A new kabob shop has opened its doors near 19th and M streets in Washington, D.C., taking over the storefront that Sol Mexican Grill vacated just weeks earlier. Yafa Kabob now occupies the space, offering a Middle Eastern menu of kabobs, hummus, falafel, and shawarma in a corner of the city that had grown used to burrito bowls.
The turnaround happened fast. According to PoPville, Sol Mexican Grill closed its 19th Street location and was quickly replaced by Yafa Kabob, which now serves kabobs, hummus, falafel, shawarma, kabob salads, and sides at the address. The new tenant says its food is prepared fresh with quality ingredients and authentic seasonings, per the same report.
From Burritos to Shawarma in a Matter of Weeks
Sol Mexican Grill's 19th Street NW location permanently closed last month, while its sister locations on H Street and in Mount Vernon Triangle stayed open, as noted by Eater DC. Before it closed for good, the storefront sat empty for a stretch — a September visit found it all closed up, with nothing inside, patio furniture stacked up and no menus anywhere, the same outlet's companion report on PoPville noted. That quiet spell didn't last.
The address has seen plenty of turnover before. The space previously housed Taylor Gourmet, the sandwich chain, not once but twice before Sol Mexican Grill ever moved in, according to the site's September closure coverage. Sol itself had only been in business there for a limited run before folding into the broader round of closures tracked by Eater DC that month.
What's on the Menu Now
Yafa Kabob's menu includes bowl options and beef-and-lamb salad items.
For now, the headline news for neighbors near Dupont Circle is simple enough: another fast-casual option has landed in a storefront that has cycled through sandwiches, burritos, and now Middle Eastern fare in recent years. Whether this latest tenant settles in for the long haul remains to be seen.
