I had a mixed experience here. The staff were lovely, and they accommodated us when my friend and I were late due to her child's bedtime difficulties. We did get the worst table though--we joked that it should be a Saturday Night Live skit--which was set up against the wall of the restaurant, next to the sidewalk. This table was the only one outside of the temporary shelter in the street, so we were left exposed to passersby, including the homeless man who stopped by to tell us about his knee problems and need for change. The menu seemed overly fussy and pretentious to me, and I had a hard time choosing. My friend and I laughed at the "cool ranch Doritos miso" accompaniment to the beef skewers! Also, at restaurants where I come from, bread is free. Two pieces certainly don't cost $8 (I spend $10 on a whole sourdough Pullman at my local fabulous bakery). And then when the bread comes with no more than a dab of butter and less than a tablespoon of kimchi, you start to wonder what you've gotten yourself into. Why is butter and kimchi so precious? We were off to a bad start. Next came the calamari. 5 stars. Probably the best I've ever had, as there were thin lemon slices and Nardello peppers (not spicy) in the mix. It came with an aioli topped with caviar, which cranked it up to 11 on the decadence meter. My stomach started grumbling later, but I fully enjoyed it in the moment. The blackened okra was just as spectacular with pickled fennel and another Mayo based sauce. The serving size was small though--maybe 8 okra pods? I wanted more. The sauce was a bit sweet--not as tasty as the aioli but good. Halibut Poche with fermented tomato water. The fish was over cooked by a minute or so. The tomato water was interesting and worked well. Gnocchi was perfect. A good dish. We tried two desserts--neither were worth the calories. The trifle was heavy, like it had been sitting in the fridge for a while. It wasn't the fluffy whipped cream concoction that you expect. I love butterscotch, so was disappointed by the tiny tasteless chips on top (like you get from the store to bake cookies). Goat cheesecake was bland and neutral when it should have been slightly sour or tart. I liked the addition of thyme sprig however. $120 inc. tip for two. read more

Today I went into Elle and got an iced oat milk latte, a guava turnover, and gluten free berry coffee cake. They were all good and the prices weren't too bad compared to other coffee shops. The service was just okay... there was a long line but it moved decently quick considering how busy it was. They had a lot of people working this morning but a few of them didn't seem to be doing anything productive or moving really slow (I appreciate when a barista can keep up during a rush). Sometimes in the mornings they can take a lot longer than necessary and I risk missing my bus. Phones in back pockets are also kinda trashy, can't help but wonder if that's why they're so slow sometimes. The only one that seemed to have a good work ethic and care about her job was the girl (barista) with the blonde hair and glasses. So shoutout to her I'd love to visit again to dine in, it's a cute place and it's very clean and well taken care of. read more

I am absolutely torn with this place. I'm really beginning to love Mt. Pleasant, walking through the neighborhood and looking at the beautiful homes and of course, stopping by Elle, a place that I've read about a lot and have been dying to try since it opened. Well, my dream came true a couple of weeks ago. I have to admit, it wasn't what I expected. Was it adorable? Yes. Did the pastries look good? Absolutely. Did the menu sound mouthwatering? Yep. What I didn't expect was the extremely long line, and not an empty seat to be found. I will fully admit that I've become a bit snobby over waiting in line for anything (I still regret waiting in line at Levain Bakery in NYC). But, they had a system and even though I felt bad waiting in line around people sitting at tables and bars, the line moved surprisingly quickly, and the turnover of seats turned quickly as well. My hubs ordered the breakfast sandwich (a clear favorite): smoked brisket, egg, and cheese on a sesame potato bun. For some reason, I kept it simple and ordered a biscuit served room temp with a container of butter and jam. While the biscuit was just ok, the breakfast sandwich was pretty doggone tasty. Ok, I don't eat eggs, so I just tried the brisket and it was omg good. They had a ton of sandwiches that sounded divine, but I wasn't really in the mood for a Cuban at 8:30 am. I was ready to write this place off as good, but not worth the crowd nor the line, but then I ended up back there a few weeks later. This time I had hot cider and a beet salad. Beet salads can mean different things to different places, but here it's beets with mixed greens, goat cheese, a light vinaigrette topped with a heavenly concoction called birdseed, which was a blend of ground nuts and herbs. I absolutely loved it. Despite the 4 stars, which I still think is well deserved, I really want to come back and try dinner as I think it may be less crowded. Also, the menu looks like something I could spend a few hours savoring. read more

