26' Summer Restaurant Week Review First, there is no denying that the level of hospitality at this restaurant far exceeds any experience I've had at several DC establishments. The team was beyond friendly and it was not forced, it felt natural. From the post-reservations message to inquire about any special occasions to the warm friendly greeting at the door, this restaurant not only provides exquisite culinary but the service is magnificent! Thank you to everyone who took care of us. Next, the ambiance was simply beautiful. The decor was soft, modern, and boutique stylish. Fun fact, the Jônt, which is located upstairs is a private dining experience of theirs so I'm definitely curious to check them out really soon. They also have Ox and Olive under their umbrella of top restaurants so that's another fun place to try. Personal touch- on top of the impeccable hospitality, we received the sweetest card to celebrate my personal occasion. We also had a refreshing shot of their non-alcoholic house made kombucha-unmatched!!!!! DRINKS My first drink was a Smokey and sensational glass of Corpse Reviver No. 2. This drink contained a beautifully smoked vida mezcal among other fine ingredients. It's a drink which sparked an immediate conversation over starters as it left me feeling refreshed and ready to continue the evening. For dinner, I didn't do a traditional wine pairing but wanted a nice glass of dry white wine. The recommendation was Attis. This was more than a recommendation but learning the history behind the wine made every sip very special. Such a crisp taste and lingering floral scent. Enjoy a glass! DINNER I did the Seasonal Tasting Menu and my honey did the 4-Course Restaurant Week menu. Here is everything that I had and rated: Watermelon Gazpacho- I'm not a watermelon lover but I took a quick bite and honestly, there was a nice spicy/smokey flavor to this. Can't expound because it was a quick bite Shigoku Oyster- DIVINE!!!!! The piece of citrus added to the oyster helped balance the taste. This was succulent Fried Quail Drum- What a beautifully prepared dish. The fry on the quail was perfect but what stole the show was the tenderness of the meat, the flavors oozing out of each bite, and the magnificently paired sauce which had quail eggs folded into it. Burrata & Green Tomato- this was another favorite. It contained refreshing Thai basil and sweet herbs but the star of she show was the cardamom jam. That sweet flavor brought balance to the citrusy taste of the tomatoes and perfectly complimented the fresh burrata. The entire dish meshed together so well. Hamachi Crudo- I'm a lover of crudo and this dish was a perfect support for my love. It was fresh, tender, and incredibly delicious. Stuffed Chicken Wing- what made this dish shine were the dates inside. Hard to explain but the earthiness from the dates amplified the taste of the chicken. It was perfect!!!! Dry Aged Duck- I know there is mixed reviews of this but my review is that this was a succulent dish. The fattiness of the duck was perfectly support by the cornbread, blackberry, and shiso. Everything paired together well and the taste lingered on my tongue long after the dish was done. I loved it This beautiful culinary experience ended with their tantalizing Basque Cheesecake. This was OUT OF THIS WORLD satisfying! So creamy, perfect balance of walnut, and sweeeeet caramel. I loved every bite My honey also thoroughly enjoyed all of his selections and confirmed my love for mines as I did for some of his. I cannot wait to return because I've been desiring to try them for a while now and I'm glad that I found a reason to fall in love with this place! read more

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We had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Bresca! Our server, Sebastian, was kind, knowledgeable, and attentive throughout the entire evening. Honestly, all of the waitstaff looked sharp and were so polite to us. They even step out of your way when you get up to use the bathroom! The service was incredibly thoughtful without ever feeling stuffy or over-the-top. The food was OUT OF THIS WORLD good!! We went all out and did the seasonal chef's tasting menu with all the add-ons. I knew we were in for a treat from the very first bite of the watermelon gazpacho - which was actually the one thing i wasn't particularly excited for! But it completely blew us away with how flavorful it was. Every course was timed perfectly, and the portions were PLENTY! We left very very satisfied. I told one of the servers this while we were there, but it needs to be said here too: we went to the Inn at Little Washington for our anniversary last year, and we had a more enjoyable experience at Bresca BY FAR!! Bite for bite, Bresca's dishes were more fun and innovative as each one was unassuming yet bursting with complex flavors. The stand out dishes were the Duck, Burrata and Green Tomato, and the Basque Cheesecake. What me and my partner loved most about Bresca was that you could tell the cooks back there just wanted the food to taste GOOD - and they succeeded. There was never a moment, a dish, a server interaction, or a cocktail that felt inauthentic or performative. Bresca didn't feel like it was trying too hard to impress you just for the sake of being fancy. They prioritized flavor and they absolutely knocked it out of the park! 1000000/10. We're already planning on coming back to either Bresca, Jônt, or their newest Georgetown restaurant, Ox & Olive for our next anniversary. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner at Bresca with our toddler. Although we skipped the tasting menu to keep the meal shorter, the staff never made us feel like we were missing out. They were attentive, welcoming, and thoughtful throughout the evening. We enjoyed the oysters, hamachi crudo, dry-aged duck, and lamb saddle, and every dish was beautifully prepared and delicious. We especially appreciated the team's attention to detail and how comfortable they made our family feel. A fantastic experience, and we're already looking forward to coming back. read more

