It is always hard for me to leave a critical review but I am forced to on this one. I also make sure that I do NOT leave a review after one experience. I came to this location because I heard they were gluten-free certified, which is essential for someone like me. The location is small and congested inside. The service was good just make sure that you try your best to make a reservation or else you could be waiting a while. I have the same thing to say about the food between all the times I've eaten there. Being such a food lover, it is rare when I actually say, "that wasn't very good." That has happened multiple times for me here. The steak has no flavor and the eggs were just as flavorless. I've had the same experience with other foods here as well. That is just what I remember from the last time I went. Says they're gluten-free certified but not many options. The only reason that I didn't give it one star is because the mimosas were great but at a price. read more

Very small place, intimate yet cozy. They have a solid happy hour, with small plates, chicken mole tacos and delicious deviled eggs garnished with bacon. A unique selection of cocktails, I would recommend the "ID for tea?" (Atleast I think that's what it was called) which is a bourbon based drink with a bit of sweetness and tea infused. My co-workers got the pot pie and a burger, which they said was very good. The interior is really cute, almost a bit of a hipster vibe, but with a Frank Lloyd Wright influence. read more

Firefly - ID for tea? - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Had dinner at Firefly on a Saturday night. Party of four. Wine (2 bottles), entrees, and dessert came to just under $300 including tip. Entrees: Bistro Steak (2), Seared Scallops, & Bistro Burger Dessert: Apple Brown Betty, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Pot, Figs Loved the ambiance and general vibe of the place. Firefly has a wonderful cozy feel to it with its multiple seating areas versus a large open room. Everyone loved their entree; The food was excellent, very tasty. . Both steaks and the burger were cooked to the correct temperature. The scallops were cooked through as requested by my friend who prefers her seafood cooked well. Desserts were equally good. The one negative comment several of us had was specific to the lemon verbena ice cream served with the figs. The flavor of the ice cream reminded us of cleaning agent. For me, upon tasting the ice cream, I was immediately reminded of the quasi-organic lemon verbena cleaning spray I use in my kitchen. Not good for a dessert. Service was acceptable, but not great. The hostess greeted us warmly and showed us to our table even though we were missing one person. Upon leaving the restaurant, the hostess thanked us for coming in. The ding is against the server. He certainly didn't give us that warm welcoming feeling and didn't introduce himself. If anything, we all felt that he was being rather pushy. We ordered a bottle of wine soon after being seated. We all chatted while deciding what to order during this short period of time the server asked us four different times if we were ready to order. Overall, we had a pleasant dining experience. If I were to rate the food separately from the service, it would get 4 stars; include service, 3 stars. read more

This is my second time eating here and it was a little better than I remember. It's a great place for a quite drink with girlfriends or on a sweet date. The service is a little slow, but not bad if you're looking to take your time, I guess I was in a little bit of a hurry. I was surprised to see people in Redskins jerseys and jeans, when I was a little more dressed up. However, they just sat at the bar, nothing rowdy, but nice to know you can make it casual. I had the salmon special. The seasoning was great, but the inside of the salmon was a little rare for me. My mom had the pot pie which was really great. We also split the wedge salad which was totally big enough for two. The desserts looked great, but we skipped. Would definitely go back, but only for a special occasion or something. Nothing too great to make it a regular stop. read more

Sunday Brunch today was delicious. Mimosas for $1 would cover a lot of sins - fortunately, Firefly doesn't need them to. The bread basket - a combination of tasty rolls and some great banana-type bread - started things off right, alongside the aforementioned mimosas. I had the Egg BLT (over easy, also came with awesome home fries) and my friend had the Green Eggs and Ham (spinach/ham/cheese quiche) - both quite good. We had an 11 a.m. reservation and were seated immediately. The restaurant (which is SO cosy and cute) was about halfway full at that point, but filled up steadily by 11:30. Our server was super attentive, and our food came out without too much of a wait. My one quibble - coffee is FOUR DOLLARS. Which is weird, because everything else is pretty reasonable - the brunch entrees range from $10-14ish. So next time I'll make coffee at home before I go. read more