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The baked goods were a little skimpy, but the cookies, coffee and Cuban sandwich were all delicious. The Cuban probably didn't need salt on the bread since ham and pork are already salty enough, but the sandwich was yummy. The only reason I'm hung up on 4 stars is because of the confusing set up. We walked in on a long line of people waiting to order, yet a bunch of empty tables. We sat at the bar halfway to the back with employees working behind it, yet nobody waited on us. So I got up, waited in line, placed the order and returned to my seat with a sign they gave me with the order number. They eventually brought the food but it wasn't clear whether I was supposed to separately wait at the barista station for my coffee or whether they were going to bring that to me too. Either way, I hate chaotic places like this where the system of ordering has no organization and where the tablet at the cashier counter prompts you to add a tip when they barely even wait on you. read more

PLEASE GET THE GUAVA TURNOVER AT ALL COSTS. Now that I got the most important information out there, let's begin with the overall review. I loved this place because even though it might be a bit pricey for a coffee shop, it's amazing,quality food. I got the granola and coconut yogurt, and hands down, best breakfast I've had in my life. Granola on point, fruit on point, oatmeal on point, and the homemade yogurt on point. My friend got the salmon on toast, and it was smaller portions but the taste was there. If you are the type of person that looks for quality over quantity, then please make your next trip there. I was told that they also have amazing bagels. However, that's only offered on weekdays! There's also pastries available as you wait in line! read more

Ellē - a gorgeous guava turnover - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Ellē was just as impressive as many of the reviews suggested it would be. The ambiance was exceptional. The exposed brick and tiled floors give the space a classic French cafe vibe that fits the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood perfectly. The pastries and sandwiches are peculiarly delicious, forcing me to wonder how such simple foods could be made so well. The coffee, likewise, was everything I could have asked for. Cappuccino (5/5): Their cappuccino was delicious, but is not my favorite in D.C. I attribute this mostly to personal preference rather than any deficiency on their part. The foam could have been more substantial considering it was a whole milk cappuccino, and the espresso was a little bitter for my tastes. Nonetheless, it was delicious and beautifully presented. Guava Turnover: Many reviews insist that you order this turnover. They weren't lying. I didn't think a turnover could be so good. How could anyone make a sugary pastry taste any better than it usually does? The turnover, with it's perfect buttery and flakey texture, completely melts in your mouth after a single crunch. The guava adds a perfect sweetness and tart that makes the dish unique and unlike anything you have ever had before. It's hard to imagine a turnover being exceptional, but Ellē has created a truly superior turnover. It is a must try. Breakfast Sandwich (5/5): The reviews that suggest this dish is excessively buttery are not unfounded. It is very buttery, but this did not bother me in the slightest. Each ingredient was delicious. The onions we're perfectly sauteed, the egg was light and fluffy, the brisket was tender, and the bun was fresh and slightly toasted. The only fault I had in the sandwich was that the ends of the brisket slices where very salty. Towards the center this dissipated but it was noticeable on my first and last bites. It is quite a large portion for cafe food and will likely leave you feeling very satisfied! This is a new staple breakfast place for me going forward. Ellē is casual enough to utilize as a study/ work space, but sleek enough to enjoy as a dining experience. They take exceptional lengths to ensure the quality of each dish, something I wish more cafes in Washington would emulate! read more

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My friend brought me here when she was giving me a tour of Mount Pleasant. She said it was a coffee shop I had to try out if I was considering moving to the neighborhood! Iced Coffee I got a gourmet iced coffee to go, and was happy with the result. Loved that they had oat milk to go with it. Ambiance Loved the cozy ambiance. I also liked that there were a lot of people there, so you know they've got to be good! Service We got quick and friendly service. Final Verdict I definitely need to come back to see if Elle lives up to the hype. So far, I quite enjoyed my quality iced coffee. read more

First, I do feel that the quality and taste of the food here is exceptional. We were disappointed to find that they don't have sit down service or indoor eating except for dinner. We got take away two beverages (many moons latte and the matcha latte), the smoked brisket egg and cheese (so good!), and a biscuit sandwich with apricot, pear, cheese and arugula. We wanted the quiche but they were all out. We also got a slice of vegan blood orange cheesecake which was made with cashews and delicious! Only 4 stars because the price is steep with an additional mandatory 20% operational fee. Essentially for a small late morning bite to eat with some beverages all to go, you're paying close to the equivalent of a dinner out. It's definitely worth a visit but expect it to cost you which may turn some off to this place. read more

