First night at the JW Marriott in DC, so we opted to have dinner at the Avenue Grill. What a pleasant surprise, 4.5 stars! Hotel restaurants typically get bypassed, but we found the food delicious and the staff attentive and gracious (thanks Tadesse!). Even had a nice chat with the chef afterwards to talk about his food, as well as other restaurants. The halibut was cooked perfectly, the fried chicken was literally melt in your mouth and came with a tasty house made hot sauce. Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake that was surprisingly light, served with amarena cherries and cocoa nibs for a nice bit of crunch. read more

Great staff, but the food is cafeteria quality The staff here is helpful and pleasant, but they can't save a mediocre kitchen. We had a basic, forgettable Caesar salad last night, followed by the breakfast buffet this morning. Unfortunately, the buffet food was lukewarm and lacked flavor. The dining room has zero ambiance, giving the entire experience the distinct feel of a school or hospital cafeteria. It is one small step above cafeteria food at best. read more

They need more hostess help in front because customers seem to always have to wait for the hostess to take each person/group to a table, and for some reason it takes a while for each guest and then a very long line starts to form when it's around meal times. When the wait was taking a long time and I asked if I could just seat myself, the person I asked was irritated and then started talking to someone else about me in a different language while I was standing there; very rude. At least wait until I left them. :) They do have a great breakfast buffet in the morning that I do like, but it always takes too long to get seated. I ordered an item that the menu said came with pita bread, 3 different dips, pickles, and vegetables. It was expensive for such a small amount of food, and there were no vegetables. The manager told me that's how they serve it. So I asked "where are the vegetables? I expected some carrots and celery at the very least," but he said that's how it's served. So their menu says it comes with vegetables, but they don't actually serve any vegetables with it, and getting vegetables was the main reason I wanted it. They did decide to give some carrots, but what about future customers? read more

We ate here while staying at the Marriott for a conference. The difference in breakfast and lunch was wide. Breakfast I would give a 1-2 star as I received a burnt bagel and pink breakfast sausage. The lunch I could give 4-5 stars because the mojo pork on the tostones were incredibly flavorful with a balance of textures. We had pretty good service in both instances. read more

Avenue Grill - Mojo Pork on Tostones - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is literally awful. The decor has Denny's from 1991 vibing with middle America food court that's been given an attempt at upscale. We kept getting told the buffet the buffet but at $27, we had a hard time justifying. After being sat at a table with the most grumpy host I've ever experienced, we were told again about the buffet. We were poured some coffee, which tasted of 2 day old burnt ashy tray, we then started to second guess this decision. I then learned the coffee I was poured without asking for, was $5, which is such a pet peeve of mine. Don't give me something that isn't free then charge me for it. This place shouldn't be open, let alone at a JW. Btw it's worth noting our server was sweet, and I did tip her well for the forced coffee. read more

It's a hotel restaurant with overpriced menu, all you need to know about it. I stayed at JW Marriott and had breakfast here. Salmon bagel I got was $17, fruit plate another $7, and coffee $5. The JW currently has their lounge closed for elites and they give $30 breakfast credit per person per night, so that works out, but otherwise definitely wouldn't go here. Oh and they have breakfast buffet for $24/person, the buffet actually looked quite nice with a lot of options. read more

