I had a reservation made for an business meeting I was hosting at the Watergate hotel and decided to have my executives eat here for the the first night. The atmosphere felt low key and had a 70s vibe. When we arrived, we were approached by 3 different servers, so it was confusing who our server was and it took nearly 30 minutes to receive a beverage. Once all of the guests arrived and seated, it took another long time to order our food. However, we shared our concern with the General Manager and she was very quick to make sure we were taken care of and gave us free appetizers for the initial poor service. Afterwards, the servers were attentive and quick to take our order. The food was delicious and they serve large portions! I ordered the Marine Sea Scallops and Pork Belly which was tender and juicy to the taste. The rest of the guests ordered a variety of dishes such as the ribeye steak and lamb chops. Despite the initial poor service, the food was amazing and I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a fellow foodie! read more

Kingbird has become one of my favorite hidden gems in dc. Although it's never packed, the service food and ambience are amazing. The staff was very helpful and made great suggestions on the brunch menu. Also, if you're a fan of French 75 the bar at kingbird makes them perfect. read more

Kingbird - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I rate a restaurant in several categories, so the star rating is really an average of each. Overall appeal: 5 stars Service: 5 stars Food: 3 stars Price: 3 stars This is the coolest looking restaurant I have ever been in, very modern, pleasant on the eye, great location on the water, and very close to the Kennedy Center. The service, from valet to doorman to waitress was fast, polite, pleasant. Perfect service. Okay, the food was a little bland. Just seemed a little plain for the price. I think the least expensive item on the entree menu was $24 dollars and the steaks were 45-65. I love a good steak, but even I am not willing to pay 65 for a filet. The rest of my meal was good, $22 for three scallops that were perfectly done. For desert, a perfectly done creme brulee. The experience is really what you are looking for when you go out and this is a great outing and will not leave you dissatisfied. Cool points would be 7 stars. read more

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Came here for dinner and were absolutely delighted! What a unique (and delicious) dining experience. The space is gorgeous, the food is good, and the service was unparalleled. Would highly recommend this place - even if the WaPo restaurant critic didn't share this view We ordered the scallops/pork belly, chicken and waffles, and the shortrib. The standout was absolutely the shortrib - which was sous vide cooked and seared to finish. Order the chicken if you're super hungry. The cocktail menu was solid, and the Watergate take on the French 75 was The sweet potato fries were also a great touch. A particular shout-out to the senior sommelier CW, a consummate professional who made our dinner one to remember. He didn't have to go above and beyond (we weren't staying at the hotel or anything), but he did. read more

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Last night we went to Kingbird again, and I regret to say that it was the most expensive mediocre dinner of my life. The drinks were especially terrible and my favorite (the Kingbird Manhattan) was watery and tasteless. The food was ok, but not the best we have had here. We had been here several times for dinner and brunch before, and despite being pricey, we kept coming back as it was our favorite stop before a show at the Kennedy Center. I must add though that the service was excellent and Jamie did a wonderful job in accommodating our needs and time limit. That is the only reason this is a two-star review, otherwise I would have given 1 star for all the alcohol infused water we bought for 24 Dollars a glass! read more

Came here for brunch with the boyfriend about a month ago. We did on the bottomless mimosa brunch. The server was pretty attentive about making sure our glasses never hit empty, which is always a good thing. I liked that she brought out a small separate cup of orange juice so we could add as much or as little OJ to our mimosas. I ordered the short rib hash and he ordered the chicken and waffles. Both dishes were good. One minor letdown was that his chicken and waffles was pretty light on the syrup. It's not a big thing, but I'm surprised they don't have a little cup of additional syrup accompany the dish so the individual can add more if they please. We asked for some additional syrup but he ate most of it by the time it came out. The restaurant itself was pretty and elegant. We were seated in a booth near the window. The booth itself seemed huge and felt very chic/luxurious. I like that the seat backs are taller so you don't really see the heads of the people in front of you. It gave more of a secluded feel. I would give this place a 3.5 (I rounded up because I did like this place overall). It ended up pricier than other brunches (I expected that since I looked at the menu beforehand), but it was a nice treat. read more

