that the server recommended. It was tangy, fruity, and a perfect compliment to my lunch entree.\r \r I was sorry not to be a dessert eater or coffee drinker. The dessert menu is very enticing, and Gonul offers a nice variety of coffee drinks.\r \r I?m going back soon, and often.\r more

I really like this café. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so mixed that I had no idea what the experience... more

I really like this café. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so mixed that I had no idea what the experience... more

I really like this cafe. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so mixed that I had no idea what the experience would be like. Then I noticed that all the negative reviews were dated before May of 2008, and all the reviews with later dates were positive, so I inferred that the quality of the food and service had probably improved immensely since those early reviews were written. Anyway, I went for lunch. The later reviews were accurate. This is a really nice cafe, with an interesting menu and a pleasant casual ambiance. I met Gonul, and found her both charming and strongly committed to making her cafe the best it can be. For lunch I had a Turkish version of Paella, the well-known Spanish seafood stew. It was delicious. With it I had glass of a Turkish white wine that the server recommended. It was tangy, fruity, and a perfect compliment to my lunch entree. I was sorry not to be a dessert eater or coffee drinker. The dessert menu is very enticing, and Gonul offers a nice variety of coffee drinks. I?m going back soon, and often. more

I really like this cafe. I read a number of reviews of it before going to eat there, and they were so mixed that I had no idea what the exp... more

Nothing fancy but I like the food here. The quality is good and the preparation and presentation are well... more

Nothing fancy but I like the food here. The quality is good and the preparation and presentation are well done. The service is good and always po... more

Nothing fancy but I like the food here. The quality is good and the preparation and presentation are well done. The service is good and always po... more

vi had quite a few Vegetarian food. this place is very good. the food is tasty and the service is good too. inside of the restaurant is clea... more

This cafe has indoor and outdoor seating. Located in a very busy section of J street (which is better than the run down section) they can g... more

This place is very laid back and serves very good food. Fresh tasting. We usually eat a sandwich and tea, type of meals. It is very casua... more

Gonuls provides a lovely blend of Mediterranean and California cuisines with a twist of Turkish, imaginatively prepared with fresh ingredients, as well as a moderately priced selection of carefully chosen wines. This is a neighborhood cafe with excellent food, brunch on weekends, and on some evenings accompanied by jazz musicians. Highly recommended for a casual (never sloppy) and inviting ambience. Pros: Mediterranean-influenced food, freshest ingredients, nice moderately-priced wines. Cons: Service can be slow when it gets crowded. more

Gonuls provides a lovely blend of Mediterranean and California cuisines with a twist of Turkish, imaginatively prepared with fresh ingredients, as well as a moderately priced selection of carefully chosen wines. This is a neighborhood cafe with excellent food, brunch on weekends, and on some evenings accompanied by jazz musicians. Highly recommended for a casual (never sloppy) and inviting ambience. Pros: Mediterranean-influenced food, freshest ingredients, nice moderately-priced wines. Cons: Service can be slow when it gets crowded. more

We live in the neighborhood, so we walked here late on a Sunday morning for brunch. The place was packed, but we got a table outside. Since it was a warm, sunny day, it was very pleasant sitting out there. The only downside was that the sun reflected brightly off our white tablecloth and we had forgotten our sunglasses. Luckily, the waitress brought us some extra cloth napkins (which were a darker color) and after covering our table with those it wasn't so bad. The food was good, decently priced, and the wait staff very friendly. They were a little slow, but I suppose that was because they were so crowded. Still, if you're not in a hurry and like to people-watch, this is a great local spot. Pros: Great ambiance, good food Cons: Service is slow more

We live in the neighborhood, so we walked here late on a Sunday morning for brunch. The place was packed, but we got a table outside. Since it was a warm, sunny day, it was very pleasant sitting out there. The only downside was that the sun reflected brightly off our white tablecloth and we had forgotten our sunglasses. Luckily, the waitress brought us some extra cloth napkins (which were a darker color) and after covering our table with those it wasn't so bad. The food was good, decently priced, and the wait staff very friendly. They were a little slow, but I suppose that was because they were so crowded. Still, if you're not in a hurry and like to people-watch, this is a great local spot. Pros: Great ambiance, good food Cons: Service is slow more