The husband and I wanted to try something different, so we ventured out to this new spot. We started with drinks. Husband ordered a Corona in the bottle, which came lukewarm and they had no alternative option to serve it cold. I ordered a Moscow Mule and the ginger beer was flat. Also we just about lost all our hearing as we were sat next to the DJ who was playing music so incredibly loud we didn't know where we were at a club or a restaurant. It was great music, but TOO loud. When we asked to sit outside, we were told it was reserved for those who smoke cigars. We decided to order some food. The husband wanted turkey meatloaf, spinach and mashed potatoes. I ordered the oxtails. The attendant said the wait would be extra long. Mind you, there are only two tables inside and the rest is patio seating. After we ordered, the attendant came back and told husband that they didn't have turkey meatloaf. That was the straw. We got up and walked out. If you choose to try it, it's at your own risk. I've warned you. read more

Had family in town and we decided to try DCS. What a wonderful impromptu experience. The food was absolutely delicious!! The littlest member is quite the oxtail connoisseur and a tough critic; however, she was so impressed that she ate and immediately fell asleep! From the caesar salad to the catfish and grits to the salmon...the food was excellent! The vibe was a fun, family reunion atmosphere. A great hidden gem on the NE/SE line!! The staff is super friendly and helpful!! We will be back. read more

The server was friendly and knowledgeable, and the food was great. This is a perfect neighborhood restaurant, and more folks should go here. We had a burger, wings and salad, and it was all delicious. As the weather warms, the patio will be very inviting. read more

Went here on a slow day, the staff was really good and nice but there weren't too many people there so that's to be expected. The music was kind of too loud at times, i was trying to have a convo with my date. The oxtails were really good and the food general was good. As a Nigerian I have to be harsh on the Jollof, it didn't do it for me and a bland favor profile but I've eaten a lot of Jollof rice in my time so that that how you will. I would still recommend if you want a nice spot with diversity of international black foods you can try. read more

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We've been here several times before. We just live a few blocks away and it was decent and convenient enough. But today was absolutely appalling. I went with my 2 year old daughter for lunch. The hostess was very sweet and let us sit outside where we wanted. My daughter prefers to sit in a chair, and not a high chair and ANYWHERE we have ever went it was a non-issue. While we were waiting for our waters, a lady that worked there, out of nowhere, came with a high chair and basically said she needs to sit in this. I said you can leave it, I will try, but she prefers a chair and I'll keep an eye out. The lady then kept going saying it wasn't safe (the chair had arms, my daughter is the height of a 3 year old btw) and alluded to the fact that I wouldn't be able to manage my daughter from falling out of a chair. In my mind I was like, whatver I'll let this go because my daughter wanted fries and it was supposed to be a nice outing for mother and daughter. My issue started when she realized mommy wasn't budging and she said to my little girl "sweetheart, you have to sit in this high chair." My daughter became very uncomfortable. The audacity of that woman that we had never met before to tell my 2 year old what she had to do. NO. I said something like I understand these are your rules and that's fine. But we are going to leave. And we left. We aren't going back. Do better. Let the parents handle the kids. You guys just handle the neighborhood customers who are willing to pay for your overpriced items. read more

The food was delicious the chef was amazing. But I didn't like that when I went to pay & tip the server. I found out that the owner takes 18% for himself. Which listed an 18% sur charge on the credit card receipt. Not too happy about that. The workers deserve their tips. read more

We came across this through a social media posting and decided to try it. It's located in a very nice area. There's no parking lot so you're going to get a hit or miss with street parking. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. The downstairs area where the bar and main entrance is located is very limited in seating. There is an upstairs seating area that is more spacious. For appetizers we ordered brussel sprouts and an order of fried chicken deviled eggs. The main courses were lamb chops over mashed potatoes, and catfish and grits. There wasn't anything that really jumped out at us. The food was good, don't get me wrong. But it didn't have that something that made you go "WOW!" Our server, Michael, was very helpful and very attentive. Overall, it was just an "okay" experience. If I was in the area and wanted to grab something, I can see stopping by, but to intentionally go out of my way and make a reservation...I don't think so. read more