Yet another incredible experience! This is by far my favorite DC restaurant, serving the perfect combination of approachable and expertly refined dishes. I have been here many times, for à la carte and tasting menus, drinks and desserts. Bresca is everything you want in a restaurant -- a cozy nook on 14th, playing old school music, while serving course-after-course of the highest quality food. The team is extremely warm and welcoming, attentive and knowledgeable. I can't wait for my next visit! read more

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Great, great food. Be prepared, small portions, but it's delicious. Just share some fancy cheese and crackers (and a drink) with your loved one before you go. And the staff is amazing. Knowledgeable, attentive, helpful. read more

tl;dr -- 3/5 for the food, but 4/5 for the experience. While the Winter 2026 Restaurant Week 5-courses for $95 menu was okay, the service and surprise extras elevated our experience. We received quite a few complimentary small bites and sips that the value and quantity exceeded our expectations. My friend and I trekked through heaps and piles of snow to get to Bresca because we still wanted to eat and feast. Upon arrival, our server greeted us and served us a small cup of their warm apple cider -- tart and rich with a deep warmth from the apples. My friend enjoyed it so much that he decided to get an alcoholic version of the same drink with whiskey. -- COURSE 1 -- This course came with a few small bite snacks, and the following was the order of consumption the staff recommended. OYSTER & PEAR Raw oyster topped with a delicate champagne foam (and other ingredients), definitely very thoughtfully curated. However, I didn't really enjoy the flavors of the champagne foam, but enjoyed the plump and juicy oyster. BLUE CLAW CRAB Really small crab claw that sat on the edge of a plate. Flavors were fresh and "crab-like", but I can't say this was our favorite. "CHEESE AND CRACKERS" Looks like a small cheesecake bite, but savory. Reminded us of the Ritz Crackers 'N Cheese Dip snacks I used to eat as a kid, but elevated and much less processed. We really liked these! "STEAK AND EGGS" Really delicious bites of steak tartare(?) in between delicate, flaky crackers. These were very enjoyable. -- COURSE 2 -- BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD Refreshing salad that was light with a delicious creamy sauce on the bottom that was seasoned nicely with dukkah. However, the butternut was not the softest, and we didn't really like cutting it up into pieces to eat it. CRUDO Very beautiful dish topped with different citrus fruits (lemon-kumquat, mandarin-kumquat mix), edible flowers, jelly(?), and the tuna. The broth was incredibly bright, citrusy, sweet, and slightly floral. Tuna was fresh and paired well with the citrus-floral notes. Very enjoyable, this was definitely a standout dish for us. -- COURSE 3 -- SMOKE IN CHIMNEYS TROUT We started with this because we thought it was the lighter of the two options. Surprisingly, pretty heavy because the trout (perfectly soft and fresh) sat on top of some spatzle mixed with a creamy, umami mushroom sauce. This combination was delightful, and definitely one of my favorites. SMOKED POTATO PIEROGI A rich, dense, and savory dish. The pierogi was topped with blanched spinach, gouda, cauliflower, and caramelized onions. It was a bit too salty, but bold flavors and the pierogi had the perfect doughy texture and thick cheesy filling. -- COURSE 4 -- LAMB SIRLOIN Sizable portion for our main dish, the lamb sirloin sat on top of a deep red sauce, with some onion puree which helped cut the gaminess of the lamb. Enjoyable, but my lamb was hard to cut through because of some leftover gristle. -- COURSE 5 -- CARAMEL APPLE 'LINZER' Shortbread cookie sandwiched with apple jam, dusted with powdered sugar, which sat on some eggnog. Really pretty presentation. I enjoyed the nutty and earthy notes of the gingerbread, but found the dessert a bit too sweet for my liking. MADELEINE SERVICE This came with four madeleines (topped with cinnamon and sugar) and what appears to be a stick of butter. It actually wasn't butter, but a delicate white chocolate exterior filled with sweet cream to enjoy the madeleines with. Surprisingly, this was not too sweet, and the delicate, light flavors had me downing two of these despite how full I was. The pacing of food was fantastic, and we didn't feel rushed to leave. We also got a couple petit fours (chocolate madeleine and orange gummy bear) that were lovely and a rich, decadent cup of hot chocolate (good, but a bit too sweet) as we paid our bill. We were incredibly stuffed from all the food we got -- glad that we got to experience Bresca during this RW. read more