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The Kingbird hotel has a classy interior, just like the Watergate hotel. I came here for Christmas breakfast (not brunch, because the brunch was $110). Their Christmas breakfast menu is the same as their regular breakfast menu. Their average breakfast is $20, and they only had 8 items on the menu for breakfast. They had things like avocado toast for $16, 3 ingredient omelette for $22, coffee for $6, and egg and choice of meat breakfast for $16. For these prices, the service better be impeccable, or the portions large, but unfortunately, they had neither. I ordered the $22 omelette, and chose to have them put bacon, ham, and mushroom in my omelette. My husband ordered the 2 egg and sausage breakfast. When the food came out, there was a mix up, and they tried to give me someone else at the table's breakfast. I told them I didn't order that, and then they asked me what I had ordered. I told them I ordered the omelette, so they put down one of the plates of omelettes in front of me. Then my friend next to me said someone else had also ordered the omelette, so she asked if that was my omelette. I sat there confused because I couldn't tell which one was my omelette because they all looked the same from the outside, and I guess the waiters also couldn't tell which one was my omelette because they just stood there looking just as confused. Finally, they gave my omelette away to the other person who ordered the omelette and gave me the other omelette that they were also carrying. My omelette came with toast, hash brown, and large mushrooms. The omelette was tasty and since I didn't get cheese as one of my ingredients in the omelette, it tasted super healthy and non greasy. The hash brown was nicely fried and had a nice, crunchy exterior. There was nothing really spectacular about the food, but there was also nothing bad about the food either. The Christmas buffet, on the other hand, looked amazing, as I saw they had lobster claws, oysters, and large shrimp, amongst other things. Also, their table of desserts looked amazing! Tall cakes and desserts galore! Alas, at $110 per person (not including alcohol), I still don't think I would have paid that much for their spread. read more

The food was ok. My swordfish was overcooked. Truffle fries were tasty. Server was very nice and attentive, but it took a long time to get food and bottles of wine. read more

Had a very leisurely lunch today at noon. The restaurant is beautiful but the background music is strange and "creepy". We shared the beef tartare and it was one of the best we have had. I had the Branzino which was delicious with creamy pommes puree. My wife had the lobster spaghetti. She really enjoyed it. The service was very good. Everyone was very attentive and professional. read more

Since we live at the Watergate it is very convenient for us to eat there. Having said that, service is extremely slow. We continuously wait almost an hour to get dinner. We decided to go there again this evening and give it another try. Once agaIn we waited 20 minutes to get a drink and an hour to get a meal. Once the meal came the chicken was so overcooked i could not eat it. We were so disappointed and upset we don't think we will go back. Very unfortunate since it is so convenient. read more

This restaurant is totally recommended if you're a DC local or a DC visitor. The food is simply amazing , the service is awesome and the ambiance is great. This is where a senator or a congressman will be sitting next to you. If you're in DC for a night, you have to dine at this place which is in the famous watergate hotel. Then you can go up to the rooftop which has the best views of the city. read more

Kingbird - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Location: Kingbird is inside the watergate hotel! I didn't know that so it took me a while to find it. Food: $22 lunch set is great. My friend and I ordered two lunch set and shared. Their potato chips are so delicious. They are freshly made in the kitchen. We had an extra bowl. Service: We went there for lunch on a weekday and we sat inside. There were probably four to five tables of guests. Not crowded. Very quiet. Great for lunch conversations. read more

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This rating should be negative zero stars. My mother was visiting from out of town and I had planned a nice day to include afternoon tea for the both of us as a special treat. We do not get time together very often. Imagine our surprise and disappointment when we arrived and the restaurant had no signs of life - closed without notice. I went to the concierge desk of the Watergate and was informed it had been closed days before with no explanation and that they were sorry but the reservation must have been made through a glitch in their system. Funny since I received both an email and two text reminders asking me to confirm, and was also charged for a prepaid tea service. They did not offer any recompense, and just said to "try Georgetown." Absolutely unacceptable and the worst service I have ever had. I will not be returning and will make sure to recommend against it every time. I thought it would be fun to try, but there are plenty of better other and obviously better options in the area anyway. read more

Celebrated our 4 year anniversary here last night. It was freezing rain with record low temperatures so things started off to a rocky start when we slipped walking up to the front door. The minute we walked in our moods improved. The dining room is gorgeous, the service was impeccable, and the food was excellent. After being seated our waiter thanked us for coming considering the weather, and I mentioned offhandedly that our anniversary was the reason we stuck with it. He later returned with complimentary champagne! We had no expectations when mentioning it, so it was a very nice surprise. We started our meal with the wedge salad, followed by the prime rib for two, roasted cauliflower, and frites. Everything was amazing, cooked perfectly, and we ended up with tons of leftovers. We had such a good experience and would recommend it to anyone. read more

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Reservations were easy to make and we were seated right away. The service was adequate and the food tasted a lot better than it looked. My date had a lamb chop that looked like it was sitting on a sloppy explosion of sauces. My scallops were large and tender and well plated. My appetizer looked like it was just thrown on the plate. Chef could do better in presentation. read more

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Came here for high tea on a Saturday afternoon at 330 pm. TLDR -- For the price ($50), it was a complete rip-off and the experience sub-par, would highly not recommend coming here. Details: 1. They only let you choose one type of tea which is fine but there is no tasting option. Given its $50, I'd expect a bit more service on this side. Maybe the option of trying a tea or two? 2. The fixed prix menu includes two tiny finger sandwiches, plus a scone, and a cookie, barely sufficient food for the price. (Note, the service include a glass of champagne). 4. The servers were distracted and setting up for dinner starting around 4 and subtly hinted leaving by giving us the check at 415 for a 330 appointment. (Isn't the point of high tea to have a long drawn out relaxed afternoon, we felt rushed). 5. People kept opening the back door to the outside which is understandable if once or twice but it happened every 10 minutes it was a snow storm outside, so we were cold the whole time. Came here with family who were in town for President's day and they were thoroughly unimpressed, and a complete waste of money. read more

Came here in restaurant week Jan. 2019, with Derek, Hongwei and Lily. The food here is better than I expect- lemon ginger pumpkin soup is nowhere else to find. Noodles is good too. We spent two and half hour here until boss called them to be back. It is winter so not that easy to see Potomac river. But it is still a good place to eat. read more

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The first time I had gone to Kingbird, we did the high tea in an igloo. We were excited, we dressed up with fascinators and gloves prepared for high tea at The Watergate. The igloo was equipped with speakers for us to play our own music and it was heated inside. The tea was good and we each got to have our own teapot with our choice of tea. The pastries and savory sandwiches were delish as well. There were 3 sandwiches which were Cucumber with watercress creme, fine herb jus, Smoked Salmon with preserved lemon tzatziki, salmon roe and Black Truffled Egg Salad with hackleback caviar. The pastries were Cranberry Orange Scones, Raspberry Shortbread Pop-Tart, Spiced Carrot Cake, Espresso Hazelnut Pot de Creme, Vanilla Panna Cotta and Chocolate Ho-Ho. They had 3 spreads for the pastries. Also included with the tea was a complimentary glass of champagne. Although the igloo is a cute idea and pastries and tea was good, it's a bit overpriced. Unfortunately, while everything else was great, our waiter was not. We had 2 waiters. The first one was great. Then I believe there was a shift change or something. That's when we got the not so pleasant waiter. He seemed as though he did not want to be there or he didn't want to serve us. Don't know his issue but we didn't let that deter us from having a good time. After we finished our tea, we headed up to The Top of the Gate and had some drinks. We met some great people up there and had a great time. My second time coming, enjoyed a spa day and ended it with dinner. Happy to say the service was much better this time. The waiter/bartender had a special drink made for me, I forgot what he called it, but it was good. Ordered the Salmon with a side of mashed potatoes and garlic which was seasoned to perfection and cooked just right. FYI, valet parking at the Watergate Hotel is $12 with a validated ticket from the Kingbird! read more

