La piquette is my favorite french restaurant, it is authentic unpretentious. I was born in Paris and appreciate quality food. We need more restaurant like this who are offering diverse ingredients protein such as skate, veal etc.... Love this restaurant! read more

Untenable noise and no interest on its effects on its diners or staff 4 of us went to dinner tonight looking forward to good food. What we got was a disastrous noise level in which we couldn't hear each other talk across the table. It was so bad, that one of us had her Apple Watch alert us to the noise level and it stated that if we stayed more than 30 minute we were risking hearing loss. We were all miserable. So uncomfortable, that we decided to forgo coffee and dessert. Eventually I put in my EarPods and hiked them up to noise cancellation level, which helped me but not my friends. When we left we were sighing relief, but our ears still rung for 20 minutes. I raised to the manager, as did one other person, that the noise level was untenable, and he took NO interest. His response was that "you could have sat outside." OK, today has a 100 degree heat index. Notably, he took no interest in improving the environment or providing feedback to the owner(s). And no interest in protecting staff who have to be in that environment for hours. I believe that a restaurant has an obligation to its guests and staff to take measures to reduce unnecessary noise - considering changes to flooring, walls, ceiling, adding fabrics, noise absorbing tiles, etc. -- there are numerous ways to go about noise reduction! This lack of concern puts people in an unhealthy environment that presents serious risks to their hearing. read more

My old boss recommended this place, so I booked a reservation. My friend and I took the YL train from Alexandria to Cleveland Park on RL train. It was over a mile, and uphill the entire way, except the last 850 steps. Mind you, it was 90+ out, no air. By the time we got there, we were ready to eat, drink and be merry. We had the tomato gazpacho (on special)(yummy-licious). See if you can guess what the spice kick is from and what the green grunch is too. They served it with fresh, warm homemade bread. I ordered the branzino (European Sea Bass). Also my friend ordered the trout and that is fillet, not whole. read more

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A simply superb dining experience! The maître d was very hospitable and allowed for a selection of seating options, and the food was authentically prepared in true french traditions. I had the Escalope de Veau Viennoise (veal), which was pounded thin and perfectly cooked and hubby dined on Seared Maine Sea scallops - which literally had a "melt in your mouth" quality. Our waitress was very attentive, and the entire waitstaff seemed to work as a team. Dishes were served hot, immediately from kitchen to table. Dessert: The Pain Pudding alone was worth a trip to Le Piquette. We definitely plan to return! read more

Another delicious meal at La Piquette. They have a wonderful brassiere atmosphere, extensive French wine list, fabulous staff, and outstanding French food. read more

La Piquette - Duck Confit - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Hilarious... I got a call regarding my yelp review from someone at this restaurant? We love to message saying we thought you like to stay in the meal here. No, I complaint to the host on my way out the door. The escargot had NO Garlic and no butter? The Cassoulet tasted like Mush. I'll never go back. read more

Came here last night on a first date and the restaurant was very cute. Two outdoor tents that weren't overpacked that were protected from the elements. The waiters were all very nice and attentive when it came to filling water and putting in food orders and making sure we had enough bread. We shared beef tartare & frites. I ordered Coq au vin and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken was very tender and the flavor paired really well with the red wine sauce and Pomme purée (potatoes). My date ordered Mussels and they were much larger than your typical mussels so he was very happy. We were so full and didn't order a dessert. I'll be thinking about that Coq au vin with how yummy it was. We walked to the restaurant from the metro. It was near a shopping area/neighborhood, so there was street parking. read more

Solid, low frills place to enjoy a great meal. I had the duck and it was outstanding. The friends I dined with have been going for many years. Do yourself a favor and go. read more

Delicious food and great service. Best French food I've had. The restaurant seems to be full of regulars which speaks to the food and experience. Very friendly and skilled staff. Will be back. read more

La Piquette - Branzino - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I came here on a Friday night by myself. I initially wanted to be seated at the bar, but it was full, so I was promptly seated at a table. The inside is small and cozy. On the menu, they have a pretty large selection of entrees as well as desserts and alcohol. I ordered: House red wine: very good for $12. Steak frites: excellent. The steak was tender, and the red wine sauce was delicious. Gateau l'orange: highly recommend- the cake was soft, warm, and citrusy, and came with a creme anglaise for dipping. The meal came with bread and olive oil, which was also really good. The service was friendly and efficient. Overall, I really enjoyed my entire meal and I will definitely be back. I might like this place better than Le Diplomate.... read more

La Piquette - Steak frites - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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La Piquette is one of my favorite DC neighborhood restaurants. The ambiance is like a Parisian Cafe. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. read more

Cute neighborhood restaurant with attentive service and delicious food. I've eaten here for lunch and dinner.