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My wife and I recently went to Bresca for a weekend dinner to celebrate a special occasion and were disappointed with this Michelin-star restaurant-it did not live up to the caliber of the designation. My wife and I were seated at our reservation time; we received uneven service the rest of the evening. It took almost an hour from the time we sat down until we got our salad; while this was a kitchen issue, our server could have let us know about the delay. However, Bresca did do a great job accommodating some dietary restrictions, and our server explained each dish well. I also appreciate the complementary non-alcoholic tea "shot" before the meal and the chocolate madeleines that came with our check at the end of the meal. The ambiance and setup of Bresca could be significantly improved; Bresca aims for an upscale French bistro vibe. However, this is significantly undercut by the restaurant playing American pop music and the exposed pipes on the ceiling. Additionally, Bresca was extremely loud and it was hard to have a conversation at times. Bresca's tables are also very close together; it was hard for servers to move between the tables and at times servers were right up against our table when taking other table orders. My wife and I were able to get the restaurant week special of three courses for $65, and were able to substitute in a vegetarian main-definitely a great deal. Our meal started with the snack plate. I really liked the crab leg with the smoky sauce-extremely fresh crab. The cheese and crackers was an interesting, elevated take on the snack classic and the cheese was tasty; the crust and the jelly were OK but not great. We each got the butternut squash salad for the appetizer course, which was the best dish of the evening. The butternut squash went perfectly with the creamy cheese, the apple provided nice crunch along with some chips on top, the maple provided some sweetness, and the presentation was great. This salad would have been outstanding if the butternut squash were warm and Bresca had left off the salt-at times it overwhelmed the other flavors. My wife and I shared the smoked potato pierogies and the Shenandoah lamb for our main dishes. The smoked potato pierogies were delicious; I wish there had been more of them. Three pierogies is small for a main dish, even at a restaurant like Bresca. The Shenandoah lamb left much to be desired. I thought when we first got the lamb that we had gotten a piece of meatloaf with gravy-it looked very unappetizing with the brown-on-brown. The lamb was tough, hard to cut even with a steak knife, and needed more flavor. The beet, horseradish, and onions did not add enough flavor to the lamb to complement or elevate the dish. We got the pain au lait to accompany our mains and the bread was warm and delicious, with the chives complementing the bread well. The butter was flavorful, smooth, and creamy-perfect with the bread. The caramel apple linzer for dessert had good gingerbread notes, but otherwise was unremarkable. I would recommend other French or Michelin star restaurants in DC if you are looking for a high-end restaurant for a special occasion. read more

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What an amazing experience! I love when restaurants prepare little cards to say congrats, happy anniversary, etc. It really gives that personal touch when we arrive. My husband did the chef's tasting menu and I did the four course menu which was great that they offered that! 4 courses was perfect for me and I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. Also, for being Michelin and in DC the prices were very reasonable! We started with 3 seafood-forward bites which were all delicious. Then I had the butternut squash salad, pierogi, lamb and the madeleines for dessert. Wow everything was SO GOOD. I enjoyed every bite.. I wouldn't change anything. My husband did too.. the only one he didn't love was the tuna tartare with beets 3 ways but that's more of a personal preference with beets. The only slight hiccup is I got the bees knees drink nonalcoholic due to being 8 months pregnant and they accidentally brought me an alcoholic one. Luckily I only had a sip before I realized. They were very apologetic and brought me a new one, but then surprisingly comped all of our drinks at the end of the night which was more than generous (though a pretty big mistake). Despite that, we had an amazing meal, amazing service and an amazing time. Highly recommend! read more