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Located inside the legendary Watergate Hotel Kingbirds got a slammen $22 dollar lunch special and Virginia beers on tap! Go for it! read more

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The restaurant is located in the historic Watergate hotel. Whomever did their renovation should be given an award and paid handsomely, because it is so charming and modern, yet nostalgic. It has a 60s/70s modern vibe with the decor, but done in a way that is up to date and contemporary. The hotel even uses a Nixon speech instead of hold music, and has a phone number that ends in 1972. We went for their afternoon tea, which was wonderful and so special. It was probably the highlight of our trip. They served your choice of one of 20+ different teas, either included in the $50 charge or upcharged up to $350 on top of the $50 tea charge. They also include various sandwiches cucumber, caviar, and salmon, and desserts served with fresh fruit curd. I couldn't partake in those, but the tea was amazing and so special! I definitely recommend it to anyone in DC. read more

I hope you have a wallet full of cash because you will need it here. A little different kind of palette here with the flavors they use in their drinks. The food is a little different so if you are into more traditional food and drink this is not your kind of place. We ordered a couple of drinks, not our usual, but we made it work my biggest problem with the place is the price they charge. $12 for a cocktail and $10 for wine is a little high. The bar staff was pleasant but not worth the price tag. We went back another night since we had no where else to go and ordered dessert. Menu description was totally off and it did not come out as it was described. Horrible taste and not at all worth the price paid. If you have a car or the ability to go somewhere else for a meal and drinks, do so. This place is not the best for the prices. read more

Kingbird - Wings! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The atmosphere, service, and food were all phenomenal! The staff was very polite and did a great job of explaining the menu items and offering suggestions. I selected the Maryland blue crab, sea bass, and lemon dessert from the restaurant week menu options. The crab portion was a bit on the small side, but it was in keeping with the restaurant's upscale vibe. The waiter explained that the sea bass was fresh from the Mediterranean Sea and it did not disappoint. It was very light, tender, and not fishy (which are qualities that I love in a fish). The normal price of the sea bass is $34 but with the restaurant Week deal I got those three courses for $35. I did not order any wine, however, their wine list looked very extensive totaling 20 pages. Next time I go back I'll definitely get a wine. Great dining experience!! read more

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It's been a few months since we'd been there and I'm still craving that short rib!!!!! Best I've ever had. Loved this place and can't wait to go back. My wife got the fried chicken and that was great as well! read more

Kingbird - Short rib...best I've ever had!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

i came for some food after a few hours at the spa. i came in between lunch and dinner. so their food options were really limited. food burger: ok fries: terrible i was asked if i wanted sparkling water which i thought would be a glass or a small bottle. Nope. it was a liter bottle. i was dining alone so that was an odd thing to offer. then the server threw away the cap. since i hate wasting things ,especially overpriced sparkling water, i drank it all. price: WAY OVERPRICED ambiance: nice, open concept service: slow. also i was offered sparkling water. they opened a 1 liter bottle and took away the cap. As a single diner, you should probably mention the volume being served and maybe not toss the cap. I essentially had to force myself to drink the whole liter because I didnt want to waste $10 but it was something avoidable. they also threw away the caps for the tabasco and ketchup. wth. its very wasteful overall: the limited options, service issues and price are all things that would make me avoid this place again. read more

Visited for Restaurant Week in January 2018. In my experience, it's the kind of place that draws you in, but doesn't deliver how you might expect from appearances. The location is cool, in the Watergate building, and the inside is gorgeous and a little funky, with overall dark and moody atmosphere punctuated by bright shiny finishes. There are some cool sculptures that reminded me of the super tree grove in Singapore. With that welcome, I was expecting much from the food. The restaurant week menu allowed us three courses, app, dinner, dessert. It started out underwhelming, but got better from there. For my app, I had the Moroccan lamb poutine. The fries were thin and burnt on the ends, and tasted like they had been out for a while. The poutine masked the flavor with some really powerful but not at all refined flavor. It was not good - I didn't want to finish it. Not a great start. For dinner I had the pan roasted barramundi. It was beautifully served and tasted great. Light and refreshing, but it did pack a punch of some well developed flavors. There was something missing from it, but I was overall pretty happy with this fish. The classic chocolate cake was last. It was good. Rich and creamy - you really can't do this one wrong. It did taste a little unfresh, like it had previously been frozen. The service was fantastic, punctual and incredibly friendly. Three stars for a good atmosphere, but the quality of the food just did not match up unfortunately. read more

