Came in right before the noon rush, was served quick, food was good, and I'll def come back Server was great and on top of everything. Got the jambalaya. I don't know how authentic it was but it tasted amazing, had a great mix of proteins (shrimp, sausage, etc), and was one of the best pasta dishes I've had. My friends also loved their flatbread and jambalaya. It filled up pretty quickly around 1245, so I'm sure they're packed at rush times read more

Went to Circa for happy hour and it did not disappoint. We started with the tuna poke nachos - super satisfying without feeling heavy- and the wagyu meatball sliders, which were easily a standout. The basil aioli in the sliders alone is worth going back for. For drinks, we got the Purple Rain. It's incredibly refreshing but definitely has a spicy kick, so maybe skip it if you're sensitive to heat. The "So Fresh & So Green" cocktail really lived up to its name - light, crisp, and refreshing. My friend ordered the Tranquilo and loved it (perfect if you're into mezcal). The indoor space was pretty packed for a Thursday afternoon, but the vibe was still great. They also have an enclosed outdoor seating area with a bar that looked really nice. On top of that, the staff were kind and attentive throughout. Overall, a solid happy hour spot I'd come back to. read more

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Our table of four arrived for lunch on a lovely Sunday and were able to get a seat on the patio, which was lovely. Service was kind and attentive, and for the most part we enjoyed the food. We ordered a wide variety of dishes; my husband and I split an order of Tuna Nachos and the Circa Burger (ordered medium well); one friend ordered Chicken and Waffles and the other ordered fries, parker house rolls, and the meatball sliders. I loved the Tuna Nachos. The light citrusy sauce went well with the fresh tuna and the light smattering of greens went well with it as well. I could have made a meal of just these, honestly. Things didn't go quite as well with the burger; when they brought it, they had kindly split the burger and fries onto two plates since I'd mentioned we were going to share it... but it came medium rare rather than medium well. I can tolerate a lot of wiggle room and if it were a steak I'd have been all-in with medium rare, but not for ground beef. So I sent it back asking for medium well. The server clearly didn't understand what I meant, so then manager came to the table and asked if it was overcooked. I said, no, we wanted it medium well and it came out medium rare. It's undercooked. She said they'd remake it, and I said that's fine, thank you. The server came back with the burgers again and now they were just plain well done - no pink at all. But I wasn't about to quibble again. The manager came by to say she'd comped the burgers, which honestly wasn't necessary - mistakes happen - but it seems like the chef really needs some education on the different levels of burger done-ness. I will say though these seemed like frozen patties and not made from fresh ground beef, so maybe they just don't have sufficient control of the grill to stop at the right time. The burger was fine albeit a little dry from being now overcooked. The fries they came with were really good. Anyway, it wasn't a huge deal in the grand scheme of things and we'd come back but I'd probably not order a burger here. read more

This flatbread tasted great in my opinion. Although I got a single item for takeout, I thought I didn't have to wait too long for my order. The flatbread itself tasted good and I would order again. Indoors, it seemed pretty clean and somewhere I would get drinks someday. Will definitely have to check out this establishment for a sit down experience soon! read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Rustic Italian Flatbread - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The server was very attentive to our group of 4 people. This has a very relaxing environmen with a variety of music playing throughout the restaurant. I ordered the turkey burger and asked for them to hold the tomato. The fries were very crisp and not over cooked and taste similar to beer battered. The turkey burger was wet and not dry at all. I believe the turkey patty was hand made with some chives or pieces of jalapeño. The jalapeño aioli enhances and provides deep burger. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Turkey Burger - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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An easy location to get, a colleague and I popped into CIRCA for lunch. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very attentive. There was a decent crowd for the lunch hour. The food and the beverage was were very delicious. Regardless of location, I don't think I have had a bad experience at CIRCA. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Barbecue Chicken Flatbread - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We stopped in here for a late lunch after a lengthy day or walking and touring the city, so it was quite an oasis. We chose to sit inside due to windy day, but the sheltered patio did appear appealing. Our food was delicious and had lovely presentation and variety of flavors. Service was a 4/5 due to oversight on bringing some of the drinks to the table until after food has been served, not checking in to see if all was well, servers handing our table off without explanation, and bringing food out sporadically rather than at least being close with timing. Manager did stop by on her rounds near the end of our meal, but otherwise seemed to be preoccupied with other matters. Restaurant was low to mild noise level with almost 1/2 of the tables being in service during mid afternoon, comfortable seating, and we took note and admired all of the interesting and unique dishes brought to our table. read more