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The atmosphere is cozy, it's not a fancy place but so chill with super friendly service The food here is unexpected amazing I will for sure to come back when next time I visit this city! This meal is one of the hi-light in our 2026 Washington DC trip read more

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Great aesthetic with delicious food. While the restaurant was full the service provided made us feel like we were the only table in the restaurant. The prefix menus takes you on a flavor filled journey. One of my favorite bites was the duck. Check it out. It's the perfect place for a birthday or date night. read more

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We visited for the seasonal tasting menu and had a mixed experience. The appetizers and bakery items were the highlights of the meal--well-executed and full of flavor. However, as the courses progressed, the experience became less impressive. The chicken course was underwhelming compared to the earlier dishes. The strawberry cheesecake dessert was the biggest disappointment. Some of the strawberries were very sour, and the accompanying sauce had a flavor that reminded us of Robitussin cough syrup. The granola was also quite hard to cut through with a fork and tasted a bit stale. On a positive note, the service was pleasant. One issue we encountered was that the air conditioning had condensation dripping from the ceiling, and a few droplets landed on my partner's head. Thankfully, none of it fell into our food, but it was still distracting and something the restaurant should address. Overall, the meal started strong but didn't maintain the same level of quality through the main course and dessert. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect, but we had an amazing dinner at Bresca! The range of dining options was impressive, and the staff went above and beyond to accommodate our party's various tastes and dietary restrictions. The food was outstanding, the staff and service were top-notch, and the atmosphere was both stylish and comfortably laid-back. I also loved the "secret" library room set aside for you to wait for your ride. read more

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I'm posting this review almost a month after coming here, but I'm still thinking about the food we had here! We came here for restaurant week as a girl's night and we had such a great time sitting at the bar. The service was extremely attentive and friendly, they really added to the experience. I got the salad as my first course, and I don't eat red meat so they were able to swap the entree out for a corn ravioli with foam which was delicious. The dessert was fresh and just right, and the wine pairing worked very well. What I loved the most were the snacks and the additional items we got throughout the meal. We got the additional snacks (like the peanut butter foie gras) which were really fun and innovative. They also gave us an additional dessert with yuzu gummy bears and fresh sorbet which made the deal even better. I'd happily pay full price to dine here again, would absolutely recommend! read more

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Amazing restaurant that can't be missed. I went during restaurant week. They have a great tasting menu for the price. We opted for the regular tasting menu. We started Snacks melon - yogurt cornbread - popcorn butter Was rich and delicious nice balance with the freshness of the melon and the better along with the cornbread. Heirloom Tomato plum - teta - granola Was a fantastic salid fresh tasting and sweet with a nice added flavor of richness from the feta. The diver scallop was perfectly cooked and rich with the sauce. It was tender and moist perfectly paired with the sauce. Brioche Chicken was nicely cooked with well balanced flavor between the aju and the savory flavors of the breast The short rib was the best thing on menu perfectly cooked and well seasoned with an amazing sauce. The dessert was the only let down it was interesting looking but was just an ok dish taste wise. I didn't enjoy the texture with the yogurt. Service was top notch and extremely friendly. The restaurant is beautiful inside and has a great modern look. Must try for anyone especially during restaurant week. read more

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I was really disappointed with this restaurant. The food looked promising but the quality just didn't live up to the price. My meal arrived lukewarm, lacked flavor, and tasted like it had been sitting out for a while. The wait time was another major issue. Even though the restaurant wasn't particularly busy, it took far too long for our food to arrive, and we had to keep asking for updates. To make matters worse, the prices were hard to justify. The portions were small, the quality was mediocre, and overall it felt like poor value for the money. There are plenty of better places offering tastier food, faster service, and much better value. I won't be returning. read more

Came here for DC restaurant week in Aug 2025 and had the best experience. We did all the starters, had the wine pairing , ordered the wagyu upgrade. I enjoyed every bit of food and flavor profile I had heard such great things about the restaurant and coming for restaurant week made it worth it. All the meals and snacks were so delicious read more

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I went again and thoroughly loved my experience! We went for Valentine's Day and enjoyed our dishes and the experience :) I think the prices are soooo worth it for the experience. The crab is always spectacular. The combo of flavors is always great. The food is always top tier. They do substitutions too- I don't eat pork so they did a few for my dishes. However I don't recommend asking for them just because you don't like a dishes content. The food is an experience so I'm glad I got the beets and tuna even though I didn't love it (personal preference- my boyfriend loved it). This is a great restaurant with knowledgeable servers. I love this place. read more

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we dined a la carte on mothers day. what a stunning presentation of dishes! one of my favorite meals in dc, from the attentive service, to the pacing, to the flavor profiles (mixing sweet and savory). we loved the crab tagliolini the most read more

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The service here was quick and great! All the waiters were on top of everything, taking care of water, utensils, and whatever else you needed. However, I thought the food was just ok and wasn't anything special. I came for restaurant week so I was able to try their 3 course menu. Their butternut squash salad was very good and loved the sweeting maple pairings. The lamb shoulder was ok. I've had better at other requests with more flavor. The horseradish sauce on the side tasted too sweet with no hints of horseradish, which was very disappointing. The madeleine service was given for dessert as a nut free alternative. The "butter" was white chocolate coating filled with crepe and a chocolate ganache. This was very light and not too sweet which I liked. Overall, I would not come back considering the price how expensive it was for okay food. read more

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We've been wanting to try this place for a while. The recent negative Yelp reviews made us nervous, but we were pleasantly surprised and delighted with the food here during Restaurant Week. We had the following: - Honeynut squash salad - tasty salad with unique novel ingredients - Berkshire pork - the cut pork pieces were good, but the homemade pork meatballs were the star of this dish for me. Definitely the best pork meatballs I've ever had! They were so moist, tender, and flavorful. The meat was wonderfully balanced out with the refreshing tang of cider and sweet, tangy cipollini onions. Definitely a must-try! - Smoke in chimneys trout - meh okay. The trout meat was tender, but the flavor was not impressive. Pretty bland and boring. We wouldn't recommend getting this one. - Pain au lait - delicious warm, soft, and bouncy bread. The accompanying honey butter was excellent. Bonus: The restaurant provided a cute birthday note on the table for my wife's birthday and gave us complimentary desserts (madeleine cookies sprinkled with cheese, very novel and interesting) and homemade gummy bears (I think they were raspberry-flavored. They weren't too sweet and were slightly sour/tangy, which balanced out the sweetness). Service was great and attentive. read more

My husband and I were very disappointed the last time we dined at bresca. We opted for the 3 course option with the additional short rib on one of the entrees. The first course the crab wasn't edible. My husband who devours anything crab said it tasted like the old crab at a buffet. The second course was a beet salad which was ok but beet isn't for everyone. The main course the short rib wasn't that tender and almost dry (comparative to the last time we dined here it was noticeably worse). My husbands pork entree was also tough. Dessert was probably the only generally good course of the evening. It was really a shame as the last time we came for restaurant week last year it blew us away and we were excited to go back for a special occasion. read more

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The service in the ambience were incredible here, and their wine sommelier gave us a great wine pairing. My favorite thing on the menu was the ravioli and the ribeye. Great experience but not sure it's worth the price to go multiple times. read more

Bresca - Ravioli - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A sign of a good restaurant is when they make you change your mind about a dish. I'm not a fan of duck, but a friend invited me to join him for Bresca's duck dinner. I walked out a fan of duck. Here's our experience. 1) Service: It's Michelin star worthy. Staff were professional, warm, and knowledgeable about each dish and wine pairing. 2) Food: In addition to the duck menu, a few surprise dishes were brought over. Each dish was flavorful and enjoyable, especially the burrata, small bites, and duck breast. 3) Wine: The wine pairings were unique and perfectly matched. 4) Space: It's a simple yet unique restaurant with plenty of seats. read more

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I'm giving Bresca 4 stars only because they're Michelin star, and I've come to expect a lot from Michelin star restaurants. As you enter, you're met with a full coat rack in your face on the left side. At my height, the coats were quite literally in my face. We were then seated at our table. It was a tight squeeze - they fit a lot of people into the space! The woman at the bar behind my husband needed to ask him to scooch in more so she could get out. I opted for the four course menu with a wine pairing. Everything was exceptional! My husband got the additional PB&j foie gras small bite. He pointed out to me that it was on a bed of shelled peanuts, so I went to town on those. Don't put peanuts in front of me and not expect me to eat them. When it was time to clear our plates, I was still my munching on peanuts when our (wonderful) server swooped in and took the bowl right out from under me. Now, what id expect next at a Michelin star restaurant would be for the server to come back with a small bag or box with the remaining peanuts and say, "I noticed you were enjoying these so the kitchen packed them up for you," as the table is cleaned with one of those little metal table sweepers (don't know the right term for them!). Instead, my husband was laughing at me while I awkwardly swept the peanut shell bits off the table. No bag of peanuts to take home ever appeared. Like I said before, the food itself was exceptional. The wine pairings were spot on and I enjoyed all of them, including the dessert wine much to my surprise! The short rib was fantastic. The small bites at the start were my favorite part of the meal. The bread is to die for. Get it! Our server was wonderful. The music here might not be everyone's cup of tea but I was enjoying the 90s/early 2000s jams. One of the best parts was that I went home completely stuffed! That rarely happens at Michelin star restaurants so I appreciated it immensely. read more

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Bresca was an expensive but enjoyable experience. The service is quite good and the restaurant itself is pleasant without being overly stuffy. The food is also quite good, although nothing really "WOW"ed me. They start you off with a "palette cleanser" shot of kombucha followed by what I can only describe as a single small fancy hush puppy filled with pimento cheese. It was delicious and the table agreed we could each eat about ten more. We all chose the four course meal. The wagyu, which is the same price on the Ala cart menu, had an upcharge of $37ish dollars. As a side note, I found it interesting that they initially brought out the chefs tasting menu that was $145 and we had to ask for the other menus. The second course was two sashimi-like slices of hamachi crudo, which tasted Smokey. The sauce it came from did nothing for it. Not my favorite. Next came the cacio e pepe pasta which was chefs kiss delicious, perfectly creamy and cheese. Lastly we got our main dishes. All but one got the wagyu. The friend who got the chicken said it was the best chicken she's ever had so I take her word for it There were two relatively small cuts of wagyu but it was perfectly seasoned and delicious. I just wish for the price and uptick there were more slices. They also brought out a delicious loaf of bread and honey butter that we all gladly gobbled up. We finished with a delicious raspberry open face macaron and sorbet, and a "complimentary" lemon madeleine. Some cons leading to my 3 star were 1) the upcharge for the Wagyu and 2) my $12 mocktail was maybe only two shot glasses worth of liquid in a small skinny glass filled with ice. Will I be back? Sure, gladly, if someone else is paying. read more

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Good portion sizes, almost a bit too much. The foie gras is definitely not recommended no matter how much of a foie gras lover you are. Way too salty and moussy. It is not the foie gras terrine I usually eat which has the savory taste of foie gras. This just taste salty and way too strong. It almost killed my tongue and I had a hard time tasting anything else for a while. The rest of the food is very good and very recommended. read more

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Short rib- Awesome Pork loin- Good Beet salad- Yucky Dessert-awesome Ambiance -5+ It's beautiful, they have an extra "library" space where you can wait, the bathroom even smells nice The service was great but I felt very pressured to get the pre fix read more

Bresca - Prefix menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A group of us came here for restaurant week. The place was beautiful and bustling. Despite making a reservation weeks in advance, we only managed to snag a spot at the bar at 8 PM. We couldn't have had a better time. The food was delicious and creative. Our favorites were the cheese and crackers, lamb sirloin, peaches and cream, and beef tartare. The bartender had numerous accolades and checked in on us the whole evening to make sure our experience was absolute perfection. The manager even came to say hi to us and let us taste a few additional dishes. Word of mouth is this is the best Michelin restaurant in DC, and I couldn't agree more. Highly recommend restaurant week to sample it all! read more

