Et Voila Restaurant can have a hundred great restaurants within a two mile radius. It doesn't matter. Et Voila competes with itself and maintains excellent food, wine and service. Even though it is considered a lovely Washington restaurant, we, neighbors in the Palisades, consider it a neighborhood restaurant. Et Voila is like that. It is intimate, consistent and always, a surprise. It remains the same but always changes. The quality and service are consistently exceptional. The food is delicious and interesting. And the wine list, that has a varying price range, never ceases to interest, surprise and educate me. Yes can choose to have a simple burger (try the mussel burger and fries) or more elegantly (try the sole or halibut). When in doubt, you can always have the mussels, fries and a delicious Belgium beer. But one is never disappointed. The creativity, care and consistent quality is worth the visit and more. So even though there are so many great restaurants within a two mile radius, Et Voila only competes with itself. After 10 years, it remains super read more

My friends, I just had one of the best meals I've had in years at this place. The dishes I ordered were nothing exotic-- Belgian endive salad to start, a hanger steak with green peppercorn sauce, frites (of course!) and a marzipan and pistachio tart for dessert. But each dish was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Just goes to show that in the kitchen skill is ten times more important than imagination. Went for lunch and the service was pleasant if leisurely, much as in Europe. That was fine with me, as it encourages you to linger over and appreciate your food. The atmosphere at lunch is laid-back and the noise level is low. (I hate a noisy restaurant.) I'll definitely be back! read more

Amazing food. Has that loud, cramped French bistro vibe and that is great if you're into that. But truthfully, I prefer being able to hear the person with whom I am dining. Great food and decent service! read more

Food was excellent and I would give it five stars. Service, on the other hand, could have been better. There was only one waiter there and he messed up our order and undercooked one of our dishes. He was unapologetic about it- granted my friend that ordered the food was irate and a little rude when the food came out wrong (and late), but the waiter was just as aggressive. At the end of the meal, he combined our meal ticket with the ticket of another table and overcharged us. Fortunately I double checked the bill and it took him a good 15 minutes to change the bill. It was a quick correction, but he just was not interested in getting us going. The food, on the other hand, was quite good, particularly the hanger steak. The stew was pretty good, but I wouldn't order it again as there are better things on the menu. read more

Had to wait a while to get a seat at this cramped foxhall restaurant after it was featured in the eater 38 list. The wait turned into an indulgent belgium beer sampling session and my desire to sit soon waned. The food was fantastic, beer selection is great, but service was mediocre at best. However, we did come to the restaurant an hour before closing time so we felt rushed to finish. read more

French/Belgian restaurant that seems to target older crowd. This place is relatively small but is always crowded. We made reservations on a Tuesday night and it was packed. I enjoyed eating their mussels (lobster bisque) and fries and my friend had grilled salmon which was also delicious! We both got this Belgian beer that the waiter recommended.. They have interesting list of beer that you normally can't find so it would be nice to try it. I really did enjoy the food and the drinks but this place was a bit expensive in my opinion. Food was good but with 2 bottles of beer, the bill came out to be close to $90 for two people (we did share a plate of salad also but still..). I would recommend this place for a special occasion or if you want a small French restaurant thats a bit more casual. read more

We ordered take out for restaurant week. I got the celery soup, coq au vin and creme brûlée. She got the salmon and lentils. Everything was fantastic. Pickup was very easy, I called it in, gave them the pickup time and called from outside when I arrived and they brought to the car for me. So easy. They did a great job packaging things separately as well so that I could put together at home. I did hear everything up at home in the oven, including the fries, but all was great. I can't wait to get back into the dining room, but they did a great job with the take out. read more

What a treat, going out last night! We ate indoors which felt very comfortable. The mussels are beyond delicious. Attentive but not intrusive service. Oh, and did I neglect to mention the incredible fries? What a gem.. read more

4.5 stars Returned this last weekend and had another great experience. Beet salad was delicious (once again). I love hanger steak and the hanger steak at Et Voila! was the best I have ever had -- it was outstanding. We ordered an 04 Vacqueyras -- which was great pick and value at $39 a bottle. Deserts were also excellent. Service and atmosphere were charming. Will return. read more

