Food wasn't too authentic, but the flavors were pretty good. I liked the beef noodles, but I thought that the boiled beef was way too salty, when it should've been more mala-flavored and spicy than salty. Ambiance was sexy-- good for date night. Service was great! read more

Astoria DC - Cocktail - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Went here 3 weeks ago. The beef noodles are incredible! The service was great. It was kind of small inside but super cute vibes.

Cozy and beautiful spot with quick, friendly service and genuinely my favorite Chinese food I've had in the DMV. Beef noodles were amazing, and I've been craving the chili wontons all week. Drinks were a bit heavy on the ice but great regardless. Worth the hype read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Holy cow - the walnut shrimp is incredible! I wish I could say the same about everything else. Overall, this is a good restaurant with one amazing dish. Without that one dish, I would not come back. But I am definitely coming back. The main reason the walnut shrimp is so amazing is because they use this incredible thick shrimp. You get a great bite out of every bite. And the honey walnut sauce and candied walnuts are perfectly done. Exactly what you want out of this sort of dish. Next time, I'm getting it just for myself - I will not share. The pea shoots are also very good. Not at the same level as the shrimp, but still delicious. Very garlicky. I've tried quite a few other dishes here and found them all underwhelming. The fried rice, wontons, and la-zi chicken were bland. The dan dan noodles and wontons were dry. And the cumin lamb was overcooked and leathery. Great atmosphere. A perfect setting for an intimate date or a get together for four friends. It's a really cool spot. Astoria is on Michelin's bib gourmand list. I usually think Michelin gets it right, but maybe not in this case. Astoria needs to step it up a bit. Despite all that, I will probably be back. Those walnut shrimp are amazing. read more

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Although I waited an hour for my takeout order, it was worth the wait! My favorite dishes were the vegan noodles and the salt and pepper shrimp--so delicious! The eggplant was good, but that was my first time having fried eggplant so it was a bit greasy. I do like greasy, but combined with the greasy shrimp, it was slightly too much grease. But that's my bad--I shouldn't have selected two fried foods lol I also got the vegan mapo, which is very different from traditional mapo tofu but mimics it on some level. The flavor wasn't as prominent as traditional mapo tofu, but it was an excellent vegan substitute. I'm definitely going back because there are several more things I want to try! read more

Astoria DC - Salt and pepper shrimp - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Astoria DC has never disappointed! After yet another visit, I'm still blown away by the incredible service and impeccable food quality. Their dishes are authentic and delicious... the Sichuan wontons are to die for. The bartenders make tasty cocktails and are extremely hospitable, despite the insanity of a regularly packed restaurant. This is truly one of DC's gems. Try it out and be ready to be blown away! The ambiance is great too. The music and seating options are wonderful: indoor and outdoor seats with perfect music selection. I can't wait for my next visit! read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Overall, 3.5/5 but will round up to a 4/5 for good ambiance (and also just don't think it deserves a 3/5 on Yelp). You're most definitely overcharged for the food you get, but remember half of the money is probably because it's a higher-end DC restaurant. I came here with four other friends last Sunday for dinner. Because we chose Astoria very last minute, we were unable to make a reservation. When we showed up at around 7:15, we were told that we had to wait about an hour for a table. Given the nice weather that night, we were able to walk around and explore the Dupont Circle neighborhood while waiting. Fortunately, we only had to wait about 30-45 minutes before we got a text telling us our table was ready. Since none of us were super hungry, so we decided to family-style 5 appetizers/entrees. It took a really long time for our food to come - at least 30 minutes, if I recall. I am no expert on Sichuan-style cuisine, but a couple of my friends grew up eating and cooking this type of cuisine at home. Here were our thoughts on what we ordered - DAN DAN NOODLES - 11 This is probably my second time eating dan dan mian, so I don't know much about what it should taste like. I personally thought the noodles were not bad with a good toppings and seasoning. However, one of my friends didn't like this because he doesn't think the noodles they used were the right ones and it didn't taste like authentic dan dan mian. DOUBLE COOKED PORK - 20 The pork belly could be a lot more fried and crispy, in my opinion. Instead, it was just extremely greasy. Flavors were good, the collared greens were an enjoyable touch to eat with the pork belly. CUMIN LAMB - 22 This was probably our favorite out of all the dishes we ordered. The heat and the seasoning on the lamb was phenomenal - lots of flavors blending well together and a light amount of spice. The lamb was tender and I'm sad I had to share this with four others, haha. I definitely could have enjoyed the plate on my own. POTATO SLIVER - 13 Flavors were on the lighter end, and not too spicy. However, I found the potatoes to be pretty flimsy and sad, as they could have been a bit crispier to give a bit more of an "oomph". I saw this more of a palette cleanser, since everything else we ordered was much more flavorful. OG LA-ZI - 22 VERY SPICY! My mouth was on fire from the amount of chili and Sichuan peppercorns, which took up like 50-60% of the plate. The fried chicken was tasty and SPICY from all the time spent with the chilis and peppercorns. There was also a lot of roasted peanuts in the dish. I probably ate most of the peanuts in that dish since this entree was too spicy for me. Was it good? Yes. Worth the pain? Yes. Things I do appreciate about this restaurant? Good, speakeasy-style restaurant with its interior design and lights. They take spice levels seriously here because my mouth was on FIRE. The cumin lamb was also very good! However, they sell small dishes/shareables here and charge the price of a normal-sized dish. Also, the food wasn't mind-blowing, either. Would I still recommend it to people who are looking for good Sichuan food? Absolutely. Astoria meets that standard, but I'd definitely give people a heads up that they will be paying a lot more for small quantities of food compared to your typical hole-in-the-wall, 3.5-star Yelp average Sichuan restaurant (not that there's many of those in the DMV). read more