Still impressed. My husband and I went back to Firefly for my birthday and from the moment we stepped foot in the place we were absolutely overwhelmed with delight from start to finish. The food, drink, presentation, ambiance, customer service from all staff is literally perfect. I explain more in my first post about them but wanted to follow-up that the place is still just as outstanding as it was when I first dined there. read more

"Consistently Average" to quote a friend of mine. Unfortunately, he told me that after I ate there. I like the design and had high hopes, since the location has been the death of many other places and Firefly has persevered, but the food was just OK. I ate there 2 weeks ago and can't remember what I ordered, so that tells you something, but I remember mentally crossing it off my list of possible return visits. read more

Located inside the boutique Hotel Madera just off DuPont Circle, Firefly is a worthwhile lounge/restaurant with some interesting eco-decor. With Christmas lights festooning the trees on the sidewalk outside, birches lining the longest wall, and a bigger trunk (hickory, perhaps?) as their centerpiece, I suppose they've got the environmental crowd cornered. They've also made a bid to secure the drinking circle with a series of "signature cocktails," which includes a ginger margarita, a rum and chai tea drink similar to a white Russian, and a carbonated strawberry vodka concoction. I wasn't much a fan of the rum/chai drink, but all have a certain inventiveness. I've been to Firefly three times for dinner now and I've always had capable service and a nice (albeit a bit overpriced) meal. I'd particularly recommend the pot roast, which was an excellent instance of comfort food. read more

Oh my god was this place amazing. It's definitely out of my everyday budget but it is a great treat. My platonic girlfriend is moving to Cleveland so we had a very special day planned on Sunday, which included brunch at Firefly. The first thing about Firefly is that the space itself is beautiful. The decor is very woodsy and natural. I described it as being at an elf colony (think LOTR elves, not Santa's elves). The room is centered around a big tree with hanging lanterns from the branches. The back wall is set against birch trees. The space is small and intimate but not cramped. The food was great too. Again, not for those on a budget. My potatoes exploded with flavor at every bite. The mushrooms in my omelet were clearly very fresh and delicious. Anyone who loves bacon will love the bacon at Firefly. It's perfectly crunchy with the ideal mix of sweet and savory. My girlfriend loved her french toast as well. Man, this is making me hungry. read more

This review of Firefly is based on four meals ... One lunch, two breakfasts, and one brunch. Lunch: **** It was midafternoon, we'd just checked in next door at the Madera, and we were starved after our journey to DC, so we slipped into Firefly and had a fabulous lunch! My husband had the cobb salad with grilled chicken. I had the steak salad. My steak salad was absolutely delicious. It was nicely seasoned and perfectly medium rare. The vinaigrette dressing was tasty too. My husband said his cobb salad was good but he wasn't as enthusiastic about his salad as I was about mine. Breakfast: **** Both times we had scrambled eggs, multigrain toast, bacon, coffee, and orange juice. Both times it was delicious ...but one of the best things about our breakfasts there was Stephanie. She took great care of us both times. She was friendly, had a gorgeous smile, and went out of her way to help us figure out the quickest route to the convention center. Ask to be seated in her section and prepare to tip her well! Brunch: *** We went down stairs early Sunday morning (from the Hotel Madera) expecting breakfast at the usual time, not realizing that they only served from the brunch menu and they opened at 9am. So we went back up to the room to chill a bit, then got there as soon as they opened. I had the Eggs Benedict with crab cakes, my husband had the Firefly Omelet, both with coffee and orange juice. While the meal itself was fine, the service was lacking, because this is apparently a -very- popular spot for brunch. We were the second table seated as soon as they opened and that joint filled up fast! I don't want to be too hard on our waiter, Michael, but it seemed to take forever to get a coffee refill, and it took a good fifteen minutes just to get our check. We could see that he was swamped, but still, we were at a prime table right there at the window, and you'd think they would want to turn that table over fast and get a new ticket there ASAP. I was also a bit wary when he seemed overly enthusiastic about the more expensive brunch choice I told him I was considering. Hmmmm. Overall, despite that service glitch at brunch, we really enjoyed our meals at Firefly. The atmosphere is fabulous, and the food is very good. I'd love to return one day for dinner! read more

