Underwhelming Thanksgiving. (Posting here as Open Table reviews are not functioning...ongoing "server problems) We had high hopes for this meal, as food at Cedar Knoll has been very good in the past. Unfortunately, the restaurant seems to have accepted more covers than wait staff could handle. For example, in our section of the restaurant there was only a single server for ten tables. This logistics problem led to food being delivered cold, or after considerable delay. Coffee and dessert were served 45 minutes after requested. I'm sure the food would have been tasty if served hot and on time. Unfortunately, as it was, this was a sub-par meal at considerable expense. Not the server's fault; I know they are dependent on the kitchen. This restaurant failed to synchronize properly and that's on the general manager and/or chef. Additionally a 23 percent gratuity was automatically included in the bill. Maybe this was in the fine print of my reservation, but it was another regrettable part of the experience, especially since I had already held the reservation with a credit card. Cedar Knoll seems to be fine for the occasional fine dining meal, but they ought to completely rethink their holiday offerings. The single server in the Lafayette Room did an outstanding job with the awful managerial and kitchen fiasco. She was badly overworked, yet cheerful. I did not begrudge her the baked in 23 percent tip. I just hope she received all of it. No one else in the restaurant should have gotten a penny. read more

Took my wife there for Valentine's Day pre-fix. What a TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT! Our server was nice, but missed sending us of the "chefs surprise". After living in DC for 10+ years, and eating and working at fine dining in the city, I would rate this as a 2/5 fine dining establishment. Food was not hot and lacked anything that would make me want to compliment the chef. Service also lacked fine dining training like you find in DC. We moved into the neighborhood a few months ago, and was excited to try it. Ugghh, never again. I guess this will only be a "grab a cocktail" place, after this experience. Prices were outrageous (not to mention they did auto gratuity which was good for them) for the quality of food and service. Lastly, it's 2024: have a better non-alcohol selection beyond Becks. read more

The famous chef Thomas loves this place. The New York Strip steak just melted in the famous chef Thomas' mouth. He highly recommends it. Excellent wine selection for the famous chef Thomas. Service was top notch just like the famous chef Thomas loves. Very attentive. Ambiance is very romantic right off the Potomac river. The famous chef Thomas will be back. read more

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Absolutely delicious food. Quaint restaurant. Ian was great as our server. I didn't get a pic of the oyster stew but it was amazing. For dessert, the peanut pie is a must! read more

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The food is not up to par with the price that they are charging. The staff is nice but management is not. I spoke with a manager who doesn't seem like she knows what she is doing let alone cares. The table we sat at was next to another couple who was having a similar experience and was basically on top of us. The room we were in alone had 5 empty tables (which remained empty the entirety of the time we were there) but they still sat us next to this couple. The food was okay but they brought out the wrong order twice. The only positive I have to say is the drive out there is nice. read more

Cedar Knoll is great! The staff, food, and restaurant itself are amazing. They are very accommodating and willing to customize the menu for you! Everything is so cute inside :) read more

Cedar Knoll - Chicken risotto - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Ate on the patio at 5:30 on Wednesday. 80F out. Traffic does make noise. Food was great. service was good. Could use some more plate cleaning. Nice live music. Not too loud. Really great place. Used open table to make reservation. Lots of details can be provided in the reservation! Great time. read more

The historic building is quaint and the staff was friendly, but the food was disappointing. The fried squid was barely 3oz for $19. I would be embarrassed to serve that as waitstaff.....it was also tasteless. The "Jumbo" crab cakes were all meat but barely 3 ounces each over 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes. The pork chop was decent sized but dry and barely seasoned overcooked broccolinI. I do not understand these glowing reviews. read more

We went there for wine tasting dinner which was I believe, extremely over priced at $150. I've been to winetasting dinners in the DC downtown area that are significantly less expensive and give the restaurants in opportunity to expose people to their food in a fine wine generally that they don't even pay for, as the wine is usually donated by the distributor. I think Cedar Knoll in use this as an opportunity to make a buck. There were three of us I was sick for a week after eating there my friends were sick for two or three days it was definitely some form of food poisoning because I never get sick ever. Outside of the view there's really nothing great about this place and I'll never go there again. read more