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Step into this Asian fusion restaurant and prepare to embark on a culinary adventure that's nothing short of spicy brilliance. I come here every time I visit DC. The restaurant's modern and vibrant decor sets the stage for an exciting meal. It is suppose to look like the inside of a train or something. It is very intimate and beautiful inside. The staff is attentive and accommodating, offering insights into the menu and gladly suggesting dishes based on your spice tolerance. Be prepared to specify your preferred spice level, as they can dial it up to an intense heat that's not for the faint of heart. The menu is a journey through various Asian cuisines, skillfully fused together. My favorites are the Dan Dan Noodles and do not miss out on the walnut shrimp - it is to die for. If you love spicy food, this place is your paradise. The chefs aren't shy about using a variety of chili peppers and spices to elevate every dish. They offer a range of spice levels, from mild to "burn your taste buds" hot. Just be sure to have a glass of water (or better yet, a cooling drink) ready. The quality of the food justifies the pricing, which leans toward the higher end. While it may not be an everyday dining spot, the experience and culinary journey are worth the occasional indulgence. As you can see I forgot to take a picture before we ate because it was just that good! read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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It's been a while, but stopped in recently and had an awesome meal. It was packed on a Saturday night but we put our name on the list early enough, didn't have to wait too long. Sat at a patio table and the weather was perfect. It's busy, so servers might disappear for a bit, just always be ready if you need to order more food or drinks. They time out the courses well so your table isn't too crowded. Everything we had was good. Some were great. Favorites were beef noodles, chili wontons, basil eggplant (this texture was nuts), scallion lamb, and walnut shrimp. Other good dishes are the dan dan noodles, chimichurri, water boiled beef (but note this is pretty spicy/heavy on sichuan peppercorn), la zi chicken (also heavy on sichuan peppercorn), twice cooked pork, and crab fried rice. There were a few dishes we couldn't fit, will need to come back for those. read more