Ellē - Vegan blood orange cheesecake - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food is alllllways good and interesting, and the kimchi toast (more like toast heaped with delicious pickled cabbage) lives up to the hype. Just don't call it kimchi. The menu seems to change a good bit seasonally so for example the duck confit that was on one of the earlier menus is gone, but there was a whole lacquered duck option meant to be shared that looked divine when it was brought out to the people by me. The fish collar special was deeply flavorful, and I wish they'd have that as a menu constant. The homemade cakes are restrained in sweetness, which is much appreciated, but the cake itself was a little on the dry side. It can be a little tough to get reservations but they do have some tiny counter/bar seating for walk ins. Not recommended if you're not comfortable sitting on a bar stool or like a lot of elbow room for your meal. read more

OMG it was love at first bite. Ellē has my heart and I'm perfectly fine with that. I dropped in for a to-go breakfast on my way to work, and was escorted into an adorable café with people chatting and working. There is also bar seating, so it's cool how this place can convert to a bar later in the day even though it's not especially large. The vibes here are just really awesome. Not to mention, the food is to die for. I ordered a carrot scone, accompanied by flavors of hazelnut and ginger. I don't know if I've ever had a better scone in my life. It had the perfect consistency and the flavors shone through so well, making every bite a little symphony of happiness in my mouth. I also ordered a breakfast sandwich to go, and I was able to watch the chef make it right in front of me! They already had little containers of hot sauce ready to go, which was so thoughtful and perfect! Ok - this sandwich was seriously the best breakfast sandwich I've ever tasted. I don't even know how it's possible that food can taste this amazing. There is brisket, cheese, and egg on a potato sesame bun. There are no words. I am just so happy. My coffee was ok, but they allowed me to customize it with milk/sugar. They have non-dairy options like oat milk FYI! Suffice it to say, I will be back... maybe so much they will learn my name. One can only dream. I'm so happy a place like this exists!!!! read more

Ellē - Carrot scone deliciousness - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came in on a Saturday morning around 8:30am and this place already had a large line waiting to order at the counter, so make sure you try to get in early or you'll probably spend quite a while in line. They have a large assortment of baked goods but not a lot of hot items. The hot items that they do have though are very tasty. We had their quiche and breakfast sandwich. The slice of quiche was pretty large and was baked well, with lots of toppings in the egg with a flaky crust. It also came with assorted greens on the side. The breakfast sandwich was more on the heavy side with juicy brisket served with folded egg on a prezel bun. The meat was very tender and not overly seasoned so flavorwise it felt light which is good for breakfast. The food is served fairly fast along with drinks while water is self serve at a spout towards the front, opposite of the counter. The ambiance is mellow which is suitable for a cafe, I wouldn't mind staying for a while with a book or if I had to study for something. read more

Ellē - Breakfast Sandwich (Brisket and Egg on a Pretzel Bun) - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Pretentious, poor service and disappointing, just to use a few adjectives to describe my first trip to Elle. Arrived at 1 pm on a Wednesday afternoon and they were out of half the things listed on the menu. The person taking our order didn't bother mentioning that until we tried to order some of them--why not cross them off the menu? One of the sandwiches was supposed to be on ciabatta bread but they were out of that bread, potato bun was substituted. We ordered 3 slices of pizza and one sandwich and waited more than 30 minutes. I watched everyone else pickup their food and coffee, including people who ordered after us. As I go up to check if our food is ready, our name is called and I say "thanks, I'm right here, I was coming up to check if our food was ready". I get a curt "oh, I see". No explanation or reason for the 30+ min wait 20% gratuity automatically added to your bill but you will be asked to tip more when you put your card in! Buyer beware.... I know I won't be back. The food was mediocre at best and overall experience just left a bitter taste in my mouth read more