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A group of us wanted to have dinner prior to our visit to Mount Vernon Estates' Wine Festival. One of the foodies in the group suggested Cedar Knoll and on 6/17 @ 5:38pm I called the restaurant to inquire about reservations for a group of 12. I asked the young lady if they accept reservations for this size group because I was unable to make online. She said yes, took my name and phone number and confirmed the reservation for the date of 7/17/21. A week before the event I contacted the restaurant to ensure they had the reservation and spoke with someone who said she was the manager and that she showed the reservation but would need a credit card to continue to hold. I asked why that wasn't requested at the time I booked and she said they were currently training new staff and they should have requested. I advised I was the one calling in to confirm and what if I had not called in??? She said they call to confirm 3-4 days prior and would request at that time. I asked her to follow that process and call me 3-4 days prior to which she gave a "snippy" response of "why do you guys not plan on showing up?" She then went on to tell me if I refused to give her the credit card on a reservation I already had for a month she would cancel my group of 12. I was beyond livid, as I was out of town caring for my ailing parents and did not have time to try to solidify another restaurant choice with the group and then with another restaurant. I grudgingly gave the credit card and with complete dread showed up for the reservation. I never got the confirmation call 3-4 days prior, but I call the day prior to change the group to 11. Upon entering the establishment my group was not greeted with a hello, how may I help you but just, "are you with the group of 11? Were we being racially profiled? Are we the only people of color that were frequenting your establishment that evening? Could not my group have been a mixture of ethnicities? Everyone felt awkward. They asked, how did she know we were with you? The portion size of the meals were very good. The service was pretty good, but incredibly slow, as their focus was on a wedding taking place at the restaurant as well. No manager came to see how things were going, thank us for coming in, nothing. In fact, one of the ladies mentioned such. There was a bill issue once I left the restaurant that I still don't understand. The experience was overall well below expectations. My group of 11 did end up being only a group of 8, as I had last minute cancellations. All of us thought the food was okay, but were mostly dissatisfied with our overall treatment, from the moment of the reservation to the time of our dinner. All of us love food and enjoy eating out trying different cuisines and venues. It would have been nice if we would have been treated well and with courtesy so this too could be added to our list of go to establishments. I think they could use the return clientele, as the restaurant was pretty much empty, read more

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Great service and delicious food. Whether you choose to dine indoor or outdoor, the view is spectacular. For starters, I highly suggest grandma's sausage cheddar fritters. For the main course, I ordered the angus filet mignon and it literally melted in my mouth. It was by far the best filet mignon I've ever had. The sides paired very nicely with the main dish as well. read more

Perfect spot for a quaint meal outside of the city on a beautiful day. When making the reservation, my date asked in the description for a seat by the window, which we were pleasantly surprised with upon arriving (even after we showed up over 30 minutes late - oops ). We started with the winter bisque soup, which was a great dish to share from the same dish. I enjoyed the sweetness of the addition of the sweet potatoes, mixed with squash, pumpkin seeds, and various vegetables. Next, I ordered the frittata, which came cooked to perfection with a medium-crispy outside and soft center. The middle was filled with plenty of veggies and a super yummy ricotta whip. The risotto was nicely prepared as well, with a poached egg and asparagus neatly laid on top. If I were to come again, I would choose the frittata over the risotto. The staff was friendly and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. It definitely felt like I was taken back in time (maybe in the George Washington era). read more

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Our party of four enjoyed delicious appetizers, entrees (venison, crab cakes, and schnitzel) with a bottle of wine and deserts. All while viewing the river through the window beside our booth. The service was good and setting perfect for our special gathering. It was our first but not our last time there. Can't believe I drove past this place twice a day during my work commute for two years in the 1990s and this was my first time dining there. read more

Mediocre unfriendly service by a waitress who seemed as if she really didn't want to be there. That's the one main thing I took away and remember from eating here. She was brutal - like a mean mix of Brunhilda, Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers, and your worst nightmare of a high school detention teacher. Food was just OK and very pricey for the limited menu that was offered. The place itself and the dining area look fine and has that George Washington historic feel to it. I feel this is more of a spot for an older crowd looking for a fancy meal, but it was disappointing as we had high hopes when coming here while visiting family in the area. read more

Really had a good solid experience at CK tonight. Great service and really great food. We'll come back.