Avenue Grill - Salmon bagel and fruit plate - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Boy oh boy, did I want to love this place. I go to the National Theatre about once a month and the proximity score is a 5. Sadly, how close you are to my final destination earns you no stars. We showed up for a pre-show lunch at 12:30. I understand that this is the end of the brunch buffet but I knew that going in. The place was mostly empty with a limited number of people catching some March Madness and the service was a little bit slow considering the empty tables. To say that the menu was thin would be an understatement. My 11 year-old, who despises being offered a kids' menu, had to ask to see the kids' menu in hopes of improved options. So let's talk food. I had what they referred to as "Amish Chicken." Now I'm pretty confident that the Amish are not known for pounding a chicken breast for 30+ minutes but this poor thing looked like it had been run over by a convoy of Mack trucks on 495. The "Amish" process then apparently is to overcook said chicken by about fifteen minutes. I'm going to go with, "not a fan." The youngest (the one who reverted to the kids' menu) went with the spaghetti and meatballs which I immediately wished that I'd ordered when my "Amish" chicken showed up. Well...that is until I tasted it. Is it possible for a meatball to taste like freezer burn (that's a rhetorical question)? Why yes, yes it is. I'm going to go with "seriously not a fan." Kid #2 ordered a burger that he said was "meh" which, considering how the rest of the meal was going, was a ringing endorsement. The fries, though, looked great but were a tremendous letdown. The Mrs. had a salmon caesar salad which was also "meh." So I gave them one star because I can't give them zero (it's like getting 200 points for filling your name in correctly on the SAT) and I gave them one star for the burger's and salad's meh-ness. We will not be returning here for lunch...or probably ever. Sorry. read more

Avenue Grill - Can I interest you in some "Amish" chicken (hint: say no)? - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The honest reason for the 4th star was our service. It was WOW!! Genuinely some of the BEST service ever!! Smiles, prompt, kind and everyone seemed to be happy to be there and loved their job. This is so rare. Our kids even commented on how nice and happy and friendly everyone was!! Well done!! Food was ok but I'd come back for the service alone. I had the burger and Fries. Decent. Loved the bun. Nice and buttery. Hubby had fried Chicken- that's a huge winner!! Kiddos had spaghetti w meatballs - great for kids and generous kid sized portion. Appetizers was great/ spicy chicken. I'd order that again for sure!! read more

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It is conveniently located next to the national Theater. The menu is typical fair. The salmon and burger were okay. I wouldn't say this is a destination restaurant but for the area it's okay. read more

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Restaurant in the JW Marriott. Popped down for an early dinner by myself around 6 pm on a Sunday night. Not busy, seated right away. Server was friendly and service was quick. Ordered a salad and it was both beautiful and tasty. It looks like they have take out service as well. read more

Smallest menu ever... drinks still aren't here after 15 minutes. Order taken. Can't understand the server due to language issues. 6 total tables. Got the food. Ate half of it. Then got our drinks. Bellini tasted horrible. read more

Fluffy omelette with fresh veggies. I subtracted peppers and added bacon to the loaded omelette on the menu. Sourdough bread was a bit dry, even with some butter. I did appreciate the choice of 2% or whole milk. Overall, a nice breakfast in a quiet spot to watch Pennsylvania Avenue. read more

Hours are wrong. Maybe fix that so people can actually eat food. Geez this hotel is ridiculous.

After a busy day of travel and walking to most of the monuments, I made it back to my hotel and was exhausted. Travelling alone for a conference, I was going to venture to dinner outside of the hotel, but decided to try Avenue Grill which was in my hotel, the JW Marriot. I was skeptical at first. The decor was a little outdated and the restaurant was pretty empty. I was seated immediately, but it took a while for a server to greet me. The menu has small plates, salads and entrees. I decided on two small plates as my meal. It wasn't a large menu, but there was variety and I wanted to try multiple items. I ordered the crab Mac and cheese and fried brussel sprouts. The brussels were crisp and delicious. They had a sweet sauce and some basil and onions mixed in. I didn't care for the basil, but still devoured half the bowl before moving on to the Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese was divine. It was piled really high so it was like playing jenga to make sure it didn't tip over. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was rich. I liked the crisp texture of breadcrumbs and parmesan on top. And the pieces of crab were fairly generous chunks. I enjoyed the meal a lot. Other than the somewhat slow service and decor, I would recommend trying the food or order through room service if you are staying at the hotel. read more