This isn't a 5 star review because of my first impression of the restaurant. I arrived at 5:25 p.m. and walked in because the door was open. I was told that they don't open until 5:30 p.m., ushered outside and the door was locked behind me. I get that they weren't technically open, but they could have let me stand just inside for 5 minutes instead of outside in the cold. Just weird and kind of unnecessarily rude. However, the ambiance, service and food were wonderful. They had a Bresca Cabernet Savignon, which is one of my favorites, and my friend tried the Arabesque cocktail and really enjoyed it. We had the Marinated Feta which was delicious, but definitely on the sweet side, the Scallop Crudo, which was just full of flavor and texture, the Winter Greens and the Flank Steak. The greens were served with mushrooms and a wonderful sauce and the flank steak was good, but came out a bit cold. I think they had it in the back waiting for us and we ate the other dishes slower than they had anticipated. For dessert we had the rice pudding and the chocolate tarte and they were both delicious. There were so many layers of flavors with each dish which is what made everything so good. read more

Finally a cooler day for biking so decided to check out this Mt Pleasant Bakery/cafe opened about a year ago. On a stretch of Mt Pleasant Street with a handful of other small but notable restaurants, you'd need to look out for the faded powder blue sign of "Heller's Bakery" to find it, as the name "Ellē" is not easily seen unless you are right at the entrance. We've never been to Hellers Bakery but the interior is said to be what the place would have looked like in the old days. With some modern touches no doubt - such as the bare brick walls in one side. Seating here includes plenty of counters, the narrow ones right in front against the window good for people watching. Further back there is a long bar area from which you can also see kitchen action. At the back end is a small dining room. During the day as cafe/bakery, ordering is at the counter - if eating in you get a number and food is brought to you. We arrived around 10:30 in the morning on a Sunday and it was already quite busy, lots of families with strollers, during the next hour at times the line for ordering could reach a dozen long (for that reason if sitting at the bar better move further in as otherwise you'd feel boxed in by those waiting in line. We tried the breakfast sandwich - quite gourmet, guava turnover - very rich and flakey and peach pie (for $6 a bit of a small portion, so were the little lemon poppy tea cookies at $1@). Tea is served in a small French press pot with loose tea leaves, and hot latte in a big tea cup with an exquisitely crafted cream swirl. Everything was delicious. Nice and casual atmosphere. Definitely a place to keep on your list for repeated visits even if not right in your neighborhood. read more

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Elle is a gorgeous and intimate neighborhood cafe and restaurant up in Mt. Pleasant. I was happy to snatch a 6:15 dinner reservation on a Sunday. I love the space and the dim lighting, and the low hush of people chatting and eating, especially cozy on a damp and drizzling night. We ordered the bread with butter, the sweet potato curry, the famous kimchi toast, the poached swordfish, and the quail dish. All of the flavors we tasted were unique, sharp, and interesting; the presentation beautiful all around. The sweet potato had a wonderful smokiness, and swordfish was tender (though I found the sauce a bit too rich). My favorite of the evening was definitely the kimchi toast! As others have noted, it's not kimchi in the traditional Korean sense. Nonetheless, the spicy fermented cabbage, immersed in the dark, rich XO sauce, perfectly complements the tangy yogurt and thick sourdough. The marriage of flavors is addictive and delightful! It's also quite a large portion - rightly considered an entree. The service was fantastic - friendly, quick, knowledgeable, and efficient. I'd love to come back soon for a taste of their breakfast and dessert. read more

Ellē - Kimchi toast. - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Waaaaaaaay overhyped. We came a few weeks ago for dinner and the only memorable aspect is the high prices. Kimchi toast: pretty good but I wouldn't really call it kimchi? More like pickles vegetables. Definitely lacked the traditional kimchi flavor that I was expecting. Seared Cape May scallops: these were actually the best thing we got, but $18 for 3 scallops is pretty steep. Honey garlic fried chicken: for $24 you get 2 pieces of chicken, some watermelon, and a biscuit. Tell me that's not overpriced af. Flavor was not bad but I've literally made equally as good tasting fried chicken myself. Also, not sure if racist is the right word, but the presentation of this dish did not sit well with me. I don't remember what drinks we got, they were strong but I would say still overpriced. All in all I kind of regret coming here and spending over $100 on this mediocre meal :/ read more

Ellē - Kimchi toast - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place usually runs out of food on their online ordering pretty quickly on weekends, so I recommend ordering from here earlier in the day. I ordered a breakfast sandwich for pickup with egg and sausage. It was such a great pickup process and they make it when you get there and ensure that it's fresh and hot. I even drove it home 10 minutes later and it was still hot. The flavors were incredible and I fully understand why all the other reviews highly recommend the breakfast sandwich. I do want to try their other baked goods eventually because they have such interesting flavor combinations! Elle is a definitely gem in Mount Pleasant. read more