Old school local place where I felt young again. The waiter was a Frenchman who was just gggreat! I bet he doesn't know Tony the Tiger. But whatever. Excellent service. The food was good - especially my wife loved her beef stew which was in fact delicious and tender. I had the trout and I'll tell you what, the beans were overcooked (buffet style if you know what I mean) and the dish had too much butter in general. Too saucy. She out ordered me again! Merde! And also now I have to get on the treadmill to get my cholesterol back to its target levels. And she had the red meat! Not fair. For goodness sakes have the chocolate mousse. Arvwoir. read more

came for lunch with a friend appetizer was quiche, very tasty i had flemish beef stew which was good, i was a bit annoyed with some fat chunks on the meat but it was tender and tasty; my friend had trout which was quite tasty i had the coffee creame dessert whichwas excellent the prices are a bit much, and they did away withthe three course lunch special sadly, ambience is nice, cozy overall, id recommend this place read more

You like rabbit, you need to eat here. We headed over here after the theater at the Kennedy Center. Couldn't have been easier. Straight up Canal Road to Arizona to McArthur. We were seated promptly and our order was on the table in good time. The staff is friendly and attentive. Dishes were cleared without being pushy. The only problem with the Chocolate Mouse is that it is not bottomless!! read more

My wife and I had dinner with another couple last night. It was pouring rain so I dropped my wife by the front door and went to park the car. She texted me that the hostess told her that she wouldn't be seated until the entire party arrived. When I entered the place, the other wife had joined my wife, and the other husband was parking their car. My wife told the hostess that we were now three out of four (and the fourth was parking the car), and the hostess still refused to seat us. Keep in mind that we had a reservation and were on time. After my wife came back and told us the hostess's response, I went over to the woman and expressed my displeasure about her keeping us waiting, in spite of us basically having our entire party in place. As she started mouthing off angrily to me, the other husband walked in the door, and since we now had our entire party, the hostess was "forced" to seat us. After we were seated, my wife told us that while the hostess was walking us to our table, she said to my wife "I didn't appreciate that conversation"; what nerve! After that less than welcoming "welcome", the rest of the meal was comparatively uneventful. Our waitress was nice enough, but given the price of the dishes and the pompous and pretentious way they try to come off as a high-end French/Belgian bistro, all aspects of the meal were disappointing and sub-par. One bad thing about the place was the noise level, which made the conversation with our friends very difficult. Our friends ordered mussels and when they were delivered to the table, they asked the waitress for more bread. That was forgotten, and they had to ask a second time. Our wine glasses were all empty for a number of minutes before the waitress realized that she needed to refill them. The appetizer I had (Chicon au Gratin) was a cheesy mess, and the Moules Gratinees my wife had was prepared with the smallest mussels any restaurant could possibly find. My wife's Onglet de Boeuf au Poivre Vert was just o.k. (nothing to write home about) and the salad on her plate was way over salted (as was pretty much everything else). I had the Carbonnade a la Flamande, and besides the skimpy portion size (for twenty-six bucks!) it was pretty much only meat, with only a couple of small pieces of carrot). We were presented with the check before we even asked for it (which a true high-end restaurant would never do), and after that, my wife commented that the snooty hostess was standing nearby glaring at us, in an attempt to get us out of there, which we were happy to do, given the bad attitude and low quality of the food served. The hostess made it very clear that they didn't need our business, so we'll be happy to accommodate her wish and we will never return. Additionally, we will be happy to recommend to everybody to go somewhere else. They won't miss you. Overall, the food was average (three stars), but they lose two of them for the bad attitude and pretense. read more

Delicious!!!! What a delightful spot! My boss and myself went here for a lunch in December and it was amazing. The place itself is pretty small, but they do a lot with the space they have, which is impressive. It was packed at lunch on a Friday, and full of a good mix of housewives, business people, and a family. The little two people tables are kind of small, so you feel a bit jammed in and if you're sitting in the aisle like I was- the waiters do bustle by you quite a bit. Ordered the stew, and my boss had the salmon. Mine was very good, hearty, and delicious. She also loved her salmon. I didn't really eat the frites but what I did have was pretty good too, I can't complain. Overall it was a great swanky little adventure, and I would definitely go back! They also have these like deep curtains when you walk in which are kind of confusing, but set a nice tone. read more