Avenue Grill - Fried Brussel Sprouts - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Avenue Grill is the restaurant in the ground floor of the JW Marriott. The JW has recently experienced a lot of renovations, which are finally complete. Stayed here for work and came here for dinner with some coworkers, which I probably wouldn't have done otherwise, as I tend to think that hotel restaurants are overpriced. I would say that this place is no exception to that - the prices are high, and the portions are small. That being said, everything we ordered was quite excellent taste-wise. The fried chicken appetizer with the hot peppers was recommended by our server, and was definitely good. I had the salmon dish that came with potatoes... it was a small piece of fish, and the "potatoes" looked like a single small fingerling potato was cut into quarters, and that was all you got. I wasn't really that hungry, but all that we ordered didn't really fill me up. Even though the food was good, and the server was nice, service was quite slow. Coupled with the high prices and tiny portions, I have to knock a few stars. You can find other restaurants in DC for similar or cheaper price points that will give you far larger portion sizes. read more

Located on the -1 level of the Marriott, it was certainly convenient for a Sunday morning brunch before heading home. There was a station for omelettes and waffles and then everything else was set up as a buffet. We found everything fresh with abundant variety for all. Our server was cheery and efficient ~ no hovering but kept the coffee flowing. It did get busy especially since the lounge is not open on Sundays till later in the day. Perfect to start the travel day. It would work on a workday, but I do not know if brunch is served daily. read more

This place worked for me. Two families with young kids could not survive the long line in Museum during the spring break and didn't want eat the street vendor food in the cold weather. We walked a couple of blocks to retreat to Marriot lobby. They have comfy seats and pretty decent food too. A nice place to take a break from the museum day. My Crab cake sandwich was awesome. Both warm bun and crab meat were delicious and not overly salty. My husband's chicken roll was pretty good too. Kids love their chick fingers and pizza which we chose fruit cup instead fries. Much better than balance the food with one hand and look for the seat in the Museum cafe. Not to mention to calm kids down before our turn to even order the food. The service was nice but a bit slow. read more

The only reason I stayed was the server was extremely nice and was joking with us the whole time. Both entrees ordered were over 25$, the salmon and the vegan dish. The salmon was maybe three bites and sitting on top of a couple microwaved green beans. The vegan dish was just as small, microwaved vegetables and just not good. At least they had a vegan dish at all though. With two drink our bill was 100$, we were so hungry we ordered a pizza after. Just don't. read more

We were in D.C. for a sightseeing day. It was getting later in the day and the food court at the Ronald Reagan building was closing. We looked up something nearby to eat. Avenue Grill popped up and away we went! I'm so glad we stopped here. The restaurant is located in the JW Marriott. The hostess was very friendly. Everything was very clean and modern. You are given a bread basket which after a long day of not eating made it delightful! I had ordered the turkey club sandwich which is served with homemade chips. Oh My Goodness!! This sandwich alone could be easily split between two people. There was so much food on this plate! Usually when you order a sandwich, it's portioned enough for one. My friend and I had to chuckle about how much food was brought out! And let me tell you.... this was wonderfully great! There was so much turkey! There was so many chips! I did not regret one bite of my meal. If you are looking for somewhere to please your appetite during your sightseeing, stop here! You'll love it! read more

Avenue Grill - Turkey Club Sandwich w/Homemade Chips. The picture doesn't do it justice on how much food this actually is! Yummy! - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My friend and I were searching for someplace to have dinner in this area. It's slim pickings and we were very cold, tired and hungry so were happy to find this on Yelp. We were in for a happy surprise. The Avenue Grill is in the Marriott at street level. The atmosphere is quite nice. And the service was excellent! Our server was personable and knowledgeable. The food was fabulous! I got the hamburger with cheese and bacon. The burger was perfectly prepared, juicy and flavorful. The accompanying fries were tasty and crispy. My friend got the Crab Mac n Cheese which was heavenly! He also enjoyed the corn chowder. All in all a very pleasant experience! read more

The food was good, and service was good as well. The place itself was really boring though, on a Saturday. Not that I expected a party or anything, but some life to it. The place was busy, but something about the atmosphere wasn't too inviting. Overall, good place for a bite if you are staying at the JW Marriott, but I'm sure there are better options in the area. read more

My daughter and I, we ate here yesterday, the food and service was outstanding. We sat next to the fireplace and enjoyed the warmth and quiet. I had the Cesar Salad with Crabcake and my daughter had the Angus Burger. The crabcake was the freshest and largest crabcake I ever had in my entire life! No fillers, it was 86% crab from the great state of Maryland with scallions and herbs.Simply delicious! Also the corn crab soup was so good. read more