My friend and I went during restaurant week and we ordered their two for $49 dinner special. We both had the watermelon gazpacho, black pepper mini filet, and dessert which was an additional cost. The gazpacho was delicious it had tomatoes in but I didn't taste them, I did not expect to like it but the watermelon gazpacho was so good. The black pepper mini filet was cooked to perfection, (I ordered medium rare) it was well seasoned, it was delightful with the horseradish sauce. The cake was okay, I was expecting lemon flavor, but I didn't even get a hint of lemon . The atmosphere is quaint and old fashioned. I loved the mismatch of antique dishes. The staff is friendly and accommodating. read more

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This place is absolutely amazing! The food was on point, as my wife and I went with another couple, we were able to try several options. The soups were quite good, the fried cheese and the burrata was excellent. I ordered the steak, it came with Brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes on a bone with marrow. Everything was very good and to top it off we somehow got the best seat in the house, overlooking the water. Definitely would go back! read more

This is our go-to date night spot! The service is great, the food is always delicious, and the atmosphere is nice especially in the middle or back rooms. It's night when they have live music playing, the fireplace in the winter, and the front lawn open in the summer! The mushroom tart is one of my favorite menu items as well as their Franciacorta bottle of wine. If I could suggest one improvement to their menu, it would be to rotate their menu more often. read more

We been going to Cedar Knoll at least 2 times a month. The service is excellent, the bartender made a great drink and you can request anything off the menu. We try different dishes each time we go and haven't been disappointed. For the dessert get the Chocolate Pate, it like a chocolate mouse but better, the peanut pie also excellent, I am not a pie person but I have to say this one is really good. Tonight my husband had Venison and I had a Rockfish with Shrimp spring roll in a lobster broth. Both dishes are excellent, the venison cook just right and the rockfish is nice a mild for a cool night. read more

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We were blown away by our Thanksgiving meal with Cedar Knoll. The setting was perfect for the occasion and we felt warmly welcomed and at home. We appreciated the chef coming out to greet us personally as well. Their Thanksgiving spread was a perfect mix of all the classics, but each with a heightened twist. The squash soup as a starter was perfect, the small amuse-bouche style tartlettes were lovely, and we were very impressed by the seasonally-themed cocktails. I never like turkey, but theirs was perfectly seasoned, moist, and flavorful. The truffled mashed potatoes and parmesan Brussel sprouts were wonderful, and the portions of everything in the family-style meal were extremely generous. We had plenty to take home as leftovers. This will be a tradition for us in the future, even post-covid. read more

Ate here this evening. Service was poor outside of the bartender who stopped by the table to take a drink order (and cocktails were all good, only reason for 2* instead of 1*). Goat cheese appetizer was ok, a bit disheveled for the price. Grilled octopus app was chewy and cumbersome--well salted, that was about it. 2 of 4 entrees were well received, the other 2 (pork chop and scaloppini) came out cold. Both went back to the kitchen, but the sides with the pork chop were still stone cold. I should have just said forget it at that point, but they tried again and returned a microwaved plate with more sauce on the chop. Overall, completely disappointing for $160 meal for two--won't be back. read more