I frequented Firefly (several times a year) when it opened a few (perhaps six) years ago. More recently, it had fallen off my personal radar screen. I went for lunch with colleagues in December and I enjoyed it so much that I returned Friday for DC Restaurant week. I know that a lot of people think that RW is not a good time to check a place out - tends to be crowded, louder than normal, and the special menu often does not feature the top-of-the-game dishes. I have always been a fan though - it is a good time (excuse?) to check out new places or, as in this case, to get reacquainted. Firefly did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the beet salad and the roast pork was delicious especially the sides. The red velvet cake was good although I have had better. My companion really enjoyed the matzo ball soup and the steak and potatoes. Firefly has a nice/cute atmosphere, good service, great drinks, and generally good creative comfort food. I recommend it highly and define plan to return. Some may argue that it is not what it once was but it is definitely still pretty good. read more

We found Firefly on yelp so decided to try. We were not disappointed. We got there before dinner service started, so sat at the bar. We were having one of those "nothing seems to go right" days. The bar tender Adnan made it all better. He was very personable and pleasant. He made us feel welcome and settled us in with a drink quickly and helped us relax. It was what we needed. Thanks, Adnan! Now to dinner. We were seated as soon as we asked. Hubby had the lamb which was very good. I don't like lamb and I liked this dish (I try EVERYTHING my hubby orders, life is to short not to). I ordered the Tile fish special. It needed seasoning badly, it was rather bland. The service made up for some of it though, our waiter (tall, wavy hair, David Johansen smile), was very nice and funny. Everyone there was very nice. The dessert peanut butter, banana ice cream sandwich was ok, hubby got the blueberry ginger ice cream something, which was better but not WOW! For the prices they ask, I would like WOW! We will come again though because we felt very welcome also comfy decor. read more

My wife and I went to Firefly for our 8-year anniversary and I am not sure Firefly could have done any better helping us celebrate. When I made our reservation, I shared that it was our anniversary and that I would love to have something special occur. Asked them to contact me about cost of the "something". We arrived to a very welcoming hostess who immediately sat us at the best table in the place, next to the window. She wished us a happy anniversary as she handed us our menus. Within a few minutes, our server came to great us with 2 sparkling wines, compliments of the house, and wished us a happy anniversary. Throughout the dinner, our server was very helpful and patient with us. She checked in at perfect moments to ensure we were properly taken care of. The manager also popped over and wished us a happy anniversary as well...they really made us feel special. My wife is gluten free and the fact that they had a menu just for gluten free individuals was one main draw for us. Tons of options on the menu for her to choose from. We ordered quite a bit, and all was delicious: soup of the day, endive salad, salmon special, pan-roasted chicken, chocolate peanut butter ice cream sandwich, and red velvet cake. Amazing. The ice cream sandwich is flourless and insanely good which was perfect for my wife...you can't do gluten free much better than that, trust me. The other reviewers are right that this is almost a reason to pop in just for desert! The pan-roasted chicken was also amazing, perfectly cooked, and sprinkled with an assortment of mushrooms. The mushrooms were really well picked since each offered a very different flavor and so each bite added a bit different taste to your palate. The meals are a bit pricier than we are used to but I expected that going in. This was an occasion and so I had planned to pay over $100 for the two of us, desert and wine. If we came here for a normal dinner, we would have been more selective in our choices and could have probably kept the bill under $60 without wine. And, as the other reviewers stated, the bill comes in a firefly jar with a flameless candle behind it to look like a firefly. It is a really cute touch. Although I know the "royal treatment" cannot be maintained every time we go, I have no doubt the service will always be top notch. I plan to bring my parents here the next time they visit and perhaps some out of town friends. You really cannot go wrong with Firefly. read more

This place was incredible! A friend and I were on a road trip from Boston to Tampa. We stopped in DC because we had never been and thought we'd check it out. So glad we did. The city is beautiful, fun, and clean. We happened to Yelp restaurants in the area. Firefly had excellent reviews so we chose that. As soon as we walked in, I loved it! The decor is super cute, intimate, perfect. The food was amazing. I love that they used fresh local ingredients. We got the Mac and cheese balls- so good. I got the asparagus, pea, and basil risotto. So fresh and delicious. They have an excellent wine list with several smaller wineries around the US. I believe we chose one from NY. When they deliver the check, it comes in a mason jar with a fake candle inside, resembling a firefly. Brought me back to summer nights as a kid catching fireflies in the yard! I would love to go back to DC just for this place! read more