We made a reservation the day of for 5:30pm (my choice, we had plans after), so that was cool, but as far as Belgian food goes, this was a pretty poor example of it. The mussels and frites were very sad. The mussels were overcooked and chewy and all shrunken like overcooked mussels. They're served in a huge pot, but the pot was only half-full, which made the shrunken mussels extra sad. Also, they were tiny, possibly the smallest mussels I've ever had. The fries were Burger King style -- dipped in some seasoning then fried. No aoili with the fries. It was overall a very sad dish. Mussels should be plump and juicy and tender and big -- and the fries should be hand cut, fried in peanut oil, and served with aoili (preferably in a paper cone for authenticity). But you're not going to get that here. The hanger steak reminds me of the steak small plate at Bardeo -- the sauce is the same, and the portion is a little bigger here, but overall the Bardeo version of the dish wins on flavors (and on better fries). The apple tart was super bready (there's some filler in there, kids) and the hoegaarten ice cream was just strange. Service is very charming, but almost impossibly French -- even my friend who lived in France (doing doctoral research, what else) said that he was too French to be real. Now, if you're French you might like this, but for us mere mortals, it's a bit intimidating. Wait, were we in a "Belgian" restaurant? Oops. Also, the rest of the clientele. I realize that we're in the Palisades, but wow. If you're not OLD money and rolling in it, you're going to feel out of place here. I think this is where these people go to pretend they're back in gay Paree, eating in a quaint cafe on the Left Bank or whatever is le chic these days. read more

Deliciously served. Not a more than two Menhali pages. That's the confidence of a small independent restaurant where honest quality challenges artificial flavoring. Small and friendly place to take someone out for a dinner. read more

See all

Loved it. Wonderful service. Noise level very acceptable. Martini was delicious. Beef stew was delectable! My mussels were good. Daughter had cheese plate ... nice presentation and French onion soup. Fries were very tasty. Extensive dessert menu and the 3 of us shared the Profiteroles which was lovingly presented and quite adequate to complete our dinner! We will be back! read more

Went to the restaurant yesterday for a quick lunch. I like this place. Went to the French consulate around 12h30pm. Had to provide an express priority mail letter to the consulate, so head back to the post office, 3 stores down from the restaurant. No place to park. The restaurant takes a lot of parking spots on the street itself. I parked for literally 5 minutes on its loading zone, got a $100 ticket. Literally 5 minutes, obviously my violation was triggered by the restaurant. I deserve the ticket, but you won't see me again. read more

The Real Thing After reading various reviews it is clear that this authentic Belgian bistro isn't for everyone. "Authentic" means an extremely small restaurant, people elbow to elbow, people hitting your chair on their way to the restrooms. Did I mention the noise? it is definitely loud. I've got no problem with conditions like this, if the menu and service is worth it. And it is. Oh yes, it is. I've been numerous times, dinner only. The service has been consistently good. I have not seen any of the rudeness one or two of the other reviews have suggested. Table service starts with wonderful, home-made bread. For first courses, I love the endive with pecans, apples, and blue and Chimay cheese. The onion soup is authentic and has the kind of depth that comes from time-consuming reductions and re-reductions. The mussels are wonderful as you would expect. On the entree side, it is hard to go wrong. There's a good choice of seafood, which for the most part are all healthily-prepared. (Yes, two or three of the different mussels sauces are cream-based, but if you're contemplating a main course that comes with french fries, chances are you're priority that meal isn't to be heart-healthy). On the meat side, there are six or seven entrees, though I've only sampled a couple. Note on the flat-iron or hangar steak: these are not filets or NY strips for that matter. They come from a different part of the cow and have more muscle. If you're expecting a filet, you should expect to pay more as well. Again, this is a question of taste. I don't mind a steak that takes a little work frankly. I find tenderloin is more of a vehicle for the sauce that comes with it. Desserts are great, as you'd expect. I'll take Et Volia! as a very strong option when you're pining for Europe and an authentic bistro experience. read more