Will exceed your expectations The host is polished and professional The food is exceptional, and the atmosphere is cool and relaxing read more

Go somewhere else. This place is sadly a disappointment when it comes to special occasions. We've given them two opportunities to handle our family's special events. Last year, our Christmas Eve dinner in the (now closed) Backroom was ruined by the over-served guest at an adjacent table who tossed his dinner in plain view of other diners. The staff cleaned it up, only to treat us to a repeat performance. This year, our Christmas Eve dinner was ruined by a reservation that ended up being a bar table, despite two confirmations. Seriously? We'd make a Christmas Eve reservation to eat Caesar Salad and bar nuts? I think not. They have a major problem with the management of this restaurant. There are wonderful places to dine and celebrate special moments. This place is NOT on the list. read more

Kingbird - The peanut butter foie gras is to die for! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We ate here fo my birthday. The chicken is AMAZING, it fell apart in my mouth and reminded me of homemade chicken noodle soup. The dessert was incredible and incredibly adorable. The bees were so cute! read more

My Bestie took me to Kingbird for my bday.... the restaurant is absolutely beautiful!!! Our waitress was Jamie was so very nice and attentive! Food was delicious.. atmosphere was amazing! read more

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We had a total blast at Kingbird, dining multiple times over a four-day stay at the Watergate. But the dinner our first night was especially magical. This is a place that nails the details. The service was out of this world, and never rushed or stuffy. They want you to have fun. You gotta go to Kingbird at least once in a lifetime. I am hoping to return very soon. read more

Absolutely fabulous! I've been a fan of this restaurant and hotel ever since it opened. One, it is just freaking beautiful. I feel like royalty or a celebrity whenever I walk in and service treats me as such. While the restaurant is pricey, it's perfect for a date night or special occasion. However, they do have a dope Happy Hour so if you aren't trying to spend your whole paycheck, that's an option as well. #ClassyOnABudget Anyway, on my most recent visit, I went before a show at the Kennedy Center and they had a lovely pre-fixe menu to guarantee I'd have enough time to eat my meal and make it to my show. I was with a group of 14 so I wasn't sure how feasible that would be, but the staff were on it. We shared a few appetizers, even though the pre-fixe was 3 courses. To my surprise, the Foie Gras Custard was my absolute favorite appetizer my group shared! I stepped out of the box to try something new and it was delicious! I ordered a couple drinks - my favorites being the Dark Lord and Penicillin. I had salad for my pre-fixe meal appetizer. I thoroughly enjoy the Seared Scallops for dinner and had creme brulee for dessert. And can you believe, all that was only $52! For the quality of this restaurant, I think that's an incredible deal to take advantage of. #TreatYoSelf read more

Yesterday was my first time eating at this restaurant and it was for my birthday celebration. This restaurant has an intimate vibe. I gave them five stars because our night went smoothly and the food was great. I ordered the lobster risotto, the portion size was great and the lobster was tender. The manager had wished me a happy birthday while chatting for a bit, which was nice. And I ended my night with a little macaron for dessert. read more

Kingbird - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Had my birthday dinner here while in Town. Service was pretty good, my steak frites was quite thick (not complaining just noticing) the hostess was a doll!! The inside is quite modern and nothing like what you would expect for a hotel with such history and there is a phenomenal whisky bar as well! Would come back to try one of their "shared" pieces of meat after the quality of my steak frites I know those larger cuts would be maybe the best I've ever had read more