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The bar was clean and well stocked. The drinks were on point. The bartender was friendly and every helpful. The corn bread of beyond delicious. This was a great place for a night cap and to warm up from the cold weather. read more

Avenue Grill - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a hotel restaurant but it has surprisingly good and interesting food choices. Not fancy but decent choice's. Maybe not a destination restaurant but if you are at the hotel you can get some good food without having to travel. A wide selection of food was chosen by our group. Tuna tartare small plate. Mmmmmmmmmm. Burger's are food. Hanger steak was wolfed down. 1 Salomon entre, a scallop and pasta entree and a chicken n rice bowl. All we're enjoyed. Friendly clean environment. Pretty quiet as well. read more

Really more of a 3.5 experience, but, alas, no half-stars. Came here to grab a quick bite before seeing a show at the National Theatre next door -- and by quick, I mean LIGHTNING fast, because we were running a tad behind on our timeline (stupid hidden parking garages!) They run a deal where if you show them your theatre tickets, you receive 20% off your meal. Though the legalese stipulates that this only goes until 6:45, and we got there at like.... 6:43, the hostess assured us that they would still honor the promotion -- sweet! What wasn't sweet was having an additional 10 minutes go by without any acknowledgement from the waitstaff. I know that it was kind of our fault for being in such a rush (the show started at 7:30), but again, the hostess told us that we should definitely have time to eat if we ordered salads or a sandwich. We only noticed one waitress walking the floor, and she never even looked our way. Since the hostess knew we had a time crunch, I admit I was a little disappointed that we couldn't put our orders in right away. After lots of impatient neck-craning, the bartender finally came over to take our order himself. He was very nice, and when we, again, told him how big a rush we were in, he helped us out by telling us what he thought would be able to be prepared out in time. I ended up going for their caesar salad with a side of the lobster truffle mac and cheese, and my sister got the quinoa burger. The food took long enough that we actually ended up asking for our bill BEFORE our food even arrived -- I'm nothing if not proactive about being punctual! Definitely the first time I've ever paid for my food before receiving it at a sit-down restaurant! When the food did come out, it was really delicious. Gorgeous plating and presentation, nice and hot, LOTS of lobster in the truffle mac (I should have just ordered a second bowl of that!), and the quinoa burger was clearly homemade and had a nice barbeque-y taste. We ended up asking for a box so my sister could take home half of her burger (clearly she has not mastered the speed-eating skills that I have, because I DEMOLISHED my food in record time, hahaha) which didn't really come. So... my sister actually ended up having to grab an empty box that someone had fortunately left on the bar. If we'd been here under different circumstances -- to grab a leisurely drink and lounge around for a meal -- I'm sure this would have been a fantastic experience. The food really was delicious and the pricing wasn't even that bad, esp. for the salads and sammies. But the timecrunch really put a damper on my experience because I felt anxious pretty much the entire time we were there. Once again, I know that we were in a particular rush (and I myself particularly HATE being late), but given that this is literally the closest restaurant to the National Theatre, you'd think they'd have their quick service abilities down a little bit better. If we hadn't been left hanging for a good 10 minutes in the beginning, I probably wouldn't have minded so much either. I would go back if I was seeing another show at the National or Warner Theatre (esp. for that mac and cheese!), but I will DEFINITELY be bookending my meal with a much, much bigger time buffer next time around. read more

Pretty good hotel breakfast. Service was very good. Price was fairly reasonable for a breakfast in a nice hotel ($15 I think?) in a major city. The same breakfast at the Marriott by the Convention Center a few weeks ago was about $11 more and was absolutely dreadful. I got my usual American breakfast: 2 eggs poached, english muffin, and opted for the chicken and apple sausage. The eggs were a bit over-poached (the yolk was hard) but they were fine. Not soggy. English muffin was good and still hot when I received it. The sausage was not great: really salty, no apple flavour at all, and overpowering sage seasoning. Side of hash browns was underseasoned. All in all not bad, but not amazing. I would dine in again for breakfast if I stayed at this hotel again, though. read more