Having moved to DC it was time for my wife and I to search for and find a gem of a restaurant we could call our favorite, and La Piquette is now that. Not only is authentic, with a real Parisian atmosphere, the warmth, hospitality, professionalism and friendliness of the staff from top to bottom bottom is superb- your made to feel welcomed and appreciated from the moment you walk in throughout your dining experience, and on your way out. The quality, presentation, and taste of the food is excellent and the portions are large enough to be filling with some left to take home. Try La Piquette. You'll be amazed and hopefully will make it your new favorite place too! read more

I came here by myself and was made to feel welcome. The decor is cute, like a little bistro. I had a delicious mocktail and the steak frites were amazing. The steak was cooked perfectly and the super skinny fries were delicious. read more

La Piquette - Steak frites - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

very good. scallops were very fresh, cooked perfectly. cozy but lively. a french bistro through and through. props for french waiter too.

This restaurant is just spectacular. I've gone on many occasions whether it's because my family is visiting or I want an intimate and special date night. It is a small restaurant that almost at first glance seems unassuming, but the food is out of this world! Seriously. If you go, you have to get the Canard Rôti à L'Orange. The potato is buttery, the duck is rich, and the sauce is so balanced. The chocolate mousse is decadent... I could go on and on. But if you want authentic and delicious French food, you need to go to La Piquette. The service is always quick and good and the servers have always given really great suggestions on dishes to try. I would argue this is the best French restaurant in the DC area. read more

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If you want a great French food experience go here. The staff was great and accommodating to menu changes. Of course the tables were close so be prepared to sing happy birthday to the table next to you if that happens. The salmon tartare was excellent. I love it when you have a few avocados left over when you have been trying to match up your bites. The mushroom app was straight forward and tasty. I would not get it again unless I am there with a mushroom lover. The fresh baked bread is totally carb-worthy. Just do it and don't think about it. If you like duck, get the confit dish. Few things beat a perfectly cooked duck leg with a crispy skin. Why don't chefs find more ways to use lentils? They are such a great side, especially when they are paired with a rich and thoughtful sauce as this chef presented. read more

La Piquette was the restaurant highlight of my entire trip (DC,NYC,LV)! It's the quintessential French bistro. We sat next to a mother/daughter/granddaughter from France but now living in DC and it's their "go to" for French food. That's how you know. We had the Canard Roti a l'orange and the Coq au Vin. The duck was tender, cooked to a perfect med rare. It was seasoned well with a little bit of caramelization on the skin. It was fanned on the plate with a wilted kale salad between the duck and the pommes purée. There was an orange vinaigrette in the kale salad that ran out to the duck...aw man was it gooood! The pommes purée was silky and seasoned well. I love Coq au Vin. I made it a couple of times, but only because it's hard to find in Hawaii. My goodness was this dish delicious. Tender and tasty---stewed in good red wine. You could taste more then one layer of umami flavor. It sat in that same silky pommes purée. Mains was paired with French wine that suited each dish perfectly....thanks for the waiters recommendation! We ended the meal with the orange cake. Ummmm....it's good. Like really really good. And it comes out warm with a small dish of fresh cream. Beyond the food, the service was great. Attentive wait staff that made you feel like they were happy we were there. The vibe of the restaurant made you feel like you were in a small town in France. I absolutely loved this place. read more

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As during past visits, we loved the ambience here. Very French & very charming. We had 2 appetizers for the table & neither was a hit. The shrimp ceviche wasn't great & the calamari was entirely forgettable. I had the trout for my entree. It was fine, but not nearly as good as I've had elsewhere. Not memorable. The highlight of the food we ordered were the French fries. read more

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We dropped in for Christmas dinner and did not leave disappointed. The ambiance was cozy and inviting. We were seated outside (by choice) where they had blankets and heat lamps. Our waiter was incredibly attentive and jovial. There was a special Christmas menu, but they were out of a few options once we arrived. However, they were happy to make minor substitutions. None of the dishes disappointed and their commitment to quality is notable. read more

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One of the few places in DC that feels authentically French. You can find a lot of classics here that aren't served elsewhere like rabbit and sweetbreads. They have excellent bread and a nice bar. There's also great people watching here. It's one of the places where it feels like locals have been going forever. A little on the pricey side, but a nice treat. read more