OMG for the breakfast sandwich and guava turnover!!! I haven't tasted guava like that since Central America. We had to order online and pick up at the window, but were able to sit at a picnic table in the shade(8:00 am) with a breeze. Definitely have to return. read more

Ellē was a forgettable blah experience that will not have me dreaming about it later. As harsh as my tone may be, truth is - I can't say I was thoroughly surprised by this. The hype for this place is crazy. I know people who swear by it then you have people like me who just didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling I desired when I walked in. This is where I found some of my confusion. Make your mind up. Are you going to be a neighborhood local joint or an overpriced hipster restaurant who overcharges for small menial portions? I'd say the latter one would be my experience. We ordered 3 desserts and had a drink. My friend enjoyed her drink, and thought it was different in a good way. For $13 though probably not. Our desserts were dry, lacked character, and were forgettable. I loooove cheesecake, and as good as it looks, that's as far as it goes is that it looks good. The other 2 as the cheesecake didn't offer any character or reason to be nearly $10 a pop. The peach trifle wasn't any better than me ordering a McDonald's parfait for a fraction of the price. I realize parfaits are different than trifles, but they're basically close first cousins. Service was amiss. We felt our main server was a bit absent minded on the drinks menu, and he didn't really know much about the desserts. We weren't sure if he was new or simply uninformed, but if you're going to sell us upcharged items - then it would be my hope you would have better knowledge of the products you are trying to get the patrons to buy. The space is cute. I liked the ambiance. I appreciated the bathroom sign. My pic is attached. Outside of the ambiance and bathrooms - that's about as much as I've got interest in this place. I saw several people dining here for dinner. I was, again, shocked by the menial portions. Just keep that in mind when you dine here. They're not a tapas restaurant, so I couldn't justify in my mind how they sold such small portions for the pricing that they did. Finally rating - 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. read more

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How lucky is my sister with Ellē just a short walk from her place? Since I arrived over a week ago, we've been getting our coffee here before we do anything else. It's been such a lifesaver, as we can't make our own coffee at home as we're still waiting for the moving truck to deliver their stuff from Los Angeles. I've been mostly getting the Iced Coffee, but I've also gotten a latte and the London Fog (Earl Grey Latte). Their coffee is Stumptown, so it's good! I love that they have soy, along with milk and half and half for creamer options. A little bit of soy milk with my iced coffee and I'm all set! As for food, I've had a few things. The Smoked Brisket and Egg Sandwich is the thing to get. So delish! The brisket is sliced thin, super tender and tasty. The egg is fluffy and perfectly cooked. It will satiate you for hours. I've also had the Chocolate Donut (only available on weekends) which was good and not too sweet. If they have the Guava Turnover and you're not particularly hungry, get it! It's wonderful. The pastry is so flaky and the guava filling is perfect. They have cakes, scones, muffins, quiche, yoghurt and granola, and other pastries for other breakfast options. My sisters have tried their scones and quiche and they enjoyed them. My brother-in-law likes their buttermilk biscuit with butter and jam. I will definitely be back a few more times before I leave DC. I'll definitely come back and hopefully try their dinner/wine bar offerings this winter when we spend the holidays here. read more

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Really enjoyed my first meal here, and that's a rarity for a hot new restaurant that opened not too long ago. Here's what I loved: - Cayenne and cheddar cheese crackers: they're addictively cheesy and crispy, a much elevated ritz cracker of sorts but a zillion times better - Grilled kimchi toast with labneh and XO sauce on a country loaf: Packed with flavor, very savory, balanced, surprisingly hearty. - Rib eye steak with sauteed shiitakes and corn, miso butter: Really perfectly cooked (medium rare), sliced to facilitate sharing and to really soak up the awesome shiitake glaze, definitely one of the better steak entrees around town I remember the rest of the meal being stellar, with a good set of cocktails and wine list (I enjoyed the lambrusco), but I can't remember all of the other delicious plates we sampled! Service was attentive, although our server was somewhat pretentious. It's also really insanely loud inside, even more than the usual noisy DC restaurant. read more