We had not been here in a long, long time, but decided to go again after touring it as a potential venue for one of our son's weddings. Unfortunately, the size of the largest room could not accommodate his group, but we loved the location and ambiance. So my spouse and i went there to celebrate our anniversary last night. When I booked online, I had requested the oldest room, which dates back to the 1700's and has a huge fireplace, old walls, original floors. When we got there we were told that they had closed that room due to a wedding outside of it that we would be able to see through the windows, but had set a table up in there just for us, if we wanted to sit there. We were blown away and said yes. We had our own room, the waiter was VERY attentive, honestly, we felt like VIP's. This kind of treatment for folks who are not known or regulars was outstanding. The food was ok, not the very best, but nice. We are used to fine dining and outstanding food. Overall, the experience was lovely. We finished up the evening sitting in front of the huge old fireplace, with a roaring fire, sharing a dessert and sipping an after dinner drink. Cedar Knoll TAKE A BOW! read more

Went here during restaurant week with a friend. Beautiful setting and view of the water. However the food was just okay. Staff was nice and attentive. They had a movie playing on the patio which was strange. No one was actually watching it. I'd give it another chance but it was not really memorable. read more

Cedar Knoll - Their old fashioned - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I have lived very close to Cedar Knoll for the past 32 years but never had gone because I have always heard it was awful. Last year I received a gift certificate and I actually tried to sell it for less than face value but no one wanted it cause they had heard bad reviews also. So I just waited for that special moment to share it with someone special and had high hopes because I know it has been under new management. We went for brunch, got there at 11 before all the church people flocked in and we got a prime seat overlooking the gorgeous Potomac. Was hoping to eat outside but it was too windy. First I will say that my daughter came home starving (she had the Chicken Cesear Salad), she said the dressing was good but the actually meal was ok, nothing special. Personally I think she ordered the wrong thing. When I go out to eat, I like to order something I don't cook at home. I had the Cast Iron Frittata (whipped eggs with mushrooms, kale and goat cheese with lamb sausage and sweet potato). It was very good but I have to say I was still hungry also. What I did not like was: with our ice tea they served three tiny biscuits with chutney and whipped butter. We were two people, I thought it was strange they did not serve four instead of three tiny biscuits. Also on each table they had this gross enclosed glass plant thing (see picture) that looked like it was infected with mold and slim. It looked like something that had been growing in the same container from George Washington times. It did not add any beauty to the table and actually it was simply gross. I loved how they served the food on dishes that were not matching but two of our dishes had chips on them. We left there asking each other "would you come back". My daughter said "no I am starving" and I said "no but I would take out of town guest here, the view is worth it and the food is decent". I would like to give it another try for lunch and see how the portions are, not coming back for dinner, that is too expensive and not worth it for me. read more

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Elegant location with a breath-taking view of the Potomac. Food is always very good and the staff is excellent!

What a fantastic night I had at this restaurant. Everything was pleasant, and customer service was excellent. The servers and waitresses were tentative and met our needs. The food was excellent and delicious. Only reason why I gave it a four-star was for pricing but beside it's a high four-star. read more

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Made a reservation two weeks out. Showed up and they tried to sit us outside. It's January... Seems like unfortunately under the new ownership/management the place has gone down hill. It's one of the only restaurants in the neighborhood and have been coming for a long time. To bad. Lost my business. read more

Drinks: our tequila cocktail was tasty. Neg: the amount of ice tells me someone is saving money. Appetizer: very underwhelming. It was some rock shrimp. They were covered in pink/purple dressing, which didn't look appealing at all. The problem was that they also included halves of walnuts covered in the same dressing, and it was hard to tell which one you were biting into when you picked a piece. There are so many ways to bring the shrimp flavor out, but whatever they chose at this time, it killed the good in shrimp. The meal: rockfish with some lobster balls. The good: the tomatoes sliced in were tasty. The bad: the lobster balls tasted plasticky. Almost like they were heated up in a cellophane or stored in it. Otherwise I think they would be much tastier. The fish had crispy skin which was tasty. The rest of the fish was mediocre. I think because of the watery juice it was submerged in. I think it probably had a nice flavor when it was taken from the pan initially. The okra was undercooked, I couldn't bite through it. Oops. There was lots of watery liquid in the whole dish. Unsure if the chef intended for us to dip bread in it, but there was nothing to saturate the liquid into it and enjoy it. It felt a bit like fishing the fish in the water. Disappointed by both of us diners who had the same dish and could not even eat half of it, but my friend swears by the restaurant and said it is usually much tastier. I would give it another chance read more

