I would so like to write a good review. We've been several times, which obviously means they do something reasonably right. The food is usually professionally prepared, sometimes inspired (there's a melon dish - yes, really just melon - that is spectacular). But the customer service has never been great. Today was just the final straw. Indifferent service at best. Food prep was not as requested. When asked about the melon dish, the server snapped "maybe that's the dinner menu." But perhaps the most annoying part was being given a different bottle than what I ordered. When I asked, I was abruptly cut-off...."they're the same". Well, no really they are not. Different brands, different names of the wine itself...no similarity whatsoever. Not the same. I pointed that out, kindly, even laughing a bit as it was clear as a bell. But she stuck to her story... kind of have to hand it to her...when you lie, lie BIG, right? It's no wonder they include a 22% gratuity. I am religious about tipping (I guess it's my substitute for religion) but they certainly don't deserve much applause. In a city that has so many good - and many great - places to eat and drink, why bother with humdrum? We certainly won't be back. read more

My husband and I visited Lutece early February 2020 unaware that it was no longer Cafe Bonaparte. Our experience was disheartening as the food was barely edible; my bland pesto chicken--which was seated on a sad plate next to two paltry scoops of mashed potatoes--paled in comparison to my husband's microwaved (literally, actually, microwaved) burger and undercooked fries. From what I hear, the restaurant is going through some growing pains and now has hired yet another new chef since our last visit (even after all the hooplah they made out of their last one being fresh from Paris), but the new menu is even more bare-bones than it was before and nothing looks appealing at all. For comparison, feel free to look up Cafe Bonaparte on Yelp to see the beautiful dishes they used to serve in comparison to their new boring offerings. Why don't the owners just admit they were wrong and bring back their original Bonaparte chefs? Give the people what they want! Also, if anyone knows which restaurant(s) the original Bonaparte chef(s) have gone to, please send me a DM. read more

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Food was good and service was excellent. The ambiance is very pleasant. I definitely recommend it

Lutèce has become one of my favorite stops in DC. Everything from the food to the service is spectacular. They are always striving to make each experience special and are so thoughtful. The small venue is cozy and unique. They made my birthday so special! read more

I was taken to dinner here recently and had a good time. The restaurant is very small and extremely noisy from both music and other customers. This has pros and cons but it does give a fun, energetic feel to the restaurant. The food was quite good (especially the bread and desserts) and the service was uncommonly professional. I do feel that it is a bit overpriced and vigorously disagree with the mandatory 22% service fee - but I was not paying for the dinner! Overall, a nice experience. read more

This is one of those extra-special places that I want to keep to myself -- if it is too widely discovered, it will become too popular and tables in the intimately cozy spaces will be even harder to come by! My husband made a reservation for my birthday, and didn't tell me where we were going. We walked into the restaurant -- which reminds me of countless of like-restaurants in Brooklyn -- and were led to the very back, right by the kitchen. At first, we were both a bit disappointed; usually the people that are viewed as low-dollar diners are pushed to the back. (And the very awkward first date of two Georgetown students next to us? Yeah, they fit that stereotype.) But it ended up being an absolutely magical experience -- both in terms of the food on our places, and the insights we had on the chef and his kitchen. We watched each order get put in, including our own, by the chef to his team. He would put the finishing touches on many/most of the plates, before the serving staff carried to tables. The ingredients are local and extremely fresh; staples on the menu are complemented by creative specials -- so really, no two dining experiences are alike. Given how close we were sitting to the chef, I'm sure he could hear us whisper--on more than one occasion--in awe of the stunning flavors on our plates. We tried one of the special starters (hamachi collar) and a classic, the sourdough focaccia with a butter/basil oil spread. We ordered arctic char, chicken, and the charred broccoli for dinner -- and admittedly had to take some home! I can't wait to have a reason to go back to Lutèce. It's a gem of a neo-bistro with beautifully prepared, seasonally fresh, and absolutely delicious food. Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite restaurants in DC. read more

We were told that this was a great little spot....so, we decided to go across town and try it out. The space is small and intimate. Feels like a small restaurant on the left bank in Paris. We sat at the bar since these were the only seats available. The bar tender was professional, but not very engaging or friendly. The drinks were nicely composed, and were probably the best part of the meal. We ordered the barbeque carrots and the tomato dish for appetizers. The carrots were tasty, and the tomatoes were fine.....just fine. For these prices I'd expect way more than what we got. My husband had the duck, and for $45 you certainly could have pit more than two small slices of meat on his plate.....he left hungry. I had the gnocchi in a green creamy sauce with undercooked peas. There were about 10 small gnocchi in the bowl, and I was very mad to have paid so much money for such a miserably small portion of food. We've been here twice.....first and last. read more

The food and service lived up to the hype. We tried the chef's tasting menu and it was amazing. The meal began with a mini ear of corn coated in cheese and a tater tot topped with caviar. They were sublime. The meal moved on to Parisian gnocchi, sourdough with a compound butter and olives, and duck breast. Each course was unique and impeccably done. The meal ended with semi-freddo topped with cheese (sounds bizarre but it not only worked, it was delicious) along with a chocolate dessert that was airy and light. Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The restaurant itself is cozy. A truly wonderful experience. read more

absolutely lovely experience. i've heard great things about lutece and was eager to try it out. the menu is brief but everything on there looks interesting. the place itself is very tiny and cozy. what we ordered: - sourdough focaccia & cultured butter - golden ossetra caviar - duck - chocolate ganache bread & butter was warm, crisp, and perfectly salty. next- it was also my first time trying caviar and i loved the combination of textures. the bottom part almost tasted like a hash brown! we had the duck (medium rare); it was so, so tender. the chocolate ganache for dessert was beautiful as well- sweet but nice touch of salty (and very smooth.) the portion sizes are fairly small but we left feeling satisfied! presentation and service were also on point. definitely will come again! hoping to try out the brunch menu or the four course chef's tasting next time. - july 2022 read more