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Overall 4.5 out of 5 1st dish - Tuna Poke Nachos ° With a bit more finesse, they could be one of the best I've tried. - What I mean is that the ingredients weren't very well spread around. Had it been evenly distributed, would have been killer with every bite. ° Micro greens really brought the dish up. Heck, just give a little more of the greens all around the dish and it's perfect. 2nd dish - Jambalaya ° Nice and well dressed with sauce ° All ingredient were tasty ° Enjoyed every bite Service was good and timely. My biggest complaint would be the heat on the patio. But I also didn't ask to change it either. But wow, after walking from the Nat. Mall to Circa, it was way too much heat. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Tuna Poke Nachos - with a bit more finesse could be one of the top I've tasted - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The location is great - right across the screen from the foggy bottom metro station. We got outdoor seating since it was warm outside and it was nice. The service was slow despite the restaurant not having enough people. We got water about 20 minutes after we were seated. The food was also okay - nothing spectacular. I ordered the steak and eggs that were supposed to come with home fries but they came with roasted potatoes. When I asked the server she gave a very confused answer and basically said you only get fries at dinner and at brunch we give you whatever potatoes??? I've never experienced this anywhere else but I usually try not to send food back so I didn't. The steak was overcooked. I asked for a medium and was served what was very close to a well done. It was charred and clearly overcooked beyond even medium well. The beignets we got for the table were very good tho. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Steak and Eggs - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Foggy Bottom stop. Strong decision. First things first: the Brussels + Blue? Elite opener. Crispy charred Brussels sprouts with that funky blue cheese situation happening -- savory, bold, fork-after-fork behavior. The kind of appetizer that disappears mid-conversation. Now let's talk about the real MVP: our server. Jen hits her with the classic fork-in-the-road dilemma: "Chicken Pillard versus Jambalaya?" Without hesitation: "If you want a little spice in your life, then Jambalaya." Okayyy. Energy. Direction. We like that. Naturally, I escalate. "Aiight... Chicken Pillard versus Tequila Filet Tips Linguine?" She keeps it simple: "Well, it's chicken versus beef. If you like beef, then filet tips." No culinary dissertation. No dramatic pause. Just facts. Efficient. Confident. Helpful. Passed the vibe check with flying colors. For the record -- Chicken Pillard is apparently popular. It just didn't survive our bracket. Tough matchup. Heavy hitters on the board. Atmosphere felt polished but not pretentious. Lively without being chaotic. The kind of place where you can roll in casual but still feel like you made a solid choice. Would absolutely return. Would absolutely consult that server again. And yes -- Brussels + Blue is non-negotiable. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Eliot Ness - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The service here is good, and I have always been accommodated with a space even when the restaurant is super busy. The shaded patio area is nice especially in good weather, although the medical centers next door receive loud siren and helicopter traffic. I like the variety of vegetarian options! read more

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I ordered food through Uber. They didn't include utensils as requested. The short rib was not worth the price; it was severely lacking in flavor and tenderness. The brioche bread pudding was very good. The white chocolate, creme and caramel was a great combination over the fluffy bread that is also crispy in the right places. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Brioche Bread Pudding - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We walked down few blocks from our hotel . The staff welcomed us immediately and told us there was a short wait so we made our way to the bar. We both ordered drinks.. our bartender helped me choose as I just wanted something a little sweet but refreshing and he hit nail on the head! We were seated shortly after getting drinks . We ordered wagu sliders as an app and wow they had great flavor! The waitress was so nice and checked to make sure we were happy . I ordered seared tuna salad.. it was very tasty. I highly recommend this place.. foods amazing and staff top notch.. it can be a little loud as it's a busy place but worth it. read more

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The meatballs sliders were amazing! Stopped in for dinner before a show at the Kennedy center and this place was great. Drinks were on point, and did I mentioned the meatball sliders? you gotta try them. Seasonal salad was pretty good, grilled chicken was super fresh, just could have used a bit more dressing and goat cheese. Service on the patio was great, but it was a bit noisy out there during happy hour. read more

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Went back for lunch today. Again, the meal was very good and the service excellent. Today, we tried the Vegi-Quinoa Salad and the soup of the day (Chicken Tortilla). The soup ($8) was not a huge portion, but was so filling we each took half of our delicious entrees home for dinner. As was true the last time, the service was very good, especially keeping our water glasses full. Place has a nice vibe. Classy yet comfortable. read more

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Incredible spot for dinner in Foggy Bottom. The drinks were tasty and the food was impressive! Everything seemed fresh and the combinations of flavors were wonderful! I cannot recommend enough the chicken pillard! The mushrooms were incredible! read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Chicken pillard - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Stopped here since it's across from Metro Station. Sat in the bar area with NBA playoff game on multiple screens. We order two salads and we're not disappointed. The blackened chicken was excellent. Service was very good. read more

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CIRCA's pizza, burger, and fries are great. In the lunch time, all four orders were served quickly in timely manner and great. Servers were kind and did not miss anything from the orders. It was not noisy and people could enjoy chatting. I will say it's a good social environment to enjoy time with friends and family. read more