La Piquette is a French bistro, located in the Cleveland Park 'hood. They offer a brunch, lunch, and a dinner menu, offering items such as duck confit, steak frites, and gâteau à l'orange. We came here for dinner, and started off with: +Fricassée de Champignons - prepared with shiitake, royal trumpets, hen of the wood mushrooms, shallots, butter, and parsley; great for anyone who loves mushrooms +Baby Artichokes "Barigoule" - with shallots, garlic, parsley, thyme, capers, olives, and a sherry vinaigrette +Tartelette aux Tomates Confites - with goat cheese, sauteed tomatoes, garlic, and basil, with an Amish salade; tomatoes were fresh We also ordered some salads: +the Smoked Trout Salad - with tartar sauce, red onions, lemon, and citrus +and, the Salade Composée - with French green lentils, beets, quinoa, avocado, leeks, shallots, red cabbage, and cucumber; our party really enjoyed this salad For our mains, we had: +Braised Beef Short Ribs - braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions, carrots, served with a pomme puree; the short ribs were tender +Coq au Vin - braised organic chicken in a red wine sauce, served with a pomme puree; stewed well We finished the meal with a Gâteau à l'Orange, and this was just okay. Bread was also forgettable. Service was friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere inside was relaxed. +fresh veggies +friendly service read more

While I ate at la Piquette I had a flashback to my time in France. This restaurant serves authentic and genuine French cuisine. I believe is not as well known as other French spots in the city making it underrated. It deserves all the praise in the world bc it's truly a delightful dining experience My favorite apps was the steak tartare and mushroom dish. The escargot was unique in that it was made in tomato sauce instead of cooked in garlic. Mussels were splendid. For entree make sure you get the trout, it was absolutely praiseworthy. Everything was so fresh I had no complaints. I'd recommend making reservations! Bon appetit! read more

La Piquette - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My partner and I went for an anniversary dinner. Nice atmosphere, charming staff, good food.

The food was pretty good, the environment is nice although a little noisy as it's on a somewhat busy street. I highly recommend the Fricassée de Champignons "Mushrooms" and the Skate wing read more

La Piquette - Fricassée de Champignons - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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After three visits to la Piquette I'm rating it five stars. Almost everything at la Piquette rings true to its Parisian roots. Atmosphere is simple and Gallic. The crowded menu always serves up delicious standards and a few surprises. Vegetables are tender, fish is never over cooked, and if you order your steak "a pointe" the kitchen knows exactly what that means. The bar makes a perfect Old Fashioned, the wine list offers a lot of $80-ish bottles--we had a nice Gigondas. Dessert cannelles were perfectly brown and chewy. The only downside is the same everywhere today...dinner for two totaled $335. I long for the old neighborhood restaurants where one could afford to be a regular... My five stars are hard-earned and le Piq deserves them. read more

La Piquette is one of those rare restaurants that hits a perfect trifecta of great food, service and ambience. The food was authentic French, comparable to some of the best food I've had in Paris. There were four of us and each one of us enjoyed all three courses we ordered. That's 12 dishes total and they hit it out of the park on all 12. Can't remember the last time that happened. The service was everything you might want it to be: attentive, friendly and efficient, but without being intrusive. And the atmosphere was lively without being oppressively loud. read more

In our 40+ years together, my husband and I have dined at many top notch restaurants in various cities in the U.S. as well as throughout Europe. It's a pleasure to have found La Piquette, a little DC gem! It has the feel, the vibe, the elegance, the great service, and gourmand quality of food of a real French (Michelin rated 2 star) restaurant. Brian, the manager and the wait staff are so attentive, friendly, and accommodating, going out of their way to please. We celebrated our 43rd Wedding Anniversary there, and it exceeded our expectations. We were treated to champagne, a wonderful appetizer, and delicious desserts. The Trout Almondine with capers was wonderfully light and delicious. I had an outstanding Chocolate Mousse ( the best ever!), and my husband enjoyed a French Apple Tart he gobbled up. It reminds us of our many years of weekly enjoyment at NYC's Chez Josephine! La Piquette surpasses Le Diplomat (dc), Lutece (NYC 20 years ago) Le Bernardin (nyc), and many others. A real treat to be enjoyed and savor in DC, bar none. read more

My wife and I ate at the restaurant last Saturday night to celebrate our birthdays. The restaurant's decor reminded us of a French bistro and we were warmly greeted upon our arrival. We had the Salad Maison and the Escargot Provencale for appetizers. For the main course, we each had the Canard Roti a la Orange. For dessert, we had the Mousse au Chocolat and the Le Gateau de Francis. The food and the plating of it was simply amazing!!!! Our Server, Mookie (sp.?), was terrific. She had a warm personality and answered all of our questions with a smile. Mookie was available but not intrusive. All in all, it was a wonderful evening and we shall return!! read more

Moved into the neighborhood and was told to check out this French restaurant. I was not disappointed. This a small and slightly noisy place this is indeed a neighborhood gem. All the staff is super nice and helpful. I had the pate appetizer and the scallops for a main course. The pate was fantastic and the scallops among the best I have had ever. My wife had the escargot and the duck l'orange which she loved. They do not have a gluten-free menu nor indicate gluten dishes on the menu, but the staff was super helpful and we had no issues ordering. I know I will be coming here again. read more