After a LONG day of frolicking through several museums in DC on a weekend, I was walking back to the hotel when I stumbled to this find on Pennsylvania Avenue. And because it was starting to rain a bit...and from the looks of their menu posted outside...I decided to give it a whirl (Well, the AFC Championship was on the TVs inside too, and it was a good game I did not want to miss!). Alas, I was promptly seated upon entering, and the waiter immediately took my drink order. Despite the fact that they were watching the football game, they were VERY attentive and friendly. And for drinks, I had a mojito...how was it? AMAZING! As far as food...I chose the NY Strip...which was cooked perfectly...medium rare...pink and juicy in the middle! And from the looks of the JW Marriott where this restaurant is located...made me want to stay there next time I have a meeting in DC! read more

It seems as though no matter which level of Marriott hotel you stay at, the lobby restaurants are always mediocre. Service - everything took forever: greeting, order taking, getting drinks, getting food, checking back, and getting/paying the bill. The food was average. I don't recommend anything. My friend's turkey sandwich had a hair in it but they replaced it. The decor/atmosphere is typical windowless, gaudy rugged, and a bit cramped. Oh, and eerily silent. After we paid the bill, we went to the bar across the way and it was hard to get a drink so I went back to Avenues. The bartender has no idea what customer service is. read more

Have you ever noticed that in many hotel restaurants the food tends to be a bit pricier than for most comparable places? The Avenue Grille in the JW Marriott Hotel is just such a hotel restaurant. I ate here on the first night of a recent business trip. I'd traveled that morning on the train from Pittsburgh to Washington and I'd been up since about 4am. Granted I got a couple more hours of shuteye on the train, but still I was too tired to go out wandering for my dinner. Not wanting to bust my per diem on the first night, I simply went for a sandwich with some soup. I tried the roasted corn & crab chowder and it was very good. I also tried the roast beef sandwich with arugula and brie cheese. Uh, you definitely don't get that one at Denny's or Eat-n-Park! I pretty much agree that this place serves the hotel guests well and as George says below, it's not a dining destination. read more

I spent New Year's eve in Washington DC last year. It was killing time before going to watch the fireworks and decided to grab some food here. The food itself was pretty good but the real reason I am writing this review is for our waiter: Grant We had a long day but Grant was very warm, very energetic and very attentive. This restaurant is inside of the hotel and that's room is very hard to find. when I asked Grant where the bathroom was I assume that he would give me some convoluted directions but instead he walked me out of the restaurant across the hall and pointed directly to the bathroom door for me. We got ready to leave after he had just refilled or drinks for us and asked if we would like them to go. Taken aback by the question we said yes. He disappeared into the back and came back with two drinks and to go cups with straws even though he just poured drinks in the glasses that still set on our table 5 minutes prior to that. I wish I could take Grant to every restaurant that I had visited. Needless to say he got a great tip read more

Pricy and slow. Nice staff, key location. If you are staying at the hotel and don't feel like leaving to go out and venture, not bad. Otherwise, with SO MANY CHOICES in the area, I don't see the point. We had a meeting in the building and couldn't afford to be held up somewhere, so I grabbed a chicken caesar salad. No frills, and it was ok. read more

This restaurant is pretty typical for a hotel restaurant, or at least it is in our limited experience with the Avenue Grill: We had breakfast here after staying one night at the JW Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue. For a $50 breakfast for two, the food should have been better than Perkins, but there were some nice service touches that indicated this is in a four-star hotel. Everyone, absolutely EVERYONE, who interacted with us was solicitous, helpful, attentive and professional. We ordered breakfast instead of visiting the $24 per person buffet. We each had the All-American Breakfast, which includes eggs (cooked to order), choice of meat, choice of bread and hashbrowns. It is also garnished with fresh fruit, which included blueberries and strawberries. I ordered juice from the special juice menu, choosing the strawberry-pomegranate concoction. THIS WAS DELICIOUS! It was served muddled with fresh mint, like a cocktail. Also, I ordered my favorite Starbucks coffee, and they got it from Starbucks in the hotel and brought it in a proper coffee cup. Very nice. I sure couldn't afford this breakfast very often, but the personal touches and the juice and coffee made it a pleasant experience so that we didn't complain (too much) to each other when the bill came. read more