A hidden gem in DC!!! If you don't know, now you know...the food and AMBIANCE are soooooo good!!! The staff, sexy, kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming!!!. The owner, Ogay, is not only gorgeous but so accommodating and friendly. So yes, Oagay & Peter, thank you for representing Naija!!! Not only showing how tasty Naija food is---but showing how we welcome guests to eat!!! And for those who think it's just Nigerian food, not really, there's other tasty starters, drinks, and entrees from good 'Ole USA...so never fear, anything you want is RIGHT HERE at DC CAPITAL SQUARE BAR & GRILL!!! It's a VYBE!!!! read more

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So very pleased!! Their establishment is so cute and quaint. I went with a friend for lunch and it was just us with a few other people. It's really small so I imagine weekends and nights are pretty packed. Our server was very helpful and patient with us (the menu had some great options so we couldn't pick). But the food?! Definitely so so good! I got the salmon & grits with a side of French toast and my friend got the chicken & waffles from their brunch menu. We are always here for a good Black owned establishment! I will be back for sure. read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - Salmon & Grits with side of French Toast - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went back for our second visit last evening, and once again everything exceeded our expectations. Amber our server was wonderful and attentive. Her two recommendations (whole fried snapper and oxtail) were fantastic! The manager was attentive and friendly and made extra sure everything was perfect. The Long Island Iced teas were deliciously dangerous! And the crab cakes were great. The sides are very generously portioned (Mac and cheese YUMMY and brussel sprouts ). All in all another wonderful experience. We will DEFINITELY be back!!! Has my HIGHEST recommendation!!!! read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - Whole fried snapper with jolla rice, veggies and cabbage - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Had the absolute worst experience here. Would give zero stars if I could. Waited 1.5 hrs at our table without receiving any food only to discover they had forgotten to even put our food order in. Which maybe I could understand for a new restaurant except that they lied to us about it and made no attempt to fix the situation. Our waiter never checked on us, we didn't even receive water until we flagged someone down to ask for it. After waiting a LONG time-and mind you at this point our young children were literally crying from hunger- we asked when our food would be ready we were told "five minutes." 5 minutes came and went and still nothing so I went back to the kitchen myself and basically stalked any employee I could find to finally get a straight answer and lo and behold they could not even find our order ticket. So the five minutes was a lie and no one had checked on our food at all and we had been waiting an hour and a half for nothing. At that point it was approaching our kids' bedtime and we were all famished. The restaurant offered no solution to the problem so we left. And did I mention the neon orange everything? read more

Great neighborhood place! Great food great service! Recommend! My husband loved the ribs! read more

My husband and I decided to take a walk and explore some of the many new restaurants popping up in our neighborhood and stopped in to DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill. We watched over the months in anticipation as the place was being renovated. We were planning to visit 2 other restaurants when we realized that this place had opened so we stopped here first. We took a few minutes to look over the menu and we were greeted by the Chef Damian who gave us some insight into the menu. We ordered the wings to keep us simple and leave some room for food from our next destination. I can tell you that the wings DID NOT DISAPPOINT! First I'll start by saying that the presentation was nice. They use a berbere spice (Ethiopian) which gave the wings a phenomenal taste that wasn't at all overpowering. The sauce that came with it was pinkish in color and was great, but our server brought out a cilantro lime sauce that was even better. The decor is nice and there is a ton of outdoor seating as well as seating upstairs also. Staff was also super friendly. I'm looking forward to coming back to try a few more items in the menu. Happy to see another great restaurant open up in the neighborhood! read more

Beautiful restaurant , the owner was great and very friendly. We ordered the crab cakes, mac and cheese and jollof rice and corn bread. I will say, I did not love the crab cakes, they were fishy. The rest of the food was delicious and I can't wait to go back. Some ladies we met loved the Egusi. I plan to go back and try other dishes. Nice outdoor patio. read more