La Piquette - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 rounded to 4. Fresh from a trip to France, we tried La Piquette. In comparison to other local options, I would commend it for their larger selection (of dinner plates if not wines by the glass), but noted the higher price tag (e.g. Confit de canard for $39 versus $35 Chez Billy Sud). But the interior felt like a French bistro (minus the French language), and the food tasted good. The poireaux vinaigrette happily involved warm leeks and could be a share size if having other entrées. The smoked trout salad entrée was good (while the grapefruit clashed with the tartar sauce - it was nice having some shaved celery (?) in the dish). Note that the escargot is made à la provençale (not à la bourguignonne) so perhaps the taste of escargot get lost in the tomato sauce a bit. My husband linked his sauteed shrimp pasta, and I had no complaints about the confit de canard (the lentils were not very buttery, making for a lighter taste, and the duck was not dry). They did not have the pinot noir from sancerre by the glass so the pinot noir from languedoc was my accompaniment. Perhaps their vins maison are worth a try, I'm not sure. Finally the mousse au chocolat was okay. The chocolate was not very bitter nor airy, and perhaps the whipped cream made it taste more milk chocolatey. Good service, loud (reasonable that I don't recall they had music playing), tables close together. Not very accessible by metro unfortunately (Cleveland Park is about a 18 minute walk away). read more

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Came for lunch on a Thursday in June. It was a bit sticky and muggy outside so I had an indoor table. Was seated promptly and brought a generous and delicious baguette with olive oil. I ordered the soup of the day, gazpacho, and a steak frites. The gazpacho was delicious - slightly spicy, with a rich tomato flavor. The steak was perfectly prepared and with a generous serving of crisp, thin frites. Espresso topped off a wonderful lunch. read more

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Delicious food and ambience reminds me of being in Paris. The bread is amazing and the service is great. I loved the care they took for celebrating my sister's birthday. read more

Wonderful and very nice ambiance. I had the gazpacho (perfect) and salmon tartare. Then the duck foie gras. It was delightful. Hubs had spiced lamb sausage and it was delicious. He loved it. We shared the dame Blanche. That was such a treat and highly recommend. Love love love. I will come back read more

food and setting was so great that i felt compelled to give a shout out to La Piquette. it started with the french baguette slices served warm with a bit of olive oil. crusting on the bread was delicious. added some salt and pepper to the olive oil and was in heaven. i ordered the trout meuniere mainly because Julia Childs raved about it in her book and boy did it deliver so simple yet full of flavor. we hadnt booked in advance but they had several tented areas which were unexpectedly nice and cozy even on a cold evening. the desserts were top notch as well. we ordered an apple tart a la mode as well as creme brulee which were both delicious as well wait staff was prompt and pleasant. i couldnt recommend this restaurant more if youre in the mood for french cuisine. La Piquette is one of my favs now! read more

Had an opportunity to try on a weekday evening. The restaurant was very lively yet comfy at the same time. It was extremely warm and inviting. We had an opportunity to try the Steak Frite and the Duck Breast. Both dishes were executed well in terms of temperature. The sauce of the steak Frite was very slightly under-seasoned and the duck sauce was about the same amount over seasoned. It wasn't enough to take away from how good the dishes were though. Would definitely return if in the area. read more

La Piquette - Steak Frite & Duck Breast - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had an excellent dinner here. The menu was extensive with some wonderful dishes like Cassoulet. The ambiance is especially nice. They add a 3% service charge so patrons can augment the wages of servers. I disagree with this, but it is far less than the outrageous 22% fee charged at other DC restaurants, such as Moon Rabbit. read more

Been here 3 times in the last couple of years pre-Covid; each visit I ordered something different, and whatever I got was always tasty. Just stopped by and did take-out, and found the same excellent French food and helpful service during this time of the pandemic. Love the consistency. Recommend: pan seared foie gras (appetizer); crab cakes (main course); any of the salads. Washington Post Food Critic Tom Sietsema gave approval for this spot in 2019. I agree. read more

La Piquette - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Absolutely lovely dinner! Everything was delicious and beautifully plated as well. We had a variety of appetizers-each one was special! For the main course we had the soft shell crabs -excellent! For dessert our generous host gave our table of 6 every single dessert on the menu! I highly recommend all of them! I look forward to returning to this charming restaurant! Tres bien! read more

This place is fantastic. Pleasant outside, and charming in (if loud). Our server was attentive, but never hovering. The chef's yellow-tinged (saffron-infused?) ratatouille impressed with complexity and just sheer deliciousness. A brilliantly constructed lapin linguini entre employed an unctuous cream sauce, mild green olives, fresh shaved garlic, warm capers, and delightfully 'al dente' celery. It's a special dish -- worth a visit just for this. Next time, I'll sample seafood offerings. I will return! read more