Extremely large / fun drinks but pricey!!! Food comes out in large family style portions so probably best to come with a crowd. It was good but I probably wouldn't come back due to the price tag. I know it's DC but still. read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've visited Astoria DC a few times now and every time I become more and more impressed. Not only is the food always deliciously fresh, but the service and atmosphere are where Astoria won over my foodie soul. The Dan Dan noodles and Cumin Lamb are the umami standouts and must-taste. The food is wonderful, no matter the selection. Now that we've cleared the dinner plates I can move on to the standout reasons this is one of my favorite restaurants worldwide. I've always sat in the bar hallway (or train car area) at the mini high-tops. The first time I sat there my thought was, "Oh no this is going to be cramped and uncomfortable. Food and drink will be whizzing by and nudging me during the entire meal." Luckily there is an intoxication to this seating. I'm not claustrophobic and people that are might feel differently. But what I found sitting in this train-like seating was essentially charm and comfort. Upon sitting down and being greeted with a little bowl of goldfish and genuine service from the waitstaff-- it brought up a comfort I felt eating goldfish in my grandmother's kitchen growing up. Their crafted cocktails are unique and I have enjoyed them, but upon my last visit, I felt a Manhattan. It was delicious. I was enjoying a conversation with a friend and after I had finished about half of the cocktail a waiter came by and presented a freshly chilled coup glass. He continued to pour my remaining drink into it and exchanged the glasses. I've been to cocktail bars that charge $30 a cocktail and have never seen this level of care for your guest's enjoyment of a drink. Emily Posts would be proud of this place and it has impressed me so much that it is one of the restaurants that I hold as a standard bar of service that I observe in other restaurants. The energy of the bar, guests casually standing instead of sitting; groups congregating around the end of this slender spot, slinging Szechuan food and Sazerac's. It was such a scene I captured a black and white photo of this bar hallway of delight to remember the feeling it gave me. There was something about it, some cozy, disappearance that happens when you step foot inside this space. Sure, it might also be the curvature of the bronze partition that separated the exposed brick walls from the tables. Or the faux velvet chairs, tiled bar back, or suspended bottles hanging over the bar. But I know one thing, I will forever want to be seated in the train car's high-top seats as long as Astoria DC stands. read more

Great, tiny but vibey spot with "efficient" service and excellent chow. Still thinking about the chili wonton and braised pork. Just had a steamy dream about the walnut shrimp - we doubled down. High marks for the cumin lamb and good marks for the crab fried rice which was the least impressive of what ordered and still really good. Just a bit pedestrian compared to our other plates. Loved everything, but those were the standouts along with excellent cocktails. I am not the best shareable plates kind of guy - but the serving sizes were appropriate and not crazy prices for DC. I'm selfish - when I like something, my interest in passing it around declines precipitously. The Caipirinha and Pain Killer cocktails must be award-winning. So good. Overall, great place, vibe and food. The service won't blow you away, but it was more than adequate for a busy night and shared plate concept. read more

best meal I had while visiting DC!! was able to grab a weekday reservation for 4 but plan ahead if you want to come here. the food was sooo good omg the bok choy was sauced well and perfectly cooked with a wok flavor. we also got the beef noodles, crab fried rice, chili wontons, and mapo tofu and everything was delicious and the spicy dishes were actually spicy. the inside decor was so cool and they were able to make custom cocktails based on what we liked. great server who walked us through menu recs in detail, just an all around excellent experience and i'm still thinking about this meal read more

This place is definitely worth the hype, though it can be tough to get a table. I walked in about 15 minutes after opening and only had a short wait. While waiting for a table, we were directed to the standing section of the bar, where we could enjoy cocktails. The complimentary goldfish with the drinks was a nice touch! After about 15 minutes, we were seated, and the service was seamless. The food was incredible--flavorful and perfectly executed--and the ambiance was a solid 10/10. My only complaints are that the standing bar area felt overcrowded, which made it hard to relax while waiting, and the cocktails were pricier than I expected. Still, the overall experience was fantastic, and I'd definitely return. read more

Stumbled in off the street, so to speak, no idea I was going to be hit with this sort of nuanced, rich flavor. First of all, lively Friday night crowd, and all the staff is almost... smiling? Can that be right? Yeah. People are obviously enjoying their jobs. That's a very good sign. 3 artistic bartenders, fantastic cocktail (I got a Vieux Carre, one big cube, can recommend) Sober Soup and Little Noodles-- Every bite an explosion of deep, rich, Asian flavors. Sober Soup is the best take on Won-Ton you'll ever have-- Noodles had enough backbone to stand up to the rich broth.. Little Noodles? Every bite a different experience. Yes noodles, and also a beefier broth, oh there's peanuts! And again the noodles! It *IS* Sichuan, it *IS* spicy, maybe too much for some people, but if that's not your thing, this is not your place. So fantastic! read more

Astoria is incredibly moody and romantic, making it the perfect date night/first date spot. It's very small inside, so keep that in mind on a busy Friday night or make a reservation ahead of time. We found the menu to be a little difficult to navigate, but the staff was eager to offer recommendations that didn't disappoint. We ordered the Chili Wontons, Chimichurri, and the Red Braised Pork - all 10/10! Plates are small, meant to be shared, and come out as they're prepared. Whether you're going for the food, the cocktails, or both, it's so worth the price. read more