I was absolutely starving and we were all exhausted from flying so we were looking for a quick place to eat. I had the club sandwich and a side of the lobster mac. Both were delicious, the lobster mac and cheese was very very rich and easy to share with three people. Sandwich was good and filling. It's a great place to come if you just checked in with a family and are on the go. Only thing was service was a little slow. But that's it! read more

Avenue Grill - Lobster mac and cheese - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Recently popped in for dinner with my mom during my birthday week. The atmosphere feels very much like a hotel so it's hard to settle into a comfort zone. It needs to be warmed up a bit and separated from the hallway of the hotel more. That being said, I enjoyed the food and service aspect very much. Personally, I had the crab and chowder soup to start and the filet for my entree. Both of the items were excellent. And the bread to go with the meal was also very delicious. I'd like to especially point out our sever ,Lipscomb Grant, who has worked there for 27 years and has many stories to share. He still has a warm, friendly smile and really enjoys his job. Truly I haven't experienced his level of care and gratitude in the hospitality industry anywhere across the world in the past 10 years. That was a real treat. Lisa, the host was also very accommodating. She learned it was my birthday and put us at the best table they could find in the house. She also arranged with Lipscomb a birthday cake and sung me Happy Birthday.. That was really sweet of them to do. read more

We stopped here for lunch. The menu was pricy, especially for a lunch menu, but the food was decent and our waiter was nice. Pro's: -Good food -Prompt Service -Cute decor -The pickles that came with the meals we ordered were AMAZING. Cons: -The waiter either can't do math or purposely messed up to keep more of my change for a larger tip when I paid with cash and asked for change. -Pricy for regular food you could find pretty much anywhere. read more

We chose Avenue Grill based on it's proximity to National Theater...that was as promised. Our service wasn't the best, and everyone had an issue with their food ranging from cold fries, uncooked chicken to some food poisoning for good measure. Additionally, there are no bathrooms on the floor the restaurant is on and it's a bit of pain to find them. I won't be coming back. read more

This is a good place to dine before catching a show at the National Theater. I've been twice so far. The Brussel Sprouts and Chicken Tenders are BOMB! They are so good. The service is quick and the services are polite and attentive without being annoying. I would recommend. read more

I like this restaurant very much. If you're on the National Mall looking at the museums with the family, it is a few blocks to walk there but it's a very nice respite once you're seated. The food is very good, with interesting complex flavors you don't expect in seemingly common items (a grilled cheese sandwich, for example. I like most everything I tried. A hot beef sandwich recommended to me was a little messy -- it needed a more substantial bun or roll to hold it in. I recall french onion soup being on the menu and I thought it was very well done, but I don't see it on the menu anymore. Service is good. I saw "pricey" in another review -- maybe, but you get what you pay for. Will definitely be back. read more

A couple of vegetarian options but really, for being a JWM restaurant in a hotel, the food was very mediocre compared to the price.. as was the service. read more

Stopped here before seeing If/Then. This is the restaurant that's off of the lobby of the Marriott at National Place. I was late meeting some friends here. So I can't comment on whether we were seated quickly or how they were greeted. Our waiter, once he noticed there was an addition to the table, was quick to bring me a water and menu. Their food came out shortly after I sat down, which is fine. That's the price you pay for being late. But mine came out about 10 mins after theirs, very nice. I had opted for the Grown Up Grilled Cheese. It came w/ 3 types of cheese, bacon, tomato, and a small cup of tomato bisque on the side. It was not the best I've had. All the cheeses were there, and they worked well together but my sandwich was mostly bread. Fine. Ill make the best of a not great situation and use it for the bisque. The bisque, while seasoned well, was not the consistency I expected. It was a bit chunky. I don't know that Ill be coming here again, though it is the closest food option to The National Theatre. read more