Love their salmon salad so much... every time I go there, have to place 2 orders of it love the champagne vinaigrette too, I always tell them to bring a extra dressing too read more

First time here, late after seeing a show. The service was amazing and the food was very flavorful, hot and fresh. The bar area was modern and it has an old school vibe. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Bar and over all area - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Perfect spot before seeing a show at The Kennedy Center! The Asian salad with shrimp was refreshing and flavorful. The cocktails were unique. Choose from the breakfast or lunch menu. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of my top dc spots! I always make sure I get here when I come back to town. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Black Manhattan- good. Very strong. Lots of vermouth Maple old fashioned- very strong. Slight sweet tang The main reason I come here is for the Brussels sprouts. They are my absolute all time favorite. The combo of the blue cheese, bacon pieces, and tang of the balsamic drizzle is absolutely amazing. I'm drooling just writing this review. Cesar salad- classic but very garlicky. Marg pizza- so good and crispy but soft. The sauce bad a slight tang and spicy kick read more

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Food was decent. Service was great! Great location.. Stylish! Music old school vibes! read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Chicken & Waffles - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my favorite Circa location in the DMV, and our experience this evening underscored why. We arrived around 6:20 pm without a reservation on a busy day, with full tables and staff flying around, doing their best. Kelvin greeted us, and he warned that without a reservation, it might be a 30+ minute wait. But within 5 mins, he and the manager somehow managed to seat us. Our server also was kind and efficient. We loved our meal - two original hard ciders; a crispy grouper sandwich with an addictive cabbage slaw and plain fries; and grilled trout with spinach and farro. The food was spectacular - fast, well-executed, with well-balanced flavors and textures. Despite the hectic dining room, we were served efficiently, ate well, and left within an hour. Every Circa team member we encountered was friendly, professional, and kind despite the crush of the dinner crowd and hectic pace throughout the restaurant. Highly recommend. read more

Matteo is A M A Z I N G! Unbeatable service. Perfect spot after a walk thru the memorials. We stopped for drinks & dessert. Drinks 10/10. Dessert, 15/10- must get the bread pudding. Will come back and recommend. read more

I came here for happy hour with a few people on a Friday and it was pretty busy. Since we were a large group the host and manager were very kind to open the outdoor bar to accommodate us. They had a $9 featured cocktail that I ordered and it tasted amazing. There wasn't a name for it but it had gin, aperol, and some fruity ingredients. Since it's Lent season they had a Lent specific menu with a few seafood options, so I ordered from that menu and got a fish sandwich with old bay fries. Both also tasted great. It's been a few years since I've been to Circa, so I'm glad the service, food, and drinks are still top notch! read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Happy hour menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Robby, the bartender, was incredible. Personable, knowledgeable, and patient enough to answer my DC tourist questions. Brussel sprouts and my martini were excellent. Will be back next trip. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Brussels & Blue - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Very nice restaurant, in a nice area of DC. Ambiance was nice, has an outdoor eating option and the waitress was very attentive! I had the short rib dinner w/ mashed potatoes, spinach and onions rings. Chefs Kiss!!!!! Will definitely be back to try more...what are you waiting for, just gooooooo!!!! read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great place for happy hour! Service was fabulous we shared appetizers, salad and a meal that was tasty. Drinks were on par! Fun happy hour atmosphere. We will definitely be back. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My boyfriend and I came in here after viewing Clue at the Kennedy Center. Unfortunately, KC was not serving food in their cafe or restaurant due to a gala, so we had to find something in the area within walking distance. Circa is about a 10 minute walk from the KC. When we arrived, it was a little after 9, and there weren't too many people seated on the inside, but many on the outside. We were seated right away and handed menus. I will say the tables are a bit small and can't fit too much on them. The restaurant did pick up within the hour we were there, and by the time we left, almost all the tables were full. We quickly put in our orders because we had previewed the menu before we got there. My boyfriend got the sweet apricot wings, and I got the blackened mango chicken salad with a side of sweet potato fries. I loved my salad and the vinaigrette dressing. There were a few different fruits in my salad, like raisins, grapes, and mango. I'd never think to add these fruits to a salad, but I definitely will moving forward because it offers a sweet contrast to the tanginess of the dressing. Also, the chicken was nicely charred and seasoned. The fries were also very crispy and a pretty large portion , so that I had enough to take home. My boyfriend loved his wings. I didn't sample some this time since I already had chicken on my plate. He opted to have his wings grilled, although they typically have a fry finish. The reason I took off a star was the fact I had a cocktail--can't remember the name, but it had rum, grapefruit, Aperol, and a couple other ingredients. I thought it was just ok, but it was mostly just ice and I could have honestly done without it. They also have a 4.5% service charge for their meals, in addition to what you would choose to tip, and this is the first time I've seen this in a restaurant (outside of UberEats service charge). I mean the servers were very nice, but the additional fees restaurants are trying to get away with is becoming crazy. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Blackened Chicken Mango, Sweet Potato Fries, and Chicken Wings - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So easy to get to on Metro! We got off at Foggy Bottom GWU and it's just across the street. The Happy Hour was fabulous! $9 cocktail of the day and $5 beer. $2 off small dishes. We sat at the main bar for happy hour menu. There were no seats at the patio bar. The place was jumping. So many people - such great vibe! Will be back read more