We have been to Et Voila a couple of times for dinner, and this weekend, we went for brunch. The food is excellent, and while the menu is not huge (think an upscale Belga Cafe, rather than Brasserie Beck), we haven't had any duds. On this trip, I finally tried the burger, which the Washington Post's Tom Sietsema raves about, and found it to be excellent. It is similar to the upscale burgers at Central Michel Richard and in the bistro at Palena, and I think it holds up well by comparison, with a roasted tomato slice and caramelized onions nicely balancing the beef and the Chimay cheese. Other solid options include the onion soup and the moules mariniere. Last autumn, we had a butternut squash soup that will hopefully make a return to the menu as the weather gets colder. The only downside this time was some pretty bad service. We were a group of six, which is probably on the large side for this tiny restaurant, but not large enough to have caused the problems that our server seemed to be having with getting our orders correct, or our food out on time. We didn't have any problems with the service on previous visits, but this was bad enough to take a star off. read more

Great service, the brunch menu is more of the savory side although I noticed dessert options that included crepes. The Belgian fries are great. We tried the egg sandwich after a recommendation, it was amazing! Small restaurant with great service. A little on the pricey side but all be it pretty good. read more

Et Voila - Egg Sandwich! - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came to Et Voila for lunch per friend's recommendation. Quaint, little place. It seemed busy and noisy, which didn't bother us because we didn't have people sitting right next to us. Tables are placed very closely in a row so I could imagine it may get uncomfortable if you have a party sitting next to you. Food was good, but the portions are tiny. Good beer selection. The server was cordial though he made a mistake while processing the credit card charge. I called the restaurant next day and they apologized and wanted to make up for it. It was not necessary. Most likely we'll be going back. read more

Great tasting food if you like a good case of diarrhea in a few minutes after finishing your bowl of mussels. My husband had the mussels diabola and I had the Moules de L'annee. Both were very flavorable with the draft Belgian beers we had. Then we got home and we haven't had a moment out of the bathroom since lunch two hours ago. Don't eat there unless you have stocked up on toilet paper and don't mind a stomach ache for a few hours. read more

I haven't been to this restaurant in about 3.5 years but I was pleasantly surprised that it still has amazing service and excellent food. I ordered a family dinner, with sides, salad and two additional entrées to celebrate my mother's bday and it was thoroughly enjoyed as well as a good deal. I even made a mistake on my order which I caught last minute and they not only made the right changes but made appropriate refund right away! Pick up was very easy!! We had the ribeye, and trust. Both cooked perfectly. We will continue to come back for more celebrations. read more

Came for lunch only. But great presentation. Fantastic goat cheese salad!! Delicious bread and flavorful butter. Ambience is a little weird though. Could use some feng shui to balance the long and narrow space. read more

Et Voila - Goat cheese salad - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very noisy. Very crowded. Very good bistro food. But not worth the effort - if you want to hear the person sitting across. Wait staff were so-so. One of our four entrees came so late the others were 2/3 done. They slipped a second table where there was space for one. Leaving4" space between tables. I know it is a bistro. But that is greedy. Food is wonderful bistro fare.we all loved our dishes - when they finally arrived. Fabulous scallops, the best entrecôte and great duck breast and duck sausage wih red cabbage ( ok - that one is for a cool night) But I won't go back, lots of slip ups tonight - and a large too noisy table - we just fled after the entree because of the noise. read more

I love this restaurant! Best Food in all of Washington DC! The customer service is on point. The waiters all know my wife and I and treat us as such. Nothing, I mean nothing on the menu disappoints. read more

The mussels were good and plump but expensive. About a dollar each. Don't order the chicken and waffles. The small stuffed waffle (1) was OK but the 2 meager pieces of overcooked dark brown small chicken strips was an embarrassment. read more

One of our favorites. Genuine Belgian and French food. Very friendly service. We keep going back.

Went here with some out of town family before heading over to the Kennedy Center. Overall excellent food and service. The parking here can be difficult but not too bad. The atmosphere is fun, albeit a bit crowded and noisy. The wait staff is excellent and the food is about the best i've had in this price range. The appetizers are delicious and rich, the garlic mussels especially. Their beer selection is amazing, with several safe options and dozens of rare belgians. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Was luckily able to get a last minute reservation for two on a Saturday night. The place is small so reservations a must, unless you don't mind eating at their small bar in the front. Mussels burger was awesome as well as the standard mussels (I think we got the Diable with Lobster Bisque in it). Desserts were also amazing. Great beer list too. Short drive from northern virginia and plenty of parking in the neighborhood. I think this will become my go-to belgium place, just as good as brasserie and easier for me to get to. Granville doesn't take reservations and is a nightmare on weekends, mussels at et viola are just as good. read more

We were there for lunch, we stopped there because we saw on their menu that they had waffles. We took the traditional mussels with french fries and kir (wine + syrup) for dessert we have waffles. Food was great, service slow . read more

Et Voila - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Food is pretty delicious, and the menu is well priced, but I experienced the servers to be pushy and abrupt.