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Easily one of the best Szechuan-inspired restaurants I've been to in the US. Astoria is up there with Z & Y in San Francisco with taste and experience. Before coming and reading the reviews, a lot of individuals mentioned the experience provided by the staff. It is all true. After leaving, it was apparent that customer experience is a part of their culture, and they all work towards providing the best possible dining experience. From the host, bartenders, food runners, and chefs, everyone is there to help the diners. As you can imagine, Astoria is a very popular restaurant, and getting a table is not as likely as if you're walking in. They are on Resy, which I would highly recommend if you're wanting to come in. We walked in and had to wait a little at the bar before a table in the bar section opened up. Standing and waiting at the bar was actually a very positive experience. The bartenders are all very friendly, and again, everyone helps out. The Goldfish crackers were a nice touch while we waited and accompanied the drinks we ordered. For dinner, we ordered three dishes which were perfectly portioned. At first, I was a little nervous that we didn't order enough, but at the end of the meal, we couldn't take another bite despite it being very delicious. We ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, Beef Noodles, and LA-ZI Chicken. My wife and I are big fans of Dan Dan Noodles, but the dish that stole the show was the Beef Noodles. The thinly sliced steak on top of the delicious noodles was out of this world. I'm also a big fan of chicken with chili and Sichuan peppercorns. With the numbing spice, this dish was finger-licking good. Astoria easily became a must-eat at restaurant for when we come to DC. read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Love love love this place! Came early and got a table at the bar, this place is tiny and books way ahead. Food is incredible, drinks are divine, service is friendly, and decor is cozy and romantic. Highly recommend! read more

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Service: 10/10. Fabiana was super attentive and made our date night experience more fun. Give her a 5 star. Ambiance: the vibe is vibing. Tonight's music was R&B which was fitting for our date night. Food: the short rib was amazing!! So flavorful. Definitely my go to now. The mac and cheese balls were delicious. I could have had them for a meal vs an appetizer. Drinks: All were amazing. Periodt. read more

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What a horrible service! Granted I didn't have any reservation but I waited in line for 1.5 hrs and saw people barging in because either they were regulars or friends of the server. It's fine to be a popular restaurant but if there is a family waiting for that long and there is a table sitting open for 45 minutes and they won't just give it to you screams something else. My husband even went to talk to the owner to understand this treatment but he cared nothing! Probably because his usuals will still keep coming regardless of how they are treated! I would never even attempt to visit them ever read more

I think my expectations were too high after seeing pictures and getting my hopes up. Atmosphere was nice and we got lucky on a busy night and got a table. Great decor and helpful staff. Cocktails were nicely made but mine felt like it was 50% ice If it were on the beef noodles alone I'd give it a 4. The rest of the food was good but not great. The mapo tofu was a bit bitter my friend mentioned and I asked for it extra spicy and it wasn't. The tofu wasn't really absorbing the flavor for whatever reason. The pork had a good flavor but more sauce than needed. For me the price vs the portion was just off. The noodles in my mind were much bigger and I felt like that could have been explained a bit better. Nothing really stood out as wow worthy. read more

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I came here for my birthday celebration and it was amazing. We got the vegan noodles, salt and pepper eggplant, basil eggplant, and potato slivers. All of them were fantastic except the potato slivers (they weren't bad, they just were nothing special). The basil eggplant and vegan noodles were my favorite -- they were incredible. I came here with my parents who are usually very picky about food but they loved it too. A must try in DC! read more

Best restaurant I've been to in DC. Hard to get a table but well worth the wait. The walnut shrimp is especially amazing.

If you look for spicy, this is the place. I've been trying to come here for the past year and the flavors live up to the hype. Staff is accommodating and very kind. We sat on the patio which was fine but I need to come back for inside. read more

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NYC vibe in a DC restaurant. The waitress was very responsive and started us off with Goldfish as a free appetizer. She suggested we order a couple different dishes to share, so we got the La-Zi chicken, chili wontons, and the beef noodles. So savory! We also ordered the $16 dealer's choice cocktails! This was easily my favorite part of the experience and she did an incredible job working with my preferences to make me something great. FYI the La-Zi chicken is pretty spicy with the chili peppers, so I would recommend having a high spice tolerance. read more