Great service, hardworking and friendly staff, delicious food! We visited on a busy Saturday afternoon and we're very pleased that they made it a priority to find a table for six of us. All food was tasty! Reuben, chicken sandwich, egg sandwich, beet salad, quiche, tempeh burger, toast appetizer. Good coffee too. Highly recommend! read more

Elle seemed to be on everyone's best-of-2018 lists, and for good reason. I've been for breakfast/coffee a few times and would definitely recommend trying any of the sweet or savory pastries -- there's a rotating selection, but in my experience they're all great! Finally had a chance to visit for dinner with a friend recently and was equally if not more impressed. Between the two of us, we got bread (with butter), two "smaller" plates (the Charred sweet potato curry w/ Massaman Curry, Coco Nib, Crispy Shallot; and the lamb meatballs w/ fried tomato, black pepper ricotta, pickled poblano peppers, and basil) and two "larger" plates (the famous grilled kimchi toast, and the grilled chicken). We enjoyed everything but definitely the sweet potato curry and lamb meatballs were our favorites. At dinner, we also shared a chocolate brownie-type dessert that was accented with citrus and pistachios. Very tasty and just the right portion to share for two. Service was friendly and warm but not intrusive. A+. read more

I finally checked out Elle after hearing a lot of hype, and I'm not sure I fully understand it. I will caveat this by saying I came for breakfast not dinner, so perhaps that was my mistake. Got a latte and their breakfast sandwich. The latte was nothing special and while the breakfast sandwich was tasty it was almost too rich to eat. It was also a bit disappointing to find that their bagels and bread weren't actually available everyday. Overall, I didn't quite get the hype, but I'll have to visit again for dinner or during the week. read more

Ellē - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow!! Elle's breakfast sandwich is so highly praised I needed to try it for myself. The bun is absolutely incredible. The eggs are fluffy and soft. The brisket is perfectly salty and rich. Seriously so good. read more

Ellē - Brisket breakfast sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Been here for breakfast and drinks and have gotten the following: Breakfast sandwich- TOP NOTCH AMAZING SPRINT THERE NOW FOR THIS. Quiche- I am not a fan of this usually, but they had a sweet potato and tomato one yesterday and it was killer. Came with a perfectly dressed side salad all green no bs lettuces. London Fog- their answer to a chai latte which tbh is superior and they have oat milk. Through the vine cocktail- lovely spirit forward, served up Impending in laws cocktail- great for those of us who like negronis/aperol spritz/gin drinks. Refreshing yet grounded since it has thyme and cinnamon with the grapefruit amaro and gin. My only critique is that you have to pick up your own coffee and food during breakfast if you're dining in which has lead to my coffee and food being cold once I figure out it's ready, especially since they're put in two different parts of the coffee bar. A number system where they deliver your food and coffee to you if you're dining in would be an improvement. read more

Ellē - Finished "Through the Vine" (that's a pickled grape on the bottom there" and a freshly started "Impending In Laws" - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Morning bakery, evening restaurant. These days you have to order online, check in when you arrive and then you can sit anywhere outside. Biscuits, guava pastry are delicious! read more

Ellē - Cute coffee - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is for the coffee and dessert only. I have not eaten any of the actually lunch/dinner food here. If you are a latte expert/lover, you have to come here and try their latte. The beans are good and they heated the milk just right. Latte wasn't super foamy and wasn't overheated like other places. I've been to some places where the milk tasted burnt Bc they heated it too much. My one friend who thinks he knows all about lattes loves the lattes here. I don't have a picture of my dessert but I got a goat honey cheesecake. It's pretty small and was pricey at about $8 for a small circular cheesecake. But it was so good. One of my favorite cheesecakes. It was light and creamy and the crust was just right. I've been to cheesecake place where the cakes are almost rubbery or just too hard. Not this place. Against this review is for the latte and desert which were both phenomenal. I'll be sure to try the food here when I get a chance. read more