The food is not worth the price. We waited almost an hour for two entrees while other tables who arrived after us were served. The restaurant is loud and the waitress seemed nervous to speak to us. All in all I don't recommend. read more

Restaurant week sometimes isn't the best time to try a new restaurant. Cute and cozy restaurant and it was snowing. We started with a butternut bisque which was very good. I did find a short wavy hair in mine. I didnt mention anything....my fault for not. The bread was good. Our entrees were branzino and braised lamb pappardelle. The branzino was overcooked and dry as was the lamb. The branzino came with saffron rice which was not bad. The lamb has cabbage and something pickled that just didnt compliment the dish. We really wanted to like this restaurant since we live nearby. Maybe restaurant week isn't the time to go? Alexia the hostess was really sweet and we enjoyed the conversation with her. We may try it once more just to be sure. read more

I want to start this review by saying that Cedar Knoll is a lovely restaurant set in an idyllic surrounding. It's charming and peaceful with lovely views of the river. I have wanted to try this out of the way spot for over two years. On Saturday evening I got my chance. The waitress we had was wonderful, she was kind, very pleasant and most accommodating. From there it was a down hill slide. The menu selection was extremely disappointing, as we all had a very hard time trying to choose something. The drinks were fine and the appetizer of fried green tomatoes was unbelievably delicious. The oysters, not so much. On to the main courses. Our orders included the pork schnitzel and polenta, the crab cakes, fried chicken, and the mushroom tart. The pork was dry as the desert and the polenta was burned, the crab cakes were tasteless and the sauce they were on was as tasteless as the rest of the cakes, fried chicken, no great shakes and the mushroom tart was disappointing since there were no mushrooms actually baked in the tart, they were just lying on top. All in all a very disappointing first time. I would love to go there again, but I feel the menu needs to have more options. And, rabbit pot pie, seriously, that was a turn off for this diner immediately. read more

Go to this place! Amazing food, amazing service, amazing view of the Potomac. They made our special occasion even more special with our family. Shout out to Alexia, Blake and Gabriel for going above and beyond to make everything go perfectly! We plan to spend many more celebrations there. Thanks, Cedar Knoll, for a great evening! read more

I highly recommend this place for Sunday brunch. There's plenty of parking around back and the restaurant itself is a lot larger than I thought it would be. We arrived at around 11 AM and there were only a few tables seated. It started to fill up more after we left. We were seated in the botanical room, which was bright and airy. Afterward we looked around the restaurant, since it was our first time. I loved the middle room. They started us off with some small and tasty complementary biscuits with a slightly spicy jam and poppyseed butter on the side. I got the crabcake sandwich with side of fries. It was delicious! I love it when the crabcake is mostly crab!! The fries were quite good as well. They did forget to dress the side salad, but I just put some lemon on it. My husband got the charburger with fries and he didn't have any complaints. The mimosas were fine. Our waiter was fine but wasn't very quick. There was another waitress in the same dining room that kept filling my water glass, so that was good. We would definitely come back for brunch and also would love to try dinner here. It's in the perfect place to see the sunset. read more

Cedar Knoll - Brunch menu - 10/15/17 - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

We went there on February 14th. The food is delicious but not value for money we paid. We $200 for two persons and each had one appetiser, one entree and a desert. The portions were twice smaller than in any french restaurant we went before, we left hungry. Food is delicious! The service is so so, they kept forgetting to bring us falls and knives with each meal, so we had to wait for 10 minutes looking at our meals. At the end they brought us two cookies with rainbow on it, which was really odd because nor me nor my husband is a part of LGBT community. Not coming back. read more

Oh! I hate having to write this review, I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is beautiful, love the history, details, decor, water views, and ample patio. Unfortunately the food left much to be desired. Fine dining prices but food is not to par. The service unfortunately was not great either. The server had many tables to take care of, understaffed, we had empty glasses throughout the night. We enjoyed the octopus and venison dish. My daughter ordered the fried chicken dish, thinking she would get a scrumptious southern perfectly fried piece of chicken but got two pieces of fried chicken breast, breading soggy and coming off. I truly had better chicken at Popeyes and not worth $24. I sent back my Rockfish dish, it was bland and no flavor. Salt and pepper was needed. I got the crab cakes as replacement, the foam was great, but the dish once again lacked salt and pepper. The bread and butter were great, the wine selection was also great. The cheese platter had boring selections, and truly tasted like something you can get packed in a supermarket platter, but the jam was great. The server did not know the types of cheeses served, she went to the kitchen to ask. The cappuccino and live flamenco were the highlight of my visit. With tax and tip $345 for 3, not worth my visit. It's unfortunate, because the music was divine and the place beautiful. read more

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The service and food have declined in recent times. I know it is tough. But front staff that actually welcome customers and a weekend brunch are the basics. read more

The food was good but the service here really threw me off. My server was incredibly unresponsive and did not communicate efficiently. He avoided eye contact with me and didn't address most of the concerns that I had. Food was okay but not really all that. read more

We came here for a birthday dinner. The ambiance is amazing. This property used to be part of George Washington's farm. We sat in the original log house. I ordered the buratta with pear and bacon, which was delicious and a very unique start the the meal. For my entree I had the veal scallopini which was tender and savory. We finished with a piece of peanut butter pie which was rich and buttery. read more

Cedar Knoll - Buratta - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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For our first meal at a restaurant in 13 months since the COVID restrictions started, we decided to go to the Cedar Knoll. Unbelievably excited to have put the reservation in, four full weeks ago. My family has existed in Alexandria for more than 70 years and our go to for a great view and fantastic food has always been the Cedar Knoll. Unfortunately, we could not have been any more disappointed. Our experience: * The reservation called specifically for outdoor seats on the patio. We reminded the hostess of this and I honestly could not understand her response, so I politely asked for a Front of House manager. * Another employee stopped by (did not introduce herself by name) and explained that she had "seen our reservation" but someone had rented out the entire patio. The point of our entire reservation was to be sat outside since we still were a bit apprehensive about eating inside. Why not call us ahead of our reservation? She offered no rationale in not letting us know ahead of time. * The food was great (as always). Everything was cooked to perfection and our cocktails were spot on. A few observations from the service. We had what I believed to be 2-3 waitresses tending to our table. No one ever followed up with us shortly after receiving our entrées to see if it was too our liking and or whether we required anything additional. The second round of cocktails that we ordered long before our entrées came out arrived after we finished eating. We never received another bottle of water nor did anyone ask. * A runner for the outdoor party (I am guessing) noticed our empty plates after 15 minutes and collected them. I asked for a check. * We were not asked if we wanted another round of drinks, dessert and no one ever returned to our table. We eat out enough and have friends and family who work and own restaurants in the industry/actually in Old Town Alexandria where the expectation is never a comp but, any other restaurant 100% would make the effort with a small gesture or even a GM stopping by to apologize. Nope! The staff were truly apathetic to us as patrons and again, we couldn't have been any more disappointed. Not exactly the experience you'd expect with a near $200 dinner. read more

I went to Cedar Knoll will my family for Christmas Eve this year. This was one of the worst dinners of my life. First, it was ridiculously over priced. It cost $100 a person yet we had three vegan people in our party who were unable to eat most of it even though we were told they had vegan/vegetarian options. Additionally the service was terrible. We waited for 30 minutes until we were finally helped. And it seemed they kept forgetting about our table. I would not recommend this restaurant for your family's Christmas Eve dinner. read more