I went here with my friend last week. We ordered food to share and this is what I thought of our food. Kimchi toast- it was ok for me although my friend thoroughly enjoyed it. Scallop dish- I am not sure if the fried potato chips or whatever chips it was works well with the dish. It was pretty salty and I don't think the mix goes well together. Chicken liver dish- this one was ok too but would have preferred thinner and sliced bread. The citrus dessert and chai dessert were good and would recommend them. read more

Of all the possible variants of the bleak, dystopian future that awaits DC enclaves like Columbia Heights, Ellē is probably the worst imaginable incarnation. I came on a weekday for lunch at the counter before running some errands at the stores nearby. The place was engulfed in a cacophony of more shouting than conversation, really, as gossipy locals shared inane details of their quotidian lives at the tops of their lungs from two-tops a foot apart. Meanwhile, millennial zombie drones with massive headphones lost in the eerie glow of their phones sat interspersed between the neighbor hordes. The hastily-grilled, oily slabs of fatty lamb between tasteless slices of whole-wheat bread hardly justified the $14 cost. About as bad a lunch spot as I've ever been to in twelve years of living in Northwest. read more

Great dinner we had the Prix Fixe loved every thing we ordered will definitely be back soon to try more of the menu!

Have you ever tasted heaven? I did yesterday. In the form of a breakfast sandwich at Elle. This place did not disappoint. My friend has been telling me about a breakfast sandwich that she loved. So this weekend we went to try it out. It was by far the best sandwich I've ever ate. They served brisket on it instead of hard bacon, the brisket was fall off the bone amazing. I loved it so much. The egg and cheese were so good as well. I could eat this meal every morning. The latte and sticky bun were also amazing. Clearly I didn't get a picture of those! The atmosphere was awesome and we found a table easily, but did seem like it could get pretty packed at times. The latte of the day was a maple ginger latte and my friends got that one and loved it. I got vanilla. I will be back and I'll bring all my friends!! read more

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

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If you want a pickup window to go to with a stroller where you can grab a coffee and a brisket sandwich, Elle is the place for you. It's possible not everyone has this same ideal for a place, so I'll not the coffee is good, the breakfast sandwiches are filling and craveable, the foccaccia is a great snack and the staff is friendly. Make sure to order 20 minutes ahead to be sure food can be ready. read more

This restaurant was amazing. We had heard good things about this restaurant, and knew it was on the Michelin Guide, but we weren't prepared for how good it was. The food was amazing from start to finish and the service was impeccable. We got the whitefish toast, comte tart, BBQ carrots (best dish), agnolotti, and tempeh katsu, and goat cheese cheesecake. This felt like a one star restaurant, and in my humble opinion they absolutely deserve one. We will 100% be back! Could not recommend more. read more

A friend and I went to Elle for dinner. Between the two of us, we ordered a good portion of the menu. This review is closer to 3.5 stars. The food was hit or miss, and very overpriced for what you get. We started with grilled bread and butter. The bread is good -- but, for $5, you literally only get two pieces, which is kind of insane. Then we split the kimchee toast, which was really flavorful mix of sour and creamy -- I particularly loved the raddish. That said, for $15, we got one piece. And the scallions on top were in such big chunks that you had to eat it all at once, and couldn't have some in every bite. Then I got the eggplant -- which was, underwhelming. The sauce and tofu had no flavor and was cold. Plus, again, way overpriced for what it was. There were actually only four chunks of fried eggplant. Next I got the beef carpaccio, which was AMAZING. There were olives that made every bite salty and earthy. Super delicious and highly recommend. My friend said her tagliatelle was "ok. and a super small portion for $25." We finished with a lemon tart for desert. It was tiny, and really mediocre. Kind of a disappointment for what is also a bakery. Our server was attentive and gave good recommendations. read more

After hearing all the hype about Elle for months, I finally visited on a Friday afternoon for a coffee. I intended to hang out for a couple of hours and get some work done, so I asked the barista if they had wifi. She said yes, so I ordered a London Fog. After paying, I asked the girl at the register for the wifi password, and she said that Elle didn't have wifi. There was no wifi and the barista clearly will clearly say anything to ensure you stay and make a purchase. I cannot believe she was simply uninformed, as I'm sure people must ask this every day. Poor service aside, Elle seems to have identity issues. Is it a cute neighborhood coffee shop, or an overpriced hipster restaurant? No one seems to know, but Elle certainly doesn't fit in with the local mom and pop / village vibe that Mount Pleasant is known for. However, Elle is catering to a specific demographic, and it's pretty apparent that they're aware of this. All that to say, my drink was extremely underwhelming, and at $5, I won't come back to try anything else. read more