I recently visited here with a friend who mentioned that Firefly was one of his favorite places here in DC. As I've lived here and seen this place many times, I was looking forward to trying this place out. The decor reminds me of another restaurant, Bugaboo Creek, which has a hunting lodge theme. Firefly is a bit less 'busy' with decorations and also doesn't have all the animal heads on the wall. On a Sunday evening, this place wasn't full at all. The waitstaff was pleasant and attentive. The menu was a simple, single page, but seemed to lean on the 'meat' side. My friend ordered the crab cakes; I ordered the hamburger. Both of us were fine with our meals, but neither felt it was spectacular. We had one appetizer (deviled eggs (three halves)); for these three items our bill came to about $60. Based on this visit alone, I wouldn't return. DC has many other varied and interesting food offerings to return here again. read more

Went here with a party of 6 ladies for dinner. We had wanted to go to Founding Farmers but FF was all booked so in looking for another place with home cooking that supports local farmers --- we ended up at Firefly. The meal was fine but I probably won't go back here. It'd be fine for a work lunch or a first date---atmosphere is good for that kind of thing. I tried: * Pomade cocktail: pomegrante, salt and sugar--- cocktail was ok * roasted organic chicken medjool date stuffing, swiss chard, brown butter turnips: The chicken and stuffing was delicious, juicy and well seasoned. * parmesan truffle fries - The hint of truffle was interesting but not worth it for $9 for just fries. * mac 'n three cheese - Uninspired mac and cheese, wasn't the comforting, interesting mac'n'cheese you'd have at a good comfort food restaurant read more

This is a 6.5 star worthy experience mainly because of Lauren. She's quick, friendly, totally a looker, and expletive hilarious. Outside of her outstanding service, the food was BEYOND. EVERYTHING was delicious. Best of all? Cheap mimosas that didn't skimp on the champagne. Lauren, we'll be back. Also, you can box our muffins anytime. xo The boys. read more

This restaurant should probably have $$$ The ambiance is great. The service is so so. The food was very bland and overpriced for what it is. I got the parm fries which I mostly ended up eating in place of my meal (the roasted pork shoulder). We didn't have an especially poor experience, but I won't be returning. read more

All of the food here is very average and not worth wasting your Saturday/Sunday brunch time on. There's nothing really unique/special about the dishes compared to all the options in DC. The staff is friendly and it's a good location, but definitely choose a different spot if you want a true DC brunch experience. read more

What a cool restaurant and bar... I love all the wood and the coziness of the restaurant. It's very modern and at the same time colonial! They have a unique menu that's tasty. Service was great from servers, water guys to mgrs. Next time I want to go to the bar for drinks - looked lively and fun. read more

Amazing place. Service was incredible. There was 9 of us who he manager took it upon herself to help her party. They explained the menu to us in detail. The service Our party was extremely pleased. The drinks were incredible and very tasty. They gave us options. Our group was absolutely please with the service, food and drinks. had awful service at DC and even though they were not open I thoroughly enjoyed my time here. read more

Firefly - Special of the day "Cubano" - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

There's one thing you'll find a lot of at a Firefly brunch: estrogen. For some reason, the ladies love it! Maybe it's because it's a convenient place to pull together a small group of brunching women. Maybe it's the pitchers of mimosas, or the $2 glasses of mimosa (just get the pitcher already). What an intelligent marketing ploy - this is certainly reason enough to get me in the door! I recently went there and ordered a French Dip, which was a roast beef sandwich served with fries and au jus dipping sauce. It was, as my rating suggests, A-OK. I found it slightly lighter on flavor than I prefer, and a better bread would have gone a long way, such as a sourdough. My partner ordered the Hog Roll, a sandwich with Italian sausage and some fried oysters as well as red peppers. Pass on this one. It's actually just too many flavors that try to dominate and the end result isn't that savory. It's also A LOT of food for brunch. read more

I made reservations Friday evening for Saturday brunch with no problems. Parking was not difficult on the weekend and I managed to find a free spot a few blocks away. The main dining area is the coolest with a big faux(?) tree, swing, and bamboo(?). We sat in the back and got the carafe of mimosa for $12. I got the eggs Benedict ($14) which was quite decent. The eggs were nicely poached and the ham was closer to prosciutto. It came with a tasty side of seasoned home fries. I usually am not a huge fan of home fries but ate nearly half. Service was adequate. This is a decent brunch option. Not bad and nothing to write home about, would do again. read more