The fancy orange tents are up at DC Capitol square bar and grill! Serving classic fare with DC favorites (aka crab cakes ) , everything we tried was pretty good although their grand opening is next month. Solid truffle fries and crab cakes for appetizers it was super tasty. Came here with a big party on a weeknight. Lots of vegetarian options (although they were out of a few entree options). Veggies friends loved the Alfredo sans meat because of the roasted garlic and kind of soul food style. I can vouch for the shrimp and grits as well as the Brussels sprouts with the balsamic. Other friends got fried chicken sandwich that looked amazing, so I'll have to try that another time. They're still in soft opening and working on their alcohol license so can't review that yet. There's an upstairs that will have a VIP room for rental and potential wine tastings. Some small critiques while they work out the kinks of soft opening: staff was attentive, but they need a better water refill situation (carafes?), to make sure their pricing makes sense for all of the items, and to get better lighting and bug management out on the patio. read more

So this place was recommended by a friend and so we decided to try it out. We were there last Wednesday, June 16.. . Theres indoor and outdoor sitting . Maybe next time we'll do the indoor because it's at a very active corridor with lots of human traffic. The place is very clean , the ambience is on point. it is a very beautiful place. The deco is off the chain and our waitress Sia was awesome , but maybe that's where I'll stop with the compliments.. The food temperature was lukewarm. we ordered the oxtail and the beef suya. I have had suya before and it is more chunky and tender, somewhat like a beef kebab. This was not suya , it was very dry and hard , also very small like a tiny meat cutlet and lacked flavor. The oxtail was hard and May have required a little more cooking time , because a good oxtail is very tender and supposed to fall off the bone. this one was very chewy. The coconut rice was okay, but it's a thumbs down for the Jolof rice . So !, I'm not knocking down the place, I believe it has great potential - it might've just been a not so good day for the chef. read more

Been riding by this place on my way to work for months. Finally decided to go for brunch. Treated a friend for his birthday. So underwhelming. EXTREMELY SLOW SERVICE and we were the only 2 there. They were out of several items. I had a Belgian waffle, potatoes, turkey bacon. My guest had eggs Benedict. Took 45 minutes to get our food The waffle crumbled like dry toast when I cut it. The flavored syrup was weird. So thick it never came out the jar. So awful I had to send it back and I NEVER send food back. My guest's food came out 10-15 minutes after mine. I ordered hibiscus "juice". It ended up being hibiscus syrup that you mix with alcohol. Server was sweet but clueless. She knew nothing about menu items or the hibiscus "juice" SHE SUGGESTED. AWFUL awful experience. I was so embarrassed I took someone their for their birthday Ohhhhhh! Thinking this spot was jumping based on the reviews, I made a reservation. The person on the phone said, "I got you! I'll be your server that day". We get there, they have no record of the reservation. Deep sigh. read more

Hosted a birthday party at DC Capitol Square and everything was wonderful! The food: snapper, lamb, oxtails, chicken and french toast were fantastic. Danielle, Jared and the DJ and team went out of their way with balloons, music and a fun cake to create a festive occasion in the upstairs room. DC Capitol Square is a great place to come anytime but they can make a special occasion very very special! I love that this lovely restaurant is in my neighborhood! Thank you, Leslie F. read more

I dined here with a group of friends over a recent weekend. We had a combination of West African inspired and American dishes with drinks. The atmosphere was pleasant, the staff was friendly and engaging, and the food was flavorful and well prepared. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will definitely be returning... with more friends. read more

I was excited to come back here for a second experience because I had no issue the first time however I was beyond disappointed.....the food was terrible and on top of that they tried to charge us for food that was returned...the truffle fries literally came with a block of unmelted cheese..the manager didn't make things better and specifically said there was nothing he could do once the food has been made...didn't matter if it was made to our liking or preference, I was angry and disappointed at the way the chose to handle the situation. He clearly had no regards for us as customers. Will be sharing my experience from today with others and will not be returning read more

Great meal on the patio recently. Curry chicken was excellent. Quiet corner spot w attentive and friendly staff.