Ellē - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

First, I can't wait til I come back and buy loaves of bread. The bread served in dishes was SO good. Ok back to the meal.. Got two drinks, one with japanese whiskey and the other I forget but I remember both were delicious. I forget what the dishes were called but tuna tartare was alright. The tiger's milk with the oil adds such a beautiful color to the dish and each bite is so fresh and clean. Cape may scallops were superbly prepared. I saw pictures of the scallops in earlier pictures and was expecting something completely different but I really enjoyed this one as well. Kimchi toast might've been the strangest thing anyone could've thought of. Growing up as Korean, I ate kimchi all the time and would have never imagined this to work but it does. They really load up the kimchi which can become overwhelming (but I love my kimchi so I didn't mind). Eggplant toast: This was pretty disappointing. It was WAY too oily and unpleasant to eat. By the time we got it, the bread was soggy. The beef main dish. The greens were really salty but the smashed potatoes were the best I've ever had. The beef was well prepared too but the smashed potatoes were definitely the highlight. I wasn't too hot for the 'kimchi ketchup.' Call it with its proper name.. it was basically gochujang (a Korean red chili paste) with a bit of ketchup. Also got their espresso budino dessert which was SO good. Best way to end the meal and the reason why I'm rounding my rating up to a 5. read more

Finally had dinner at Elle! We live in Mt. P and the hype for this place has been off the charts. And with good reason!! We first went in January when they opened, and had coffee, which is great. Their iced coffee is delish. We went a couple of weeks ago for an early dinner and had a very nice experience. By far the BEST thing we ate was their highly acclaimed goat cheese cheesecake. Wow wow, it melts in your mouth and the flavor is just perfection. Definitely save room for dessert (it's tiny, you definitely have room for it) and get this!!! You will not regret it. We started with the cheese crackers which were just meh, IMO. They were sort of standard crackers. Would be nice if they came with some sort of spread, but plain I thought they were dry and just nothing special. They send over a complimentary sliced apple bite. Very nice touch! Wasn't my fav but that's just because it's not my type of flavors. For our entrees we had the clam spaetzle and the duck. My hubby had the clam spaetzle and he absolutely loved it. He said he could've had 3X as much. The sizes of the dishes are definitely not large, they're not small per se either, but if you're very hungry you'll likely need a couple of extras. The duck was divine, and the best part honestly was the biscuit it came with. It was hot, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, just everything a biscuit should be. YUM!! As I mentioned earlier, we got dessert. I got the cheesecake, hubby got the chocolate cake. The cheesecake, read above, was the best thing we ate throughout the meal. I could literally have that everyday. Wonderful, airy, light, moist, decadent, flavorful, just everything. The chocolate cake was very very average. Nothing special at all, I'd skip it. Wonderful addition to Mt. P! read more

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Went there for a coffee with an acquaintance and I loved the atmosphere! Not too crowded, and the pastries are delicious! read more

Ellē - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Friendly staff and quaint atmosphere. I came here for dinner recently and when I left I was still hungry and out of $100. The portions are extremely small and way too overpriced. The food was good but I'm not coming back just to leave broke and hungry (i.e.- $16 for a small tempeh burger, slightly larger than your typical slider; $8 for 2 slices of grilled bread; $26 for a small bowl of pasta with broccoli and maybe 5 pieces of tempeh sausage-outrageous). read more

Prices are outrageous. A standard matcha latte was $8 due to a $1.60 service charge that did not appear to be optional. I'm all for paying workers a fair wage, but to get lackluster service and a cup of what was essentially lightly flavored hot milk reeks of entitlement. It's easy to never go back, but be aware that the charge is added in and you have to ask to have it removed. read more

Elle still maintains a local friendly neighborhood vibe despite all their recent hype. I came for lunch on a Wednesday and there was plently of space, I was able to grab a seat at their counter facing the open air windows - perfect for a nice breeze while people watching. The vibe is pretty casual with people grabbing lunch and solo diners reading or working on laptops. For lunch, you order at the counter and find a seat. I ordered the ferment toast, which was great. Its salty, sweet, sour, crunchy, smooth and everything delicous all in one. Theres so many different components and they all work well together. Theres sweet and salty from the candied nuts on top, sour pickled vegatables, a smooth and creamy cheese with this sweet sauce, all on top of perfectly toasted crunchy bread. I picked it right up with my heads to eat and never wanted to put it down! I got this with an iced tumeric ginger tea, which was very flavorful and a nice portion. The price tag is pretty high here, it'll cost you about $20 for lunch toast and an iced tea but I recommend coming at least once! Next time I will come to try out their dinner! read more