Plenty of character for what is basically a hotel dining room . The big plastic tree and the plastic wall of stones did my head in a wee bit, or maybe that was the Topaz cocktail - a top shelf margarita with ginger lemonade. But hey - signature cocktails is what I wanted and that is what I got. Also a very pleasant and unique flight of Rose wines was on offer. Rose wine and hotel bars are both underappreciated species. Bottm line - a few footsteps away from the bustle of DuPont Circle and you have a quiet and calm spot. read more

FireFly provided me with a story, a headache and not much else. I made a reservation for Valentines Day this year. I was very excited as I have been wanted to go here, and just never had an excuse to. My date and I show up on time for our 8pm reservation and were immediately seated. Our waitress comes over and takes us though the pre-fix menu while taking a drink order. So far, a great evening.... Once our bottle of wine arrives 10 minutes later, she takes our order. At the same time, the table to my left gets sat with a young couple. Our first course, the deviled egg, comes out a few minutes later, delicious! As I sit back and enjoy my wine and company I am really digging the atmosphere and the mood of the place. 20 more minutes go by and no sign of our next dish, meanwhile that table to my left has now passed us and they are on dish number two. A few minutes later our second course arrives. I had the squid ink pasta which was great; my date had the oysters which were nothing special. As our plates are cleared I start back into the wine. Half a glass later, our friends to my left get their entrée, and they looked great. I was getting excited. After 20 grueling minutes of watching them eat, I had to ask the waitress when our food would be out. She assured me any minute now. After five minutes, she came back and said the manager apologies about the wait and has comped our bottle of wine....Bonus!! Another 20 minutes pass, and still no food. The table to our left has already finished their main dish. Our waitress is now avoiding us, so I get up to ask to speak to the manager. He comes over and is very apologetic, and comps the whole meal. Double bonus! After that, it was still five more minutes till the food came, at that point, I was angry and not hungry at all. We ate anyway. My pot-roast was great!! That's all I have to say about it. The Sea Scallops on the other hand tasted like they had been sitting on a radiator for a few days before being served to us. We had no choice but to send them back, for fear of our health. At the same time as our food came out, the table to my left, which was sat after us, pays their check and leaves. By this time it was 10:15pm. We had been there for over two hours, and did not even have desert. It was painful to say the least. I really wanted to like this place since the Pot Roast was so good, however the service really put a damper on the evening and made Valentines day a bust. As we were leaving, my date did not even get her box of chocolate covered strawberries.... read more

I came here with one of my best friends who was visiting out of town with her husband. She had heard good things about this place so we decided to come here for breakfast. The interior is really cool and different from other places I've seen in DC- outdoorsie. Their breakfast menu wasn't anything to get excited about. I ended up getting the smoked whitefish salad. It was pretty good. The service was quite slow which was kind of annoying since all you want in the morning is your food. I'll probably give it another try because I didn't get the chance to taste the drinks and they look awesome. read more

Love this place! It's behind a little street and there's some construction going on but right when you enter it's a really nice homey brunch type of place!! Had the corn beef hash benedict and I almost fainted. It was so delicious!!! We also had the biscuits and gravy but it was slightly bland; add salt. I wish we could have ate other items off of the menu but I really enjoyed this place. It had a great vibe and atmosphere for a brunch. One thing that irritated me was the restrooms. They only had 2 unisex bathrooms for the entire place and there was ALWAYS a line (I attempted twice). Great hang out with girlfriends or for a date!!! read more