Not perfect but the food is good, the ambience good, and the staff are some of the nicest, most personable people I've ever encountered in a restaurant. I'm a neighbor, visited this place maybe 4 or 5 times, and every single time they've been fantastic. Treat you like you're a friend without it feeling fake. Really rooting for these guys. read more

Everytime I come to CS I'm more and more impressed. The food was cooked to perfection and the bar staff was very helpful. Looking forward to coming back. read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We've been waiting for this restaurant to open for over a year and really want them to succeed. But after two trips (first at grand opening and another dinner trip about three weeks later) there are some serious red flags. 1) Food quality is uneven. At the grand opening, several menu options weren't available, which was a little disappointing but forgivable. The calamari was just flat out bad. Obviously just reheated frozen food with little to no seasoning or flavor. I took one bite and just ignored the rest. The beef medallion appetizer, on the other hand, was flavorful and hearty. When we went later for dinner with friends, the crab soup was really good with lots of crab meat. But the porterhouse steak we ordered medium rare was served well done and had no seasoning at all. Literally just hot flavorless meat. 2) Service and operations are seriously flawed. This is the most critical problem problem with this restaurant and will ultimately be its downfall if not addressed immediately. Servers are simply not properly trained, and struggle with basic operations like getting orders accurate and splitting checks. Servers were also timid about engaging, refilling water glasses or checking on guests for refills on drinks. And the kitchen gets overwhelmed quickly. Our dinner party of 6 people had dishes coming out randomly, appetizers were not synced and entrees did not come out for everyone at the same time. One of our female guests was served dead last with a simple crab cake order only after three men had their steaks delivered and fully eaten. The restaurant was not that crowded and that kind of performance was simply unacceptable. Food was also cool when it finally arrived, but we ate it anyway because we waited so long for it. 3) The price point is higher than normal for a neighborhood bistro place. This may be a function of COVID and inflation, but still. Some menu items need to be reconsidered. $70 for a flavorless porter house is a bitter pill to swallow, even though it was for two people. Anyone coming here should look around and notice that none of the customers look happy sitting here. I pass by this restaurant every day and have yet to see a smiling face among the clientele. I certainly hope the management has noticed. This neighborhood wants you to succeed, and your customers so far have given you the benefit of the doubt and goodwill to find your footing. But that goodwill is limited and running out fast. If things don't significantly improve very quickly, this place will be dead and buried by Spring and deservedly so. read more

The location looks really nice stopped by to pick up some dessert and I was disappointed for not only the wait but when I got my two upside down cakes one was the throwaway but it was sent home with a customer. read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE that's dry and disappointing. - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I feel bad giving a one star rating, and I almost never do it. I live in the neighborhood and would like to see this place succeed, but I can't even rate the food because we never got any. We waited 45 minutes after sitting at a table and never even got a glass of water. Every table was waiting for food and the few plates that did come out (to other tables) were sent back because the orders were wrong. Honestly it was probably the worst run restaurant I've ever seen. I hope they can pull it together because a neighborhood spot would be amazing here, and the west African menu sounds delicious. But I can't see myself going back anytime soon. read more

Friendly service and a varied and inventive menu, we enjoyed our meal here and will be back. The patio is a great spot and the food varied from comfort food to more traditional African dishes. Recommended! read more

I'm visiting from Chicago, which is known for great food and drinks, and I must say that I was very impressed with the food. Everything was full of flavor and fresh. I had the chicken, jollof rice & cabbage, which was amazing and full of flavor. I've only had African cuisine a couple of times, so I can't speak on the authenticity, but the flavor itself was very good. My partner had the fried chicken deviled eggs & the oxtail eggrolls. Everything was full of flavor, had nice sized portions, and left us satisfied! The restaurant itself is fairly cozy. The downstairs is a little tight but the upstairs has more room. We would've ate on the patio, but it was too hot outside today. Also I was pleased with the service. Everyone from our server, to the managers, to even the host made sure that we were taken care of and everything was good. The only downfall was the drinks for me. They were pretty sweet and didn't seem like it was much alcohol in them, but I can overlook that seeing how the food was so good! I'll be back next time I come to dc! read more