Without changing its menu or its selection of beers, this tidy little restaurant would be perfectly at home in Brussels. It may be the most Belgian of all the local restaurants claiming that heritage. As anyone who's ever visited the Belgian and EU capital will tell you it is harder to find a bad meal in Brussels than it is in Paris. And Et Voila! upholds the city's honor. As might be expected, the mussels come in a variety of styles, including a musselsburger, which I did not attempt, and there's a wide range of Belgian beers available. On a later visit I had a sole, prepared Norwegian style and fileted expertly at the table. Although not inexpensive, it was as good a preparation of sole as I've ever tasted, done with capers and spinach and a side of mashed potatoes. read more

I cannot get tired of this place as the food is so good and refined. One of the best Belgian food in DC and, probably, my prefered restaurant in DC. The mussels and beef stew are worth a try if not familiar. Be aware that street parking is not always easy, the restaurant is often packed and the acoustic not the best! read more

What a disappointment today. I decided to give Et Voila a second chance as I was not impressed with the mussels they served me the first time i tried the place (about a year ago), but in the end I didn't get a chance... After a morning of shopping, I decided to treat myself to something typically Belgian, shrimp croquettes. I read on Et Voila's website that they serve those. Apparently they do not on weekends. I was very disappointment with the brunch menu choices. There was nothing on it you couldn't order in a regular non-belgian restaurant. yes they have a few mussel options, but nothing out of this world and more importantly nothing that was so typical for my home country that I said: "let's give it a try". As I had already taken a seat, I didn't feel like I could just leave so I order a Belgian beer. I shouldn't have...another disappointment. The Duvel I order was served warm and without foam...now, every beer connoisseur knows that that is a big no-no. To summarize, a disappointment ..again. read more

With so many choices here in NW DC, this is the place we come back to on our own, with friends and family. Terrific service and comfortable atmosphere. Great beer selection and a solid wine list to meet any need -- taste, price, etc. It has a diverse menu that doesn't overwhelm you with too many choices: 3 or 4 fish courses, 2 or 3 steak courses, good vegetarian selection and great pate on the appetizer side of the menu. Not a surprise that we see all our neighbors there regularly. read more

So sad that we never got to try the food. There was a google review that gave the wrong times for lunch on Saturday so we arrived at 3:00, apparently they end lunch at 2:30. We walked in the door thinking we were going to have a delicious meal and the waiter ignored us until we asked if we were to seat ourselves. The waiter replied that they were closed, I wondered if he could have told us that when we walked in as he did look up and see us. This was followed by a very insincere and flip apology that there was nothing that he could do. Perhaps he could have offered us a seat at the bar? The door was open and there were people eating there. That is the last time I will try that restaurant! read more

The mussels were very bland and both people who ordered them were not happy. Also, the sparking water, both bottles, were flat. The main reason for the negative review was because we were there to celebrate a birthday. The hostess was notified and said they would bring out a candle. This never happened. The service, however, was impeccable. I won't be coming back. read more

I have patronized Et Voila more than a dozen times over the past year and have consistently enjoyed the cuisine. That said, my experience this afternoon left me extremely frustrated and disappointed. Specifically, I arrived for lunch around 1:15pm and asked the manager to be seated. Surprisingly, my wife and I were brusquely escorted (past six empty tables) to a small, empty, dark room, located in the rear of the restaurant. After waiting five minutes for a waiter, we decided to leave (passing by the aforementioned six empty tables. While, this post is not directed at the restaurant's cuisine, I feel that service and overall hospitality are integral elements intricately interrelated to a fine dining experience. In essence, in an expensive restaurant such as Et Voila, (or any other fine-dining establishment) not only should the food be special, but the clientele (especially, repeat customers) should be treated commensurately. Regrettably, Et Voila fell short of this basic threshold and probably lost the patronage of a long-time loyal customer. In sum, a fine dining experience represents the sum of its parts - of which, the food is only one component. Unfortunately, restaurant proprietors often forget that making someone feel special at their establishment, is often as important as the quality of their food. read more