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The food and service was great for a random Tuesday afternoon. The tuna poke nachos are super tasty. The salmon (cooked medium) was perfect. The mango salad was delicious. read more

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We had a nice meal there. The menu was great and we had so many options. We loaded up on appetizers and that is all we had. Again so many choices. I think the staff was frustrated with us for only ordering apps but we did have 4. The menu is diverse so lots of options. read more

Another decent meal here. The restaurant was a little loud, but mostly due to people not realizing just how loud they were. Our server was great, very friendly and helpful. We had the shotgun shrimp. I was hesitant it would be too spicy but it wasn't and it was quite tasty. For dinner my husband had the steak frites. It was cooked perfectly and the chimichurri sauce was good. I had the braised short ribs. I asked for risotto instead of mashed potatoes but they had run out of risotto so they offered broccolini as a substitute. The short ribs were amazing! So tender and the sauce was delicious. We ended the night with a scoop of ice cream each. Recommend Circa for a quick walk to the Kennedy center! read more

Great service today (a Thursday afternoon 4 pm, during happy hour). Music is loud as usual (a bit difficult to chat across a table). Delicious hotshot shrimp; great zero proof pineapple jalapeño faux-rita mocktail! Our waitress came to top up our water, check in on us multiple times, offered suggestions. Friendly and knowledgeable. A pleasant experience. Another waiter (passing by) even kindly pointed out there were hooks (which we did not see) on the wall to hang our bags. Nice touch! read more

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Our group of 5 ate dinner here back on March 23, 2024. We had just arrived to the Washington, DC area and checked into our hotel in the Foggy Bottom area. We walked a block or two towards the nearby Whole Foods and decided to eat dinner here since we needed to also get some items at Whole Foods Market after dinner. The food & service were great overall. We didn't have complaints at all and generally thought the food was decent. The burger I ordered was juicy, but not super large. It was just right because I was full but not stuffed after eating it (along with the fries). My wife said her Wild Mushroom flatbread was excellent and she would go back just for that item alone! Overall, this is a great restaurant to eat at in the Foggy Bottom / George Washington University area. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - Fried Calamari Frito Misto - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Circa was very busy for a Sunday afternoon. Full disclosure: I didn't know what to expect. I was a little distressed to find the brunch menu was still in effect (it was 2 pm) because I was really looking forward to the braised short ribs. But again, I didn't know what to expect. So I ordered the steak salad and a side of fries. Claire (I think)( was my waitress and she was exceptional. Not over the top always checking on me, but just enough. Food was excellent and came out fairly quickly. Glad I got the fries because the salad wouldn't have been enough (I like to eat). Ambiance was ok, it was super busy, lots of bustling and noise. Would I do it again? Maybe. But, if I find myself back in DC, probably not....because there's so many other choices. read more

CIRCA at Foggy Bottom - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is located near the subway (like right across from it) and has a decent happy hour. There's a featured cocktail and house wine for $8. The day I went there featured drink was gin related. The wine pours were good. For food they have $2 off their apps which isn't great but something. The bar seating is spacious. It got pretty crowded but we got there around 4 so there was plenty of seating then. read more

What happened to CIRCA? My first visit to CIRCA was amazing, the food was prepared perfectly and the service was amazing. FAST FORWARD to today (Dec 6, 2023) not a year later and the food was mediocre at best, the wings had very little sauce and flavor, the Brussel sprouts were missing that classic crunch, can someone say undercooked?!? The short rib sliders were okay but I could swear I was eating turkey and not short rib, the fries did the job. My review based on food is two stars, the service was good and could push it to three however our plates were dirty...and easy to notice and then I heard the patron across from me saying the same about his plate. The waitress apologized and brought new plates but left the dirty and hairy plate on the table. Hmm should this be one star? Nah not for now. Just like every person deserves a second chance, I saw and experienced a better CIRCA I'll go back but no time soon. read more

Amazing service and super friendly bartenders/servers!! Robby and Christina were great. Olive checked in to make sure our night was special for a graduation celebration. Great place for apps and a great drinks selection, really recommend!!! read more