I made reservations for two couples for Firefly during restaurant week and picked it based on it's convenient location and the variety of the menu. They pretty much offered almost everything for the three courses. The restaurant is a lot smaller than I imagined, but was very pretty and romantic. The host was very gracious and immediately took our jackets and sat us. We all started with a round of drinks. Just a few beers and I had a martini (it was the one with honey and lavender, i can't remember the name...). I started with the chicken matzo ball soup, which honestly, was ALMOST as good as my Grandma's. Definitely a big, flavorful ball in good broth. Two others got the wedge salad, and another got the deviled eggs. Everything was delicious and the portions were appropriate. For the entrees: I had the bistro steak, bf had the crab cakes, and then the pork and paperdalle pasta were tried as well. We really enjoyed everything. We also split a side of the mac and cheese and thought it was delicious. As full as we were, we still went back in for those last few bites to finish all that up. Only two desserts were tried between the four of us - red velvet cake and carrot cake. Neither of us could finish anything we were so stuffed. The portions were all really appropriately sized and the flow of food coming to the table was excellent. We were never waiting too long and our water glasses were always full. I'd definitely suggest Firefly for a nice date or group of girlfriends for a nice night! read more

Firefly is one of those restaurants that I really wanted to like more than I did. On the surface, it has all the trappings of a restaurant I would love: artisan cocktails, a solid new american menu, and a convenient location. But everything just left a little to be desired. Most unforgivably, the delicious sounding cocktails were more of a muddle of competing ingredients then inspired spins on classic drinks. The "dirty thyme" martini was not really dirty, the old fashioned was confusing in flavor, and the bourbon cream soda too sweet. I also object to $13 drinks being made with down-market spirits like absolut vodka or bombay gin. When we went, the food had its high points (the corned pork tenderloin with rutabaga puree, peanut butter dessert) bust mostly low points (over-cooked steak, mushy brussel sprouts, too salted deviled eggs). I am willing to give Firefly another chance but in my eyes there are too many options in DC -- I suggest Birch & Barley, Proof, or Ardeo + Bardeo, to name just a few -- which are much better. read more

I've wanted to try Firefly for awhile and I'm glad I finally did! It's a really cute place with good food and we got fantastic service. Their warm dinner rolls were a nice start to the meal. A couple of us actually knew the waiter so he was kind enough to give us a complimentary plate of their deviled eggs, which I would definitely recommend ordering; they had a great kick to them from the capers. We also ordered the pumpkin hummus, which was fine (not out of this world) and the gnocchi with braised oxtail ragu. Not the best done gnocchi ever but I really liked the sauce. For my entree, I had the seared scallops which were perfectly cooked. I wasn't sure how the sides were going to go with them but everything worked really well. I also snagged a couple bites of my friend's braised lamb pasta- very rich but very good. We ended the meal with red velvet cake. Again, not the best I've ever had, but I definitely ate my fair share. I would love to try this place for brunch and I would definitely recommend coming back here for dinner. It's very easy to get to as well- walking distance from Foggy Bottom or Dupont Circle. read more

Went for Saturday brunch with a group of 6. We had a reservation and did not have to wait long for the table. They had a special gluten free menu! I ordered the kale n eggs that was served with agrilled polenta cake, braised kale, charred tomato vinaigrette, and a poached egg. It was delicious but I would recommend ordering something else in addition, a la carte maybe, because it might not be enough to fill you up since it is mostly kale. So we got the chopped kale salad to split for the table- it was great with a lemon thyme vinaigrette, vidalia onion and sunflower seeds. We also split the truffle fries. O.M.G. These truffle fries are the last thing I want to eat before I die. Amazing. Everyone enjoyed their brunch! The atmosphere was awesome, upscale yet unpretentious, and it looked like there was a bridal shower being set up in a separate dining room. There is a ton of natural light and the decor is really cool. Our server was pretty slow at taking our orders and she never refilled our empty water glasses. After she dropped the check it took her about 10 minutes to pick up our cards, and another 10 minutes to bring us our receipts. A 20% gratuity is added to parties of 5 or more. Maybe because she knew she was getting a high tip she didn't work so hard for it? Maybe it was her first day? Week? If the service was better I would have given 5 stars. I will definitely come back again when I'm in the DC area! read more