Just had brunch there. If you go early it's nice and quiet and a good place to catch up with friends. Staff were kind. Definitely a good place in the neighborhood and I will go back again soon. read more

Was visiting in town and found this place when I was walking through the neighborhood. We decided to stop in for lunch and I am so glad we did! The staff was so friendly and helpful!!! The food was so yummy! If I'm ever back in the area I will visit again for sure!! The patio outside is my favorite part!!! If I lived near here I'd be spending my summer evenings enjoying a drink on their wonderful patio!!!!! read more

The ambiance is beautiful, but I'll never order the curried goat again. There was no rice. The goat was so chewy I couldn't swallow the meat, which had the skin attached. The cabbage was bland...no onions or peppers. Will return and try the crab cakes next time. read more

Great neighborhood gem. Had a great time and the food was excellent. Can see this being my go to for a nice dinner before heading home. It's a definite try. read more

The prices here are way too high for the quality and quantity of food. Also, the music is really loud. Impossible to have a conversation. Given the quiet neighborhood it has to be a noise violation, too. Won't be coming back. read more

The ambiance is warm and beautiful when you walk in the door, you can eat downstairs or upstairs or the outside patio. The service was awesome everyone is very friendly and attentive to your needs. I order the oxtail with coconut rice was delicious, I also tried the cream of crab very yummy lots of crab meat. I will definitely patronize the restaurant again. Thank you for a great experience. read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - Oxtail was delicious with the coconut rice - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Looking for good food and great service? This is the place to come to. The ambiance, staff and food is second to none.

Undisclosed up charge (menu marked $12, charged $16 for some eggs) IN ADDITION to mandatory 20% autograt. Ridiculous prices, mediocre food.

It was a great ambiance also tasty drinks and food. Staff was awesome very informative. He always checked on how we were doing read more

DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill - Oxtails. I started eating before the photo - Comfort Food Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This was my second time attending and unfortunately last time. First time it took almost 2 hours for service and my friend had to wait an additional hour to get her food. The service was extremely slow and it was not even that busy. Lamb chops were good but suya was gross! Went again for the grand opening and when I arrived their "special guest" was also arriving the male owner yelled for me to move out the way and no one could go in until they were greeted. Understood but keep in mind I would most likely come back before they ever would so should of been at least greeted respectfully. Also, I am the one paying but whatever makes sense to recut a ribbon. I sat for an hour almost at table without service before I moved myself to bar to attempt service. My food was brought out cold and was not good at all. I ordered the oxtails. The server slammed my bill down for me to pay at bar and get my attention instead of handing it to me or at least asking if I was ready to close out / pay. My bill ended up being $100 with oxtails , 1 drink and a shot. As a supporter of black owned restaurants this is one I am ok with never going back. Service is everything so "special guest" for one night should never show more importance of locals that would continuously come back and support. read more

Run for your life! First and last time coming here I will never ever step foot into this restaurant. Let's start with the person taking the order over the phone he did not want my name, he stated to just show up at the bar and your food will be ready in 15-20 minutes. Showed up no food ready. Waited over an hour for the food and when it came out things were still missing. I called on the phone while my husband was still waiting to see if the Manager could compensate for the inconvenience. I was offered some Puff Puff(bread balls), this was disrespectful and an insult for a bill that came to $108. The food presentation looks like somebody who was in training from Hell's Kitchen and about to go out of business. I asked to speak to a manager, they didn't come to the phone and instead had an employee relay the message that the manager said "we make mistakes. sorry for the inconvenience". Well, I made a mistake as well, coming to this establishment. I came here thinking highly of the restuant based on what I saw online and expected the same when I ordered my food. I took pictures of everything. This is NOT authentic African food if folks want real authentic African food, this is not the place! read more

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The service the food , over all great place to eat the food is wonderful great date night great customer service