This review is exclusively for Elle's bread, which has become a staple item in my household. (By the way, I live with a breadmaker... which is saying something!!) TRY THE BREAD and relish in the rotating breads-of-the-gods. You can taste the love they put into the bread with every bite! (Don't be deterred by the darker color -- it's not burnt, that's actually part of their baking process that ensures more moisture inside the bread!). I've steered clear of their other menu items because they're out of my current budget. The bread, however... Well worth the (fairly-priced) investment for the quality! The spare coffees/teas I've had have all been delicious and served with care, but as I mentioned... "up there" in the price category. read more

OK but their breakfast sandwiches are like nothing I've ever tasted. And that guava turnover flakiness is perfection. I got the brisket breakfast sandwich with coffee made from the beans of Guatemala and a guava turnover. First, I love how they hand make their own bread even for the sandwiches. I also love how they use fresh eggs. The sesame potato bun was so fluffy and baked just right. The whole sandwich was a bit too greasy/oily for my taste but nothing like a couple of napkin dabs won't fix. Never had brisket on a sandwich before so props to creativity. Second, the guava turnover tasted like the guava butter I've had in Puerto Rico. Obviously not as great as the guava in Puerto Rico but it came close ! This flaky pastry is a must if you're eating a light breakfast ! And you can't go wrong with a cup of joe here so you might as well get that too. Their simple yet bold, nutty coffee will definitely wake you up. My friend got the seasonal maple ginger latte and said it was sweet but not overpoweringly sweet. It was the perfect and potent amount. We enjoyed it so we definitely think Ellē is a place for a good to-go breakfast on the weekdays. read more

Ellē - Maple ginger latte , guava turnover , and apple cinnamon scone - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Really really well done food and the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. With that said, every time I've been the employees don't make eye contact, ignore you at the counter and are just unpleasant. It's why I choose to go elsewhere despite their having such great breakfast food. read more

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

BREKFAST REVIEW ONLY I´ve only been to Elle for breakfast a couple of times and I love it!! Cute atmosphere for breakfast, to read and work at the weekends.. with good quality bread an wide variety too! They also have coffee, drinks, kombucha, amazing teas! I mainly go there for the Coconut Yogurt Oatmeal, IT´S AMAZING! Sounds too basic but it´s actually amazing and worth going there just for it! I know for dinner is a little overpriced, but I have never tried it. read more

The good things at Elle - great interior decor and I'm sure many of the dinner plates taste great. The coffee is actually very good. But it's way overpriced and the height of gentrification in Mount Pleasant. Replacing the historic Heller's Bakery, Elle charges $4 for a small coffee, $16 for a plate of grilled carrots, $16 for a glass of red wine, and $9 for a small desert like a mini cheesecake or chocolate mousse. If things were half the price here it'd still be expensive. The prices make Elle inaccessible for many Mount Pleasant residents. Mount Pleasant was well on its way to being fully gentrified, Elle proves that we've made it. I recommend you skip Elle and walk down the street to Pear Plum and get a good cup of coffee at half the price. Better yet, go enjoy some pupusa's at Ercilia's or Don Juan's. So actually not sure what we pay for at Elle -- pretentiousness? read more

One of my favorite places for any time of day! Amazing coffee shop and bakery! Pick up a yummy salad or sandwich for lunch. Or have one of the best dinners at night with amazing seasonal sharable plates. My go-to spot for everything! I love it at Elle! I always feel inspired and happy when I am there + all day after. read more

Ellē - Amazing tempeh burger and grilled carrots with miso and labneh. Yum! - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have only been here for coffee/pastries and had a great experience. They have a great selection of unique pastries (there were way too many I wanted to try!) I have heard so many good things about their food so can't wait to return to try that! read more

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

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this place is the catch-all; good for a quick coffee catch up with a coworker to romantic date night! the most lifesaving hangover brisket biscuit! don't sleep on their pastries (we also always pick up a pack of frozen scones to bake at home on our way out) OR DINNER! very thoughtful menu and great service. drinks are delicious and they always have a good collection of fun beers. read more

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

We took clients here on their recommendation. They said this is one of the hottest places in DC right now. It certainly had stellar food. We started with grilled bread. We did shareable plates of about 8 items. The flatiron steak was great, the pasta with leaks amazing and oysters most memorable of plates but everything was great. The chicken fried game hens were good too but not much meat of course. The pork belly was a soup which was tough to share. Deserts were great. Flourless chocolate brownie was so yummy. read more