Dined at Firefly on two more recent occasions - at the bar as well as the main restaurant. On both nights, it just wasn't as fantastic as I had remembered. The menu still delights, and the service is fine though somewhat slow. But the ambiance killed it for me, unfortunately. This restaurant can get very loud very fast. It has a cozy atmosphere but if you're in this space anywhere near a loud party, you're doomed. There is no escape. It also can get quite warm. I actually felt really uncomfortable during my last dinner. They had opened up the windows earlier in the evening and then closed them, so it felt like hot air was trapped inside and there was also a bit of a mosquito annoyance. (I know, these things can't really be helped). When I dined at the bar solo, it took a really long time to find the bartender - to get a wine list, to order, and to pay. Maybe it was an off night? I mean, just because I am dining at the bar my myself does not mean that I have all night to hang around. Sigh. Regardless, I have to take my rating down a notch because my last two visits were closer to a 3-star experience. After re-reading my prior review in 2013, it just sounded like a completely different restaurant. read more

I came here a year ago for brunch and really enjoyed the chicken and biscuits with gravy that I had ordered. So coming again recently for brunch, I was hoping to have it again but sadly it wasn't on the menu this time around. I ended up ordering the eggs benedict. They also provided us complementary rolls and pieces of a cake/muffin (I don't really know which it was but it was good). The dish came out with two eggs benedict and mixed greens with some sort of dressing. Instead of ham, they used prosciutto. I think I still prefer it with ham, but overall it was still good. This experience wasn't nearly as great as my previous one, but I would probably come here every once in a while since the menu does change pretty often. read more

When you first enter Firefly, you feel like you've enter a warm tented tree house for a lovely candlelit dinner. The ambiance, food, and service were all solid but nothing really stood out. What I do appreciate is that they care about where they get their meat from and that what they are serving is sustainably raised. I had the halibut with pesto sauce. Most fish served in DC is from the Atlantic which is over fished but my halibut came from the pacific, which is great! Everything was cooked to perfection. They also didn't rush us when we were trying to polish off our bottle of wine. We were the last ones in the restaurant but at no time did anyone hint that we should leave. Come here for a solid dining experience. read more

Their bread and butter is nom nom nom nom nom. More specifically...their bread is made roll-style and is very fluffy, light, and flavorful. The consistency of the butter is perfect for spreading on the light bread and the butter has its own sweet flavor (maybe buttermilk or honey, I have no idea). All this is served in a delightful, little Now on to the decor and then the main course. The theme of Firefly is supposed to be a picnic outdoors, but I guess its a picnic at night so you can see the fireflies. How romantic. There is very little of the color green in the restaurant; guessing the picnic takes place deeper into the woods for an undisclosed reason... For couples and friends the center of the restaurant has a tree of life with a chair swing hanging from it that screams photo op. For my dinner I started with a kale salad with slivered almonds and sunflower seeds mixed in it. The apple cidar vinegrette was excellent. This healthy salad was followed by the poached octopus with avocado. This too was cooked to perfection and when I was done with it I wish I had more. Never would have considered avocado with octopus before Firefly. In the end the dinning experience is excellent. The price is on the upper-mid tier range of DC restaurants, but with such friendly staff it's almost worth it. I will definitely go back. However, I did not see one firefly during my visit. read more

Good quality ingredients, well-composed dishes, well-executed dishes, beautiful presentation, great service, and good wine. The Man-friend and I were seated at a table that was right in the middle of all the action, which was not to our liking. We wanted one of the romantic, quiet tables in the back. But we gritted our teeth and persevered nonetheless.There seemed to be a lot of families with kids (for 9 p.m. on a Saturday night), but I suppose that's to be expected of a hotel restaurant. At any rate, our dining experience here was wonderful. Will definitely return. I would also like to point out that the dessert I had (red velvet cake) and that my man-friend had (peanut butter ice cream sandwich) were sinfully wonderful. Never before have I seriously considered ordering a second dessert for myself. read more