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Never misses, REAL FLAVOR service is very respectful and accommodating, I was able to walk in which is rare for Astoria, an absolute Gem. My friend showed me this place and the energy in the restaurant is absolutely matching the food you feel comfortable and relaxed as you eat one of the best meals ever NO FEELING BLOATED OR SICK AFTER HIGH QUALITY FOOD!! read more

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Dining at Astoria is always a delight! It had been several years since I'd been there, but I've been thinking of the Dan Dan noodles ever since. Happy to say those lived up to the memory, and every other dish we tried was actually even better!! I'd highly recommend the garlic eggplant on special - it has just the right amount of crispy-ness with a light char, and a beautiful flavor. YUM! Cocktails were also very good. I got the "Invisible Gin" - surprisingly strong but very delicious! read more

I came here for my birthday, based on a recommendation from TikTok. Aesthetically pleasing to the eye for sure. Food was delish as we ordered a few entrees to share between the 5 of us. I had a reservation, but even with the resy we waited nearly 45 minutes. This was disappointing. After being seated service definitely improved, but the wait was unexplainable. I would visit again, but not during a special occasion to be honest. read more

What an amazing food experience. Great little cozy place and very interesting food is all I would say

Overhyped and for white people. Super rude host. Absolutely worst restaurant experience ever. Would not recommend or come again. The host gave away our table to someone that came after us and we were forced to sit at bar uncomfortable stools when she told us we would be at the patio. Not sure how as an Asian can be treated so badly at an Asian restaurant. read more

Horrible service. Rude waitress tossed the check on our table after 70 minutes. Bluntly said they needed the table for the next reservation and if there were any problems we could speak to the host. She was rude and useless from the very beginning. I understand they run a tight operation but my goodness, how are we supposed to pretend this is an exceptional place to dine in DC if they have the same service approach as a fast food restaraunt? read more

The food here was incredible. However, the service is nothing to write home about. Was shocked, especially because of how expensive this place is, that my friends and I had no server for essentially 20 minutes of our reservation time. Nor a smile or recognition from anyone else in there. Food took a long time to come out and seemed to come in at random (felt like order for the first round we placed was never actually put in until after our other food came). Check-ins were rare, if they actually talked to us we were probably likely to get more food and drinks. it's a beautiful restaurant, although a little tight lengthwise but they need some sort of a system that works a little better. Maybe we caught them on an off day! read more

Excellent time at Astoria! Some of the best food I have had in DC in my 5+ years here. Service could be improved but the food and cocktail quality makes up for it. Absolutely incredible! read more

i've been wanting to go here for a while and i'm glad i finally got the chance to. i got the rum shack punch, chili wontons, and the chimichurri steak. the rum punch was STRONG (but im also a lightweight lol) and the chili wontons were top tier. a good amount but i don't necessarily think it would be a plate to share (as its labeled as a dish for sharing) same with the chimichurri. read more

Astoria DC - chili wontons - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Giving this 5 stars because the food is insane. A must for anyone living in or passing through DC. Service is great too. The one thing, however, that is not 5 stars, is the setting outside. It's very uncomfortable and it seems that with a few upgrades on chairs this issue would be eliminated. read more

Astoria is one of my favorite (if not THE favorite) spot of mine in DC! A vibey, cozy place that has the perfect lounge vibes with phenomenal food and drinks! If you love Schezuan food, Astoria is the place to go. I unfortunately forgot to take photos (as I was pretty excited to dig in) but their cocktails always are delicious, and it's very vegetarian friendly! The servers are great and kind. The only downside is that it is nearly impossible to get a reservation here and the wait times are so long! Even if you're on the list and you don't come back in time, they boot you to the next available one. You can't call in either! So put your name down - it's worth the wait! read more

Food: so we came here at 9:00 pm on a Saturday night, and they were out of chicken and lamb, which was really disappointing since 2 of our requested meals contained them. We ended up having some beef noodles (10/10), and chimi-churry steak (8/10), as well as a water boiled beef (not pictured). A lot of meat.. Service: our waiter was friendly and ended up removing the water boiled beef since we did not like it. Ambiance: perfect for a date night, the interior is really cute and the vibes are amazing. Can't wait to come back and try more of their dishes! read more