This place is a very lively on the weekend. Came here for brunch and loved the vibe. The kimchi toast is very creative however too salty for my taste. I like the breakfast sandwich the most, definitely recommend the sandwich if you go there. The ice coffee in my opinion is too watery and definitely not worth the $$. The line was very long but it went by fast. read more

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

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I wanted to swing by to add to my review, since I ordered a birthday cake and it was (obviously) incredible. They allowed me to place the order well in advance of the recommended 72hour window, since I was going to be out of town in the days leading up to when I needed the cake. I ordered an 8-inch "Ultimate Birthday Cake" which was not cheap, but holy sh*t it was probably the best cake I've ever had. I called the morning of my scheduled pick-up to confirm, and they asked if there was anything I wanted written on the cake. It was packaged securely and ready for transport when I arrived, and it blew everyone away. Can't recommend Elle enough. read more

I went, I ate and drank and I loved. I have this hang up about ambience. I can only love a restaurant if I like all of it, including the ambience. I loved it at Elle. I got coffee, pastries and BREAD (yes, it does need that emphasis) here before but never ate in. The bread is fantastic and next to Bread Furst and Baked Joint is on of my favorites. Bread can have "crust crust"! Last night a friend and I went for "Yay, it is Friday!" drinks and enjoyed cocktails, wine, and appetizer and - of course - dessert, this is Paisely Fig's place after all. The cocktails are created by the team (I assume they make classics if you ask for it) have pity names and delicious. I did need the explanation of the flavor profile from the waitress since half of those liquors I had never heard of. The maple marinated feta with brown butter mousse and focaccia was delicious in its seeming simplicity and we were tempted to order another one. Next time. I guess I can call myself a Paisley Fig groupie because I will go anywhere for her crustless goat cheese cheesecake. Amazing. So we had to have dessert and tried the Hazelnut torte and cheesecake. Delicious and may have to join the goat cheese cheesecake on the "must-eat-every-day" list. We also had a lemon tart with toasted pine nuts which was delicious too. And last but not least the staff! Our waitress was excellent and described the flavors of the cocktails (who knows all these liquors and ingredients?) and recommended spot on wines based on my "other grapes I like". She was friendly and funny and so were other staff who cleared our table or brought dishes and drink. Will definitely be back and next time must come for dinner! read more

Rude! I tested positive for Covid 5 days ago, and it's been longer since getting the symptoms. According to the health authorities I shouldn't be contagious. I told the Elle barista through the window that I don't want to go inside because of having Covid recently, and asked to order coffee. He didn't take my order but said he'll send someone outside. No one came out and they were serving people who arrived much after me. Eventually it was my turn but only to be scorned for being outside in public by a barista woman who voiced her crappy opinion from the inside. Didn't want to take my order. So much about being friendly neighbors. read more

Service is terrible, I had to wait well over 30 minutes (I'd say 45 but I can't be sure) for a drink and a pastry. I'd ordered ahead, checked in, and watched at least a dozen people who ordered after me get their drinks/food before me. Honestly I should have just written it off and left but my own vanity (plus the fact that I'd already paid/tipped in advance) kept me there. Also for what it's worth while their baking is usually quite good the PSL and the cream brioche are mediocre. Really disappointing read more

My husband and I are only living in DC for a year, so we have made it a point to eat ALL THE FOOD. Surprisingly, though, we kept being disappointed by places at the top of others' lists. We loved Bad Saint, Thip Kao, and a few others, but some of the "must eats" like Rose's Luxury were quite good, but left us feeling a little disappointed for the price. That all said, Elle was one of the best dinners we have had all year. The dishes were inventive, priced appropriately for a nice date night or birthday dinner, and just plain delicious (the feta with dehydrated olives and maple brown butter alone would be worth going for! It was amazing!). We loved that they gave us a menu clearly marked for vegetarians (and that there were so few things excluded from it!). The service was fantastic. And the cocktails were unique and perfect. My only gripe was that it was so loud we could barely hear each other, but I am not sure the restaurant has much control over this, and it certainly wouldn't stop us from going again. I cannot wait to return. read more

This place is so good! For those interested in a little history, the cafe has a cool story, having taken over the space of Heller's bakery, which was in business for decades in DC. They even left the original sign! The coffee (tried ice latte, espresso, cappuccino) is pretty great, better than most I've had in DC. We were there for breakfast, the scones were super delicious and the breakfast items (though sparse) were great too. Looking forward to going back for lunch or dinner! read more

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

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Perfect all day cafe! The food is really good and fresh. The breads and kimchi vegetables are so tasty! And the coffee is also really good! It's hard to find both good coffee and food in one place but they have it! Also I love the plates and decor the vibe is really chic inside. I spend hours on my laptop here. Def go here in the morning! But they also do a really nice veggie heavy dinner menu too read more