A couple of weekends ago, to celebrate our 2nd anniversary, my husband and I stayed in Dupont Circle at Hotel Madera. When my husband sent me the link to the hotel after he made the reservations, I was excited to see that this was the hotel attached to Firefly. If you follow any big DC bloggers like I do, you'll see them routinely check into Firefly on Twitter or Instagram for brunch, and I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about. Firefly is located on New Hampshire Avenue in a trendy and busy area filled with hotels, gorgeous apartments, restaurants, and bars. It's a couple blocks away from the Dupont Circle metro stop, and has street and garage parking nearby. The decor of Firefly is very creative. It's meant to make you feel as if you are in your backyard, surrounded by trees alight with fireflies. There are few restaurants that I can think of with such a solid theme. Generally a "theme" restaurant comes across as cheesy and low quality, but the decorations here are so well done and so creative that it makes you excited to come in and see what else is in store from this restaurant. We came for brunch and were pleasantly surprised to be told that, among other things, brunch includes $2 mimosas and Bloody Mary's. For a restaurant with such an impressive bar, this was a pretty great deal. Firefly's menu is seasonal, local, and a good mixture of the unique and classic. You start your meal with a bread basket including various breakfast breads. These were delicious and perfectly sized to only whet your appetite, not fill you up. I ordered a Blood Mary and the kale-n-eggs that included a grilled polenta cake, braised kale, charred tomato vinaigrette, and a poached egg. I'm a big fan of savory breakfasts and this one really hit the mark. My poached egg was cooked perfectly and the vinaigrette mixed with my egg yolk was just the right amount of sauce for the large polenta cake underneath everything. My polenta was just cooked enough to be firm, but still retained the soft texture you want from polenta. My only complaint with this dish was that the kale came in really large bunches and was too tough to cut up so you ended up shoving long lengths of kale into your mouth in a very unladylike fashion. My husband ordered a mimosa and homemade almond granola with dry fruit and yogurt and a fruit bowl on the side. He loved his yogurt and granola and was especially delighted at the dried figs included with the yogurt and fruit. His fruit bowl was pretty to look at and was overflowing with fresh fruit. The wait staff was very friendly and checked on us consistently throughout the meal. After trying out Firefly for brunch, enjoying the quirky ambiance, cheerful staff, and delicious food, I definitely understand why so many of my DC blogger crushes are checking in here regularly. For such a good price, we were really happy with the quality of food and drinks we received and we would love to come back for lunch, dinner, or drinks! (review originally published on www.bytheforkful.blogspot.com) read more

Almost comically terrible. Will leave you with the top three worst things that happened during our Sunday brunch: 1.) We order coffees and drinks with our waiter (who was painfully slow and inattentive throughout the meal), and they don't show up. We flag down another waitress who finds our waiter, who apologizes and brings drinks 20 minutes after we order them. Service: 2/10 2.) One of my friends pulled a SUPER LONG HAIR out of her breakfast taco. It was long, gray and baked in. One of the grossest things I've ever seen at a restaurant. Noticed lots of other tables around us sending food back as well, idk what was up. My chilaquiles were served cold and the chips were soggy. Food: 1/10 3.) When another friend went to the bathroom, there was food that had been spilled and wasn't cleaned up. She slipped on it and fell hard, and her ankle is still hurting from it (any lawyers in the house?). Manager apologized, but what's that really going to do? Cleanliness: 2/10 Firefly comped the hair tacos and the two drinks, but I feel like I should ask my credit card company for all of my money back. read more

Such a cute spot! Gluten free menu offered most regular items with minor modifications. Solid cocktail selection & a nice assortment of accompaniments. If you opt for a full meal (which we did) definitely try the bristle sprouts! Delicious! I had a gluten-free, vegetarian meal that was amazing! I'm not vegetarian though so I also had to try the pork shoulder soup...WOW!!!! My husband, who loves burgers, commented "now THATS a burger!"...10 years of watching him eat burgers & I don't think I ever heard him say that! Children are offered a cookie to decorate which they bake & serve after the meal...cute touch! read more

Firefly - Acorn squash - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Firefly is fun, with a whimsical ambiance from the moment you enter. The theme is kind of a toned-down enchanted forest - I like that it sticks to the theme, making it distinctive, but doesn't take it too far to the point that it's lame. The subtle lighting amid tree branches helps set the refined-yet-playful attitude of the place. (ok, that is a very girly description, but with a name like "Firefly" I suppose it was already drawing more heavily from the female crowd). The menu items contain simple, often locally sourced ingredients and everything I tried was well-executed. The carmelized brussel sprouts were fantastic, and how often do you see restaurants daring to put that on the menu? The prosciutto with capers (I think that was part of a salad, but can't quite remember) was very good too. I little pricey, but the food simply prepared food was quality. An added plus for me was that they had a separate gluten free menu, and when the people I was with munched on bread at the beginning, they brought me out some mixed nuts. A nice touch, and I will certainly return here! read more