My favorite dish was the ravioli & the duck. Love that there's options to pick from a 3, 4, or 7 course meal. I chose the 4 course meal, which was enough to feel full. They allow the table to select different options (for number of courses), but I would recommend everyone to get the same number of courses so you're not sitting around waiting. Service was decent. It was bustling on a Friday night with a young/hip crowd. read more

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Our server was exemplary. But we, or mostly I, had an off interaction with the somm. I had inquired which red might pair with the duck. The server had thought to check with the sommelier if it might be possible to order a glass off the wine pairing menu that was meant for the duck. The sommelier came after a moment and seemed immediately affronted, because there were only two glasses remaining, and they were spoken for. I didn't care either way... I hadn't asked for it. He proceeded to recommend a half bottle. This is where we had a back and forth because I'd just wanted a glass? When he'd brought his recommendation, and I opted to get something else, he exasperatedly questioned my choice (because I wouldn't simply go with his rec?). He eventually brought my glass, then abruptly left without checking whether my boyfriend wanted anything (the person responsible for beverages didn't deign to ask lol). Onto the food, the kombucha palate cleanser reminded me of Robitussin, like cherry flavored medicine. The amuse-bouche(?) after that was pretty inoffensive, mild and herbaceous, but topped with yogurt? I don't like yogurt. The foie gras terrine leaned sweet. Actually, we thought that everything tended not savory. The raviolini was a cute chew. I liked my duck. My boyfriend did not find his lamb particularly noteworthy. read more

Delicious food, great ambiance. Service was very great. Good place for important event celebration. read more

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Fantastic experience! We left very full as the portions were amazing. The Australian Wagyu was probably a 6-7oz portion, which for a Michelin Star restaurant, is unheard of! Drinks were fantastic as well! My only critique feedback is the chef's and/or kitchen staff who bring the food out, when they explain what is it to please slow down a bit and speak louder. Our guy spoke so fast and he was almost whispering. But overall, AMAZING! We will dine again! read more

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Service: I really wanted to give the benefit of doubt but now that I have eaten both restaurants owned by the same chef, under the same roof, I really feel like if there is any KPI among the employees to be rude to Asians (and I'll write another review for Jont to elaborate on this). We intentionally picked this restaurant because my friend was not sure when she could get off work and we noticed this would be the only one-star restaurant with so many open spots. But when we walked in, they set us at the bar so I walked to the front desk with their official website and said "I saw you guys have many vacant spots." And this lady very arrogantly responded "Well, I have 6PM coming in soon." Ma'am, there is literally a spot at 5:45 so I fought back "Well, do you want me to make a reservation at 5:45 to get a table right now? If so, I can make it because there is only one minute left." And she finally realized how bad her attitude was and agreed to give us a table. The restaurant never got full while we were there. I also specifically asked to bring my cocktail with my main but it didn't come up until I almost finished the dish. In terms of food, we really don't understand that how this is even Michelin starred. First, for my friend who has studied cooking in Paris, she pointed out that the menu setting is not genuine enough based on the ingredients listed. The fried quail with ranch was very basic and it was not much different from Popeyes. The ambiance is ok but if you like more intimate environment, Jont upstairs would be a better choice. read more

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IT WAS LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!! We asked them to turn down the music. It was awful!!!!!!!!!! So with the music so loud - everyone had to yell at their dinner guests...so a restaturant full of yelling people it was awful. The service was very attentive but we will never come back and would not reccommend it unless this gets corrected read more

This was my first time back at Bresca since I had first been there prior to them getting a Michelin star years ago. I clearly remember that visit being memorable and good. I was soooo disappointed by my experience here!! We opted to do the 5 course which ended up being $166 pp for not much food and with a 20% gratuity automatically applied. Not worth it!!! The service was fine but the staff was definitely lackluster and not at the level as other Michelin restaurants. When they explained each dish they did so in a very rushed and quiet way and you could barely understand what they said. The dishes we tried were way too inventive and out there. I am acclimated to many experiences of tasting menus, Michelin restaurants and molecular gastronomy. Bresca was a huge MISS. The initial "bites" with each course were fishy and weird - pairing gelee with oysters and super fishy fish salad on crackers that had no crunch. The crudo was gross and fishy. The only things I enjoyed were the agnolotti and my short rib entree (again a pretty small serving). Even the bread and desserts were totally flavorless. I will not be back and will not recommend Bresca to others. I was so disappointed! read more