Ellē - Quiche, kimchi veggie toast, grilled cheese yum! - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A busy Saturday morning, but the line moves quickly and you can see your beautiful brioche egg sandwich being made in front of your eyes. The sandwich was decadent, creamy, and rich. Perfect to split between two people, alongside a smooth latte and a crumbly lemon poppyseed scone. The quintessential, upscale DC breakfast experience... read more

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We got seated at the bar immediately without a reservation. Oh boy that's when this wonderful journey started, we ordered chilled snap peas and country bread for appetizers,which were absolutely fantastic. For entrees, we ordered McSoft Crab and Sausage Pasta. Our entrees absolutely went beyond our expectations, perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented. After dinner, we had "sweet heart" mixed drink, it was really delicious. Highly recommend and we're definitely coming back for more. read more

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

Wouldn't go again. The food wasn't bad but nothing amazing and pretty heavy for breakfast food. The main reason I eat out is for atmosphere but the set up made me feel like I was either in someone's way or about to knock something over the entire time I was there which made it hard to focus on the food or enjoy yourself. read more

5 course chefs choice dinner with pairing was perfect. Service - kind and impeccable. Food - complex, original and delicious. Ambiance - relaxed and comfortable. Go! read more

I finally had dinner at Elle. The food was great- especially the Kimchi toast. My big issue is that for the portion size and what you are getting, the (vegetarian) dishes are priced too high. I think I'll stick to Elle for pastries and coffee. read more

Came here on a Saturday. Line was long but it moved quickly. Very friendly and helpful staff. I got a cold brew to go. It wasn't the best I've ever had but better than average. Love the vibe here but it's definitely bustling so not the best place to get some time to study, etc. read more

Had dinner there. The food was good! Had their special, lamb shoulder, tomato salad, kimchi toast. They were all good. My favorite was the tomato salad! We also had their dessert, lemon custard and goat cheesecake, both were great as well. read more

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Phenomenal coffee. This place doesn't have WiFi though. Probably trying to deter all-day squatters, but it's not super convenient. The atmosphere is unique and comfortable. Only other thing is that their payment tablet automatically defaults to 15% tip. You have to actually intentionally select "No Tip" or else you will get charged which is sneaky and dumb. read more

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

Amazing! Everything we tried was perfect. From the herb and cheese monkey bread to the peanut butter donut and artisan iced coffee. The breakfast sandwich sealed the deal. The baking skills on display at this place are phenomenal. Anything you order will be one of the best you have ever tried. Will be back for breakfast tomorrow. read more

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

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We went back and it was great again. We had eggplant toast (winner of the night), the taco salad (co-winner) along with clam toast and bean toast, which were also excellent. We had cheddar crackers as well, which were too salty. Service was friendly, attentive, and excellent. read more

Super cute but small spot to grab coffee. Cute decor and a cozy interior with a decent number of options as well! They are famous for their cookie! I forgot the name (oops) but it's a delicious cookie. read more

Loved this place, it had some of the most unique food that I have tried in a while. The combination of flavors in their dinner items in wonderful. One of my favorite dishes was their spaetzle with clams. Everything is homemade with fresh ingredients. After dinner their dessert is not to be missed. My favorite are the lemon bar and the chocolate cake. read more

I will start off by saying that the food here is really good. Nearly everything I've tried, except the blueberry ginger scone, is delicious. However, they are pretty ridiculously expensive. You will find yourself paying about $45 for a casual breakfast (2 coffees, 2 breakfast sandwiches, and 1 pastry). One of the reasons it's so expensive is because they surcharge 20% and this isn't considered a tip? They still ask you for a tip after that. A bit pretentious, you'll wait at least 35 minutes, and pay a lot. But at least the food is good. read more

My third time here. Flavors are delicious. Execution sometimes not. I had their signature egg sandwich - egg and bread excellent, with tasty pastrami that was 40% fat -- which I took out and put back sans fat. It could be renamed a fat egg sandwich. Catchy. I tried ordering it again today - requesting just some care to trim it more carefully. They said no can do - no modifications. But you can have it without the meat. And "we're sorry there was so much fat" but there's no consideration for that. I had a nice dinner the other day too at the bar with TJ. Bill for me was $120 but worth it. The wine was from St Hilaire - unusual find. Like I said - mixed execution. read more

Tried their new window pick up service. Was super easy and felt safe for both workers and customers. Had the kale and feta hand pie and was AMAZING. Best vegetarian empanada I've ever had. Can't wait to come back. read more