Ellē - Ferment Toast - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cute little place for a date with excellent food and cocktails. I went for an earlier dinner with a friend right at 5:30 when they opened. It definitely has a cafe feel to it. We sat at the bar and had a lot of fun talking with the bar tender about what drinks she was making and her food recommendations. I know some reviews have stated that the place was really crowded, but we went on a Friday night and didn't experience that. There were people there, but it didn't feel overcrowded or overly noisy. We had the maple marinated feta, scallop crudo, kimchi toast, and chicken fried quail. Everything was delicious, but the maple marinated feta and the scallop crudo were probably my favorites. The butter that comes with the first item is something you could literally eat spoonfuls of (although for health reasons, I don't recommend doing that). Their kimchi toast is a staple, so you should definitely try that as well. Although I did think the scallops had a similar sauce as the kimchi toast. I'll definitely be going back to try some desserts and some of their baked goods in the future. read more

I've had dozens of different lattes in the DC area, and this place is clearly one of the best (note: they use Stumptown coffee). Baked & Wired also has pretty good coffee and espresso, but I still think Ellē is better. The lattes here are not too milky nor bitter; it is the right balance which I think a lot of latte fans will like. I also got the Blueberry Ginger scone - I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't extremely dry like most scones. There were big chunks of ginger inside, and this gave the blueberry flavor a nice spice. read more

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A truly excellent dining experience. We went here for my husband's birthday because of Tom Sietsema's review. Thanks, Tom! When we arrived at the beautifully restored former bakery, we were greeted by an incredibly friendly hostess who made us feel welcome immediately. Fair warning: The tables are small and close together, and the dining room is loud. But my ears adjusted and I felt like the quality of the meal made up for it. We ordered almost all of the cocktails, and they were delicious and competitively priced at $13. The server was happy to describe them to us so we felt like we knew exactly what we were getting. For food, we ordered a lot of what our server recommended, and you should do the same. Everything she suggested was spectacular, from seemingly simple asparagus to buttery scallops. We also got the strawberry salad (simple and refreshing but not as spectacular) and the clam spaetzle (too similar to the asparagus, actually). We had the honey goat cheesecake for dessert, and it was phenomenal. It looks small, but it's so rich that it's really fine to share. But the real star of the show was the service. We ordered the kimchi toast but didn't care for it. When one of the servers saw we had only had a few bites and then stopped, she asked about it. I told her it just wasn't our thing. Not only did they take it off our bill, but they gave us a loaf of bread from their bakery to take home (!). Unheard of. Look - the owner of Ellē comes from Bad Saint. The bartender worked at Columbia Room. The executive chef is from Blue Duck Tavern, with sous chefs who have worked at The Dabney and Tail Up Goat. They have all perfected their craft, and it's amazing to see it all come together. read more

Located in Mt. Pleasant area - if you're driving, I would suggest finding parking in the neighborhood. I came here based on a comment that this is the best breakfast sandwich in the DC area, so why not? Unfortunately, I didn't get to try the breakfast sandwich - they had sold out 2 people in front of me, bummer. I did end up getting the Reuben sandwich which was delicious. The bread was delicious, a little burnt however. The portion was a good size, enough that I had leftovers the next day. I will need to come back and try the breakfast sandwich and the guava turnover as people suggested. Cool, casual, and laidback environment. A little bit of a hike if you're coming from downtown DC. read more

As one reviewer noted, they recently changed their weekday daytime service to deter people from teleworking or staying there very long. A few months ago, you could pick a seat anywhere. No more. I walked in on a weekday late morning and was not permitted to sit at a table in the back as a solo (and very pregnant) diner - and was told they no longer offered Wi-Fi. I felt so unwelcome that I regretted having ordered a coffee before I learned of the change. They didn't seem to care that I couldn't sit on an uncomfortable bar stool for long being pregnant. read more

Came for dinner with my love and was thoroughly impressed! We shared a bottle of wine and two entrees that were rich and delicious. Portions are just right for the richness of the dishes, but if I were looking for something simpler, I might consider them a touch small. As I said, given the rich flavors they are appropriate. I might call the flavor profile "fat forward" to emphasize the pork and brisket entrees we savored. Our server was fun and upbeat. My water never emptied. The atmosphere is a little loud to be cozy though the two annoying children at the next table deserve some credit for the noise. Elle is a great neighborhood restaurant, and I will be back soon. I hesitate to heap too much praise because it would be a shame to attract too many out-of-towners to quiet Mt. Pleasant for this awesome spot. Best of luck, Elle, with the new business. read more

Ellē - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia