San Matteo is our go-to spot in our Petworth neighborhood. The food is consistently superb. Staff…read moreare always highly welcoming and attentive. The spaces are very appealing. We enjoy the rear patio the most. Kid friendly, too. What a treasure to have in Petworth. By all appearances, San Matteo is a success that's here to stay.

Dinner at San Matteo, yes please and thank you!…read more Good food and service was memorable adding San Matteo to the list of favorites. The front patio is cute and a nice spot to sit on a nice day. We entered the restaurant, pasted the bar and made our way to the back. We were pleasantly surprised with a nice outdoor feeling to dine at. We were immediately greeted by our waiter, given water and warm bread with olive oil. To kick off our meal everyone had different ideas of what they were craving so we went with three starters. PROSCIUTTO E MOZZARELLA for one. It that had the usual meat and cheese board with nuts, mini bread crackers and jam. I liked how pistachio pieces were found in the meats and cheese. [5/5] BEEF CARPACCIO which is a family favorite of ours was a must try. The tender slices of beef with arugula, with sliced capers and celery. It reminded us of our trips to Italy. [5/5] FRITTO MISTO came next. This mixed lite battered bowl of seafood goodness with a little spice delight. It had calamari, fish, shrimp, garlic, zucchini and chilies. I really liked how the batter was lite which says a lot because I love really crispy anything. [ 5/5] On to the main courses, we proceeded with different pasta noodle dishes. BUCATINI BOLOGNESE one of my favorite pasta noodles was my selection. The noodles were al dente and the sauce and meat were excellent. [5/5] PAPPARDELLE CINGHIALE was my husband's pick. The pappardelle noodles were al dente and nicely accompanied the meat with the tasty sauce. Topped with ricotta; the dish was full of flavor. [5/5] CHICKEN ALFREDO was the last pick. Not an authentic Italian dish; however, hats off to the chef for making this for our picky eater in the family. The sauce was creamy and delicious. Noodles were cooked perfectly. [5/5] Surprisingly we had just enough room for a sweet ending - an Affogato. Whoaza! The espresso was yummy; put some hair on our picky eater's chest. It had a hint of licorice flavor that was unique. Let's not forget the San Matteo Spritz. Smoky and highly enjoyable. I loved it and will order again when I return. Overall, San Matteo hit all the check boxes for our lovely family dinner. The staff were attentive and never left us wanting more water, food or waiting long. The food was tasty. It seems upscale with a casual feel. Some people were dressed for date night while others were having a casual meal with family or friends. The seating options of areas were all unique in its own way. Front patio for a nice day, from the front indoor dining area for maybe a more intimate feel, bar and table top area for a drink and appetizer going solo or with a friend; and lastly the back dining area for a a bigger group to enjoy your meal. Mixing up the dining options that suits you. I'll be back to try other dishes.

I was in the area for a vendor market and happened upon this spot, so I stopped in for lunch. This…read morewas around 1:00pm on a Saturday. There were only a couple tables with people when I got here. I was greeted and given a water quickly. My server was super friendly! I decided to get their shrimp tacos and the La Catrina cocktail (a mezcal hibiscus margarita) to start, and my complimentary chips and salsa were brought out shortly after. The La Catrina was SO GOOD. It was a little sweet, was fairly sour (which is my preference), and the smokiness of the mezcal complimented it well. I decided to order the margarita flight after so I could try a few of their other drinks. I've been places where the flight is more of a sample size, but these were full sized margaritas. I ordered the mango, the strawberry, and the tamarind. I loved all of them, but I think the tamarind was my favorite. I got mine with thd standard tequila, but I think you can get them with mezcal instead for a slight upcharge. As for the food, everything I had was really good. The chips came with both a red and a green salsa. I love salsa Verde, so this was a nice surprise. The red salsa had a smokiness to it that I didnt anticipate, but it was really good. And the salsa verde was perfect. Chips were pretty standard. My shrimp tacos were really tasty! They had a good flavor and the Chipotle mayo was the perfect addition. The shrimp were a little overcooked, but the flavor made up for it. I also decided to order the flan to end my meal. I don't think I've ever had flan, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I absolutely loved it. It was a large portion and was super smooth (I was a big fan of the texture) and caramel-y and sweet. It could definitely be split between 2 people. Service remained great throughout my time there. It did start to fill up a bit by the time I left (with maybe 3 more groups coming in). I think there was only one server on, and she was hustling to make sure everyone was taken care of. There was both indoor and outdoor seating, with most opting to sit outside, though I chose to be inside. I definitely plan to come back! It looks like they have a great happy hour, which I am looking forward to trying.

Who doesn't love a neighborhood spot that serves up great food and strong drinks…read more Service was fast and good! The Happy Hour prices are actually worth the cost, we ordered 3 tacos for $10. And the drinks were between $8-10. Happy Hour ends at 7pm. My favorite of my taco selections: Al Pastor! It was the winner to me because it was bursting with flavor and freshness. My drink of choice was a tequila soda-worthy pour! It hit the spot. Overall, I had a great time and would stop by again for more of those tacos and a drink.

Every bar and restaurant has their own happy hour - but the food at Brink is of a (strangely) high…read morelevel, and even in DC, unique. From portobello fries dipped in the best basil aioli, to crab cakes, Brink's Mediterranean menu is entirely delicious - that everyone in the place talks of the menu as something you have to steadily try all of it. Accolades to excellent service, and great environment. Super accolades for the cleanest bathrooms in DC.

Wings were decent, but a little saucy. The bar tender was very kind and social. Will come back to…read morecheck out the dinner menu

I went to Atxondo hoping to taste the work of a Basque chef, and found out that the new chef is…read morefrom El Salvador, but has studied cookery in Spain. After having a full meal with cocktails, appetizer, entree, dessert and coffee (about $70 per person), I concluded that Atxondo will be a definite future destination for Happy Hour and light bites, but that my full meal dining dollars will be spent elsewhere. The Patatas Bravas (Fingerling Potatoes) were outstanding, with their two tasty sauces and rich, crispy flavor and texture. The Hibiscus Margarita with its salt and tajín rim was good enough to warrant a second one... but the Sangria was lackluster due to the complete absence of cut-up fresh fruit in my glass. The "Crispy Duck Breast" is no longer served whole, but sliced on a bed of sauteed kale... and, sadly, seemed to be only a shadow of its former self. The Lamb Meatballs suffered from being mushy (a coarser grind would have made a world of difference in the texture) and lacked that meaty exuberance one treasures in any kind of meatball. My serving of Basque Cheesecake was almost comically tiny (at $9 per serving, perhaps not so funny after all). But my cup of Americano came out of the espresso machine strapping strong and piping hot, with a gorgeous head of natural crema from the oil of the coffee beans. So I will definitely return for a future Happy Hour to devour the outstanding Patatas Bravas and sip the good Margaritas, and to try the bargain Manchego Burger and other Happy Hour bites. For serious dining, Atxondo falls short of the mark... but for drinks and bar food, Atxondo turns out to be a real neighborhood gem. .

Very solid 4 stars for Atxondo. Just a note that while there are paper menus, the QR code menu has…read morea lot more options. The service is very nice and attentive an adds to the homey feel. Atxondo really strikes me as an underrated gem. It's only about a mile walk from the Petworth Metro, is right on several bus lines and for us, coming from silver spring, the drive was a very easy ~15 minutes. Intrigued to hear how often people in the neighborhood come here. It's mostly a tapas style, so everything but the paella is smaller plates. Everything is wonderfully tasty. The mini chorizo, with the accompanying chips absorbing the chorizo liquid were awesome and our group also loved the cremini mushrooms. I love a good paella and Atxondo's is a standout. really wonderfull flavored and plenty for our group of 5. They say it's enough for 2-4, but unless its your only meal of the day, I fully think a group of 2 would have leftovers. It's definitely on our list to return

Your boy's relationship is on the rocks. You've been a bit MIA lately. Everybodys been adulting…read more The perfect time to finally get the crew together for the first time in months! Someone name drops El Chucho. This crew is clearly full of sophisticated intellectual musicians and scholars because we all immediately know it's a the right choice. Enter the building: it's busy. It's always busy! BECAUSE ITS GOOD you understand? BUT somehow by the grace of baby Jesus we snag a good table. Tequilas all around because that's what El Chucho does. We order tacos of course. But here's where I make aove that might seem out of ordinary, it might raise eyebrows. BUT I DONT CARE. I'll say it proudly: there's a lot of places you can get a good taco in this city, but the reason I pick El Chucho is because they have the ultimate tiebreaker: their BLACK BEANS ARE JUST DIFFERENT TRUST ME. So I ordery tacos and then I say "and a side of beans" and wait for the reaction from the table. But again, this is a crew of sophisticated intellectual musicians and scholars. They're already hip to it. THEY KNOW that El Chucho is cooking up the best side of beans in the city. BUT WAIT. Out sever hits us with a curve ball: Black beans are OUT, it's PINTO beans now. WHAT. After some initial shock and consolations around the table, We recognize that wait... we TRUST this institution with our taste buds. If they made the change it was for good reason. If they made the change the change is for the better! SEND THE PINTO BEANS. This is Yelp so I'll spare you the details of the beers and tequila that followed. The stories of love and heartache and television fame and laughter and good times. THIS is what El Chucho is for! And because of the five-stars above and because of the trajectory of the narrative thus far, you already know there's no disappointment here, you already know that the pinto beans were fantastic. I may still maybe prefer the black beans, but this was a equal trade-off. Thai was best for best. So of course I'm still coming to El Chucho for tacos because they still have the best tiebreaker in the city: THOSE PINTO BEANS

I wasn't super impressed by El Chucho. If you love mezcal, this place should definitely be on your…read morelist though and this was the main reason we ended up here on a Sunday for dinner. The collection is vast and they do mezcal flights. However, I wasn't in love with the tacos. The tortillas were bland and flavorless and the al pastor filling was minced meat instead of the traditional thinly sliced. It also didn't come with the pina salsa which is to be expected on an al pastor tacos. Even worse, we found a piece of a hairnet inside the queso. At first we thought it was a hair and when we said something, the server said it's just a piece of a hairnet... as if that was supposed to make things better. Maybe it's just me, but I don't want anything in my food other than food. Service all around was slow and disjointed. We were seated outside and it was clear that the server in our section was brand new and overwhelmed. We waited a long time for drinks, silverware, etc. After the hairnet incident, another person came to help us who was a lot more efficient but not very personable. I wouldn't return here in the future.

Barcelona is our go-to neighborhood restaurant that we count on for a relaxing but fun atmosphere…read moreand reliably delicious food that offers excellent value for the money. An all-time favorite is the chicken pimentos with crispy skin and the most amazing sauce that is spicy and comforting at the same time. The branzino is the best fish deal in the city - always perfectly cooked and fileted at the table. Tapas we order again and again include the garlicky gambas, flank steak with string potatoes, wild mushrooms, patatas bravas and roasted broccolini, to name few. For dessert, incredibly moist olive oil cake or the best churros ever. We have gotten to know most of the wonderful people who work here so the place feels like our home away from home. At the same time, there's something about this location that always feels like a party to which the whole neighborhood is invited. There are couples on dates, multi-generational families, groups of friends having a night out and singles having a comfortable meal at the bar, chatting with the wait staff. We love it here.

****** Excellent…read moreservice and tapas! Will be frequenting here often! Thanks happy to have found a new spot!

Had a really good experience here. The food was fresh, flavorful, and came out quickly. The al…read morepastor tacos were delicious.

Had a great time and dinner! Chicatana is unassuming and unpretentious, staffed with attentive…read moreservers who do an amazing job (water was always filled and empty plates removed quite efficiently). The decor is simple, no table clothes or frills but it does live up to 'fine cuisine' with excellent food and presentation (another subtle touch is if you leave the table, you return to a nicely folded napkin). We got nearly everything on the menu including all the desserts and Mexican hot chocolate (yum, lightly spicy and piping hot!) . As others have said their guacamole is excellent...do check the charges though bc they added salsa and chips to the tab which we did not order (they removed). Also, the first order of guac came with big bowl of chips, but none with the second order of guac- not a problem though because you do not go hungry. Portions are quite generous. We even tried the ants which was a fun novelty

A friend of mine (Joe Himali @bestaddress Like & Follow) that spotlights historical places in the…read morearea recommended a spot!! It's one of the only authentic Russian spots in the city. All I know is Beef Stroganoff...let's see what else they got!! . Where I am: @vokzal.dc . Location Reviewed: 1914 9th St., N.W. Washington D.C. . Items Reviewed: STAMP!! Their Sweet Tea ($4 with an English Tea no. 1, sugar, & candies). I thought I was getting a cold brew lol!! It came out hot, but tasty!! STAMP!! Their Mini Beef Skewers ($11 with bell peppers). Simple, tender, smoky deliciousness!! STAMP!! Their Tickets ($ four crispy balls of chicken with cheese inside, deep fried with a white sauce). Get these!! Well fried, cheesy, with a tartar sauce/ Ranch kind of sauce!! LIKE THAT! Their Teriyaki Wings ($14 5 fried hard wings). Crisp, & well sauced!! LIKE THAT! Their Beef Stroganoff ($29 strips of Filet Mignon with mushrooms, onions, a mustard sauce, & mashed potatoes). Well made!! Super tender beef, creamy, with an easy buttery mashed potato!! DELICIOUS. Their Pelmeni ($18 Traditional handmade Russian boiled dumplings stuffed with seasoned ground beef, & a side of sour cream). STAMP!! Their Chicken Tapaka ($31 A traditional Georgian dish. Flattened & weighted fried chicken, fried in a frying pan called a Tapa. With pickled cabbage and Adjika Sauce on the side). Crispy chicken, and well seasoned!! No dip necessary but that Adjika hits!! STAMP!! Their Medovik ($12 a Russian Honey Cake). Layered, creamy, tasty!! . Customer Service: On Point . Parking: Rough! . Recommendations: Try that flattened chicken!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews

We had a great time at Vokzal the only Russian restaurant in Washington DC. We tried their…read moretraditional dishes along with some classics like the ribeye steak. everything we tasted was delicious. My favorites were the mini beef skewers, and the blinchiki with red caviar (definitely order with the caviar it goes so well with sour cream and the crêpes). The cocktails were very strong and we ended the meal with some tea and medovik (you must order this dessert!) Vokzal means train station in Russian and everything at the restaurant is on theme like the bar and the large screens showing train windows making you feel like you're inside a moving train. Such a cool concept. There is street parking And they do karaoke every Friday.