After exchanging several emails with Bresca prior to our visit, we were under the clear impression that the kitchen would accommodate our vegetarian dietary preference with a modified tasting menu alongside à la carte options. Unfortunately, that expectation was not met -- nothing on the menu had been modified or adapted in any way for us. For a Michelin-starred restaurant, this felt like a significant failure in communication and hospitality. The menu itself left us underwhelmed. We expected something inventive and distinctive from a restaurant of this caliber, but the selections felt unremarkable. Adding to the disappointment was the noticeable use of starch-heavy fillers, which felt like padding on a menu that already carries premium pricing. For what we paid, we expected more creativity and substance on the plate. Service was slow throughout the evening, and the dining room noise level made conversation genuinely difficult -- not the intimate fine dining experience we had anticipated. The sommelier was a bright spot -- knowledgeable, personable, and his wine recommendation was excellent. However, the wine markup is steep even by DC fine dining standards. One moment that stood out negatively was when we asked about our first drink and he simply gave us the name and told us to look it up ourselves. That kind of dismissiveness is out of place at this level of service. To be fair, the food was genuinely tasty throughout -- the kitchen clearly has talent. But between the miscommunication about our dietary needs, the underwhelming menu selection, slow service, and noise level, the overall experience did not justify the price or live up to the Michelin star reputation. We would be unlikely to return anytime soon. read more

Came to Bresca for a birthday celebration (the little birthday placard was a nice touch), and while the service was top notch, the food did leave a bit to be desired. I commend Bresca for the quality; not any and every restaurant can say they've earned a Michellin star but I would say that I felt a bit underwhelmed by some of the flavours- or lack thereof? My table did the four course dinner and to my best recollection it went as follows: The cucumber salad was pretty good, very summery and light- but not something I would return for and order again The corn and black truffle ravioli was absolutely delicious however the portion size was minimal The beef striploin, which I had gotten well done was pretty chewy and meh at best The true star of the show were the madelines with wild blueberry and sweet cream. They were still warm, dusted in confectioners sugar and paired wonderfully with the cream and fruit. Ambiance wise it's very simply and clean. Wooden tables, a pretty bar. The waiting area was a bit more stylish than the actual first floor of the restaurant but that is neither here nor there. While it was an enjoyable experience for a special occasion, I don't foresee myself revisiting Bresca anytime soon. read more

Bresca - Beef tartare, crab cocktail, oysters and strawberries, "cheese and crackers" - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was good. Service was lovely. I don't think I'd say it was Michelin star level despite having one. It's also overcrowded and noisy even with a reservation. read more

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Place is too small, reservation was not honored on time, then there was a constant upsell of drinks. When ordered an extra on the fixed menu they brought it for the whole table and charged individually. They never asked. First I thought it was a mistake but they did it for everything including sparking water. As a result the prices was more than double. It was unethical. They seem to need money. The food itself was too sweet and the portions minuscule. There was a very long wait between appetizers and entrees. And they finally brought the bread after they served entrees. Very disappointed. Very sad to have fallen for a money trap. I don't mind expensive. But being tricked into double price was annoying. Servers need to ASK before adding items to the tab. read more

So 5 stars for Bresca and right off the jump the tasting menu is the way to go. It's the best bang for your buck. But a la carte looked super tasty and I'm sure is amazing Also this is THE PLACE to go to, unless you make bank, for a big special occasion like a big birthday or any Anniversary. You'll drop serious coin, but from the service to the genuinely wonderful atmosphere and the considerate attention to detail, the vibes are immaculate. Service and food were exemplary, our favorites being the brioche chicken and Halibut. My only qualm is it get very noisy in Bresca as the night goes on. So, heads up there. This is on our list of very nice, special occasions to go to. For sure. Also, pro tip: you can pay for parking at or pay in advance on Spothero at a garage on U street right before 14th street. read more

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