Kingbird - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Visited Kingbird for lunch after a day at the Argentta Spa. Loved the vibe and all of the outdoor areas. The menu is pricey as to be expected for the location, but they have a nice two course lunch for $22. Service was a little slow for the restaurant being so empty and the host was not very knowledgeable about the offerings, but if you are in the area, especially for a show at the Kennedy Center give it a shot! I plan to visit again when the weather is warmer to take advantage of the large patio. read more

Kingbird - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I think this is just not the place for special occasions. I scheduled a meal for my family and I to celebrate two big birthdays in my family (someone turning 50 and someone turning 30). I added that to my reservation and I even reminded them of it when they called to confirm, after I confirmed via text. We come in and they give us a table right at the entry way and I notice a couple of other options and I ask if we could possibly move back there so we were not right in the front of the restaurant as people are coming in and out. We were a party of five so it did not seem difficult, but we went where they seated us saying that the other table was reserved (it was not filled while we were there, and the restaurant emptied considerably around 7pm). While there, we waited a considerable time between getting drink orders in and food coming out. When the food finally did come out, it seemed like the numbering for who at the table got what was completely messed up because, "nope I didn't get the risotto, she did. Nope, I didn't get the scallops, he did." and the sides were cold, and the plates were exceedingly hot (heat lamps?). We had the sides corrected, and they were promptly. Then, dessert came and only one of my family members received their dessert for their birthday. It wasn't a huge deal, and we had it fixed, but it was just another mistake that made the service look sloppy, when we come here to not have to worry about these things happening, and it was mistake after mistake after mistake. Just, unimpressed and overcharged for an okay meal with poor service. Great drinks though. read more

This restaurant is located in the Watergate Hotel. If you call them and they put you on hold, you are treated to one of Nixon's speeches. The service and ambiance are all top notch but for the price, you would think that the food would be tastier. We had the bouillabaisse which had a lot of high quality seafood in it (great lobster) but didn't knock it out of the park. They used the Japanese coffee maker broth trick which would have added a lot of novelty if we hadn't already seen it recently at Pineapple and Pearls. However, for all the foodie tricks that are used, the flavor was just OK. Had the scallops appetizer, the wagyu tartare, truffle fries, and a pasta type appetizer. They were all good but the wagyu was a standout. The environment was intimate, we went during prime dinner hours and the restaurant doesn't feel overly crowded even though tables are full. Dessert was creme brulee, however, how much you enjoy this depends on how much you are a fan of orange liqueur / grand marnier tastes. However, given that they brought us the dessert for free, I can't complain too much :) Great service and I would go again if we wanted a more upscale meal before the Kennedy Center. read more

Came here for Restaurant Week with my boyfriend. 3 course meal for $35 was well worth it! Everything was delicious, especially the dulcey mousse. Lovely place for dinner inside the Watergate Hotel. Definitely recommend! read more

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I'm giving two stars based on the quality of food/service to price. We dropped $175 for two people and were less than impressed. Had a reservation for 5pm, we showed up at 4:55 and even though there were people sitting in the restaurant, hostess told us to wait till 5 before seating us. We took four steps back and stared at her for five minutes until we were sat-ridiculous! I got a filet medium rare and frites, wife got seabass and mashed potatoes. Steak came out medium well and with a mountain of blue cheese. Mashed potatoes were made with way too much salt. Wife's fish was okay but still served with over salted spinach and purée sauce. Just not worth the price for what you get. There are too many options in DC to drop that kind of money for mediocre food and service. read more

Went for the pre-theater menu on a Wednesday night, and had an excellent meal. The menu online does not include all of the options. We ended up having scallops, beef tartare, New York strip steak, and salmon, as well as some crème brulee and sorbet for dessert. This was paired with a cocktail and some wine. I thought everything was really tasty. The steak was particularly good, and the crème brulee was huge. The salmon needed a little lemon to cut through the richness. I would definitely recommend going before a show at the Kennedy Center. read more

Absolutely loved this place. It was the perfect date spot for myself and a friend. The environment was very trendy and the service was great. If you are able too you should make a reservation. Also there is only street parking I believe. It's located at the bottom of the watergate hotel and is a short walk from the Kennedy center. This is a great after show spot for a date night. The food was really good too with great portions. read more