Astoria DC - Beef noodles - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Astoria DC is really raising the bar on a high-quality restaurant. It feels casually upscale with service, speed, and small touches that really elevate it beyond most places we've tried in the last two weeks. I'm very impressed! NOTES: -I would not recommend this place to anyone who needs a wheelchair or is wider in frame. There's a one-person space between most of the tables and the bar (bartenders could reach over the bar and hand drinks to people at tables) that is usually filled with servers trying to serve tables. It makes it very perilous to make it to the restrooms. -Sit outside if you want a quieter experience. The smaller restaurant definitely makes it much louder indoors. They have a small covered patio out front - but it may be louder if the two nearby businesses are hopping too. -There are two, one-toilet-to-a-room bathrooms in the back of the restaurant. They are gender-neutral and impeccably kept up despite the business. PROS: -Genuine szechuan food. It's not my jam, but my tablemate says it was all perfection and authentic. They've been waiting years to find a restaurant that makes it authentically, so we came back a few times. -Speaking of, the bartenders recognized us on subsequent visits. I'm impressed considering how many customers seem to be here. -Food came out fast and hot. (Too hot to eat right away, really). Drinks took a bit longer but not very long. -I can only tolerate (barely) black pepper level spice, so most of the menu here was out of reach. That being said, the Pea Shoots had no heat (and were so good and garlic!), and the Sober Soup was spicy as-is but tolerable with water. (They have a "Spicy optional" on the Sober Soup that could make it way hotter if you want) -Drinks are boozy AF. Not quite Stan's level (if you're in the area), but they are definitely sippers with heavy pours. The least booze-tasting we had was the Painkiller. Their Moscow Mule is very, very, very VERY ginger forward. You're warned. -They serve legit Goldfish crackers as your complimentary welcome to the table when they seat you. I have zero idea why, but I've never been served Goldfish as a table treat, and it makes me happy. -It's the small things, but at a restaurant that focuses on spicy, salty, and oily preparations of food, the fact that there seems to be a dedicated "water server" makes a difference. Someone goes around the entire restaurant with a water pitcher every five minutes or so to refill everyone's cups of water. It almost never went below half-way anytime we've been here. It's a weirdly simple touch, but it really elevates the experience. -Speaking of staff, while everyone seems to have a "job" here, everyone seems to help out whenever they have downtime. Bartenders would come out and refill water or take orders as needed. It's a welcome change from a lot of restaurants where you see managers standing around the majority of your visit while the servers are trying to manage a full house. -Everyone was friendly as heck. Despite being a full house with people waiting at the bar for a table within an hour of open, all of the staff was really friendly and attentive. CONS: -It's definitely a smaller restaurant. As noted, if you want to pee or leave, you'll end up in an awkward game of "try to avoid touching others". It's not quite as bad as airplane walkways, but it's not too far off. -That's really the only con though. Astoria is really showcasing what it means to be an impressive restaurant - and it's no surprise that they had lines waiting out the front door at open on multiple occasions. read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Astoria is always in my top five restaurants in Washington DC that I recommend to people! I dine here at least once a month, as I crave their food. But it's the people that make it great: from Kay the host to Jesse behind the bar. read more

I've been hearing about this place for months and finally made it out -- totally worth the hype. From the moment you step in, it's got that dimly lit, chic vibe that feels equal parts romantic and energetic. The decor has that sexy red glow, modern Asian touches, and cozy booths that make it perfect for a date night or small group dinner. We started with the chili wontons, and oh my god -- soft, silky wrappers with just enough heat to make your lips tingle. The garlic eggplant might honestly be one of the best things I've ever eaten. It's caramelized, garlicky, and just melts in your mouth. We also tried the scallion lamb and beef noodles, both full of flavor -- the beef was tender and perfectly sauced, and the noodles had that nice chew you want in a good bowl. Cocktails were fun too -- I got the Lost Lake (tropical, not too sweet) and my partner had the bourbon smash, which was strong but super smooth. Service was friendly and quick, though the place does get packed fast so definitely make a reservation if you don't want to wait. Honestly, it's not your super "traditional" Szechuan spot -- it's more like an elevated, modern version that nails flavor without making your whole mouth go numb. Great food, cool crowd, killer vibe. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. Traveler tip: If you're visiting DC and want to unwind after dinner, check out PullUpDeliveries -- they're one of the city's premier cannabis delivery services. Super professional, quick, and a great way to keep the night mellow and elevated after a big meal. read more