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Since we all USE Yelp, rely on reviews but it seems like fewer and fewer are coming up... GO TO LUTECE. Wine, food, service, vibe all perfect. They even make cabbage incredible. read more

Wow, what an amazing wonderful meal. First meal in DC moving from LA and it did not disappoint. Got to sit at the chef's table for the four course chef's tasting with lots of little extras. So worth the value. Service and food were excellent. We will definitely be back! read more

Pretty good French spot! We went for a brunch and split the croque madame, ricotta toast, and a grapefruit salad. We enjoyed all three dishes, probably the ricotta toast and salad more than the croque madame as they were a bit more unique. I wouldn't get the coffee though, it tasted very watered down and bitter. Otherwise, I would come back again for brunch and I'm looking forward to trying out their dinner menu sometime! read more

Lutèce - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Previous two experiences were wonderful Restaurant has declined in both quality of food and service As soon as you sit down you are being rushed to order and pressured to finish each course Ordered a cocktail but was not even asked to order wine (perhaps to sped up the meal) Fish was overcooked and octopus was tough Will not be back read more

This is a great local place. Food is excellent! We had the spaghetti squash appetizer, the gnocchi and the burger. Everything was so good! The burger was next level! Service was great - server recommended a bubbly wine by the glass that was really excellent (cremant du jura). It's a tiny place so make a reservation well in advance through Tock. read more

Lutece is a gem of a restaurant in DC! Tucked into Georgetown, its perfect for brunch while out walking around or for dinner after a long day. Its small and intimate on the inside, and the staff is very attentive and spot on. I came for brunch with some girlfriends (its small so probably stick to 4 or less, 2 people is ideal!) and had the best time - great cocktails and drinks, and a great array of food choices (larger plates, smaller ones, sides to share, great balance of sweet vs savory and more breakfast foods and lunch options). Have also heard great things about their chef's table- on my list to try next! read more

I don't know how this restaurant got its rating. The kitchen is heavy-handed with strong flavors--very much not in the French tradition. The horse radish overpowers the scallop crudo. Raw scallops have a delicate sweet flavor. Putting something strong, and in large quantities on it, completely overpowers and obscures the flavors. Gorgeous roasted carrots were assaulted by harsh acid in the vinaigrette. Again, less is more. A slight touch of chili can be a nice counter point to mussels, but not so much that your eyes water on the first bite. Detecting a theme here? Delicate flavors overpowered by harsh, caustic flavors. For the honor of having your palate attacked, you are charged an obligatory 22% service charge. OK, fine. But at least: bring the entrees (only 2 people) at the same time--not 5 minutes apart; have the correct wine glass for red wines (seriously, the same glass for a champagne as a young cab franc?); have a shellfish fork for the mussels; it's balmy outside--people still drink iced tea during tea weak; and don't take my tea until I'm finished with it. Regret coming in the first instance. Will not be repeating this mistake. read more

An absolute joy. Stunning cuisine, great waitstaff, a palpable vibe of happiness. One of the best steak tartare's I've ever had. Poached cod was buttery and light. Duck was perfectly cooked, accompanied by a wonderfully tart sour cherry sauce. Herbal profile of the gnocchi was heavenly. Will definitely be back. Also, terrific wine list, reasonably priced. read more

Great food with innovative ingredients. The Bluefin Tuna with raspberry sauce was amazing. Can't wait to get back for tasting menu. 22% gratuity when dining solo at the bar wasn't warranted. I would still have tipped 20%. Definitely recommend! read more

Had a wonderful experience at Lutèce, food and service were amazing. The place is so cozy and cute and they have outdoor seating with heaters. Sanitizers are available at each table. We had the house ricotta and focaccia to start along with the gnocchi which had two size portions; starter and main. For entree we got the poached cod and ended it with the most delicious Dark Chocolate Ganache with caramel and white chocolate crumbles. OMG this was heaven I wanna come back to have this again! I'd also like to note that our server was super kind we had no idea the restaurant was already closing until we asked, she was super nice, didn't mention it or made us feel like we overstayed and even let us order dessert after closing time thank you Katya! read more

Impeccable start to finish. From the moment you enter, until the moment you leave. It's all about the food , but if the service is bad then it isn't. The service was great. I spoke to the kitchen to compliment them, and you can tell they take pride in their creations. read more

Came here to celebrate my birthday. I reserved a greenhouse chalet, and it's so charming. Even on a rainy night, it was warm and cozy - highly recommend. The food was all delicious and not too heavy. The only thing I didn't love were the desserts - creative, but prefer more classic flavors. Overall, the service was impeccable, food and drinks were yummy, and the atmosphere was the best. I would definitely return! read more

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I am world-traveler and "eat a lot." Lutece is a lovely place and if I had a girlfriend, wife, serious woman in my life, I'd bring her here to charm and to delight. Yes, a proposal here would last a lifetime. Wait-staff is great, food... super-delish. I did not gorge on the fabulous before-meal bread because I wanted to be able to eat the whole entre...so, I ordered the heirloom tomato-crab salad as a starter and then had the duck. Duck "ain't easy" to get it just right but the chef nailed it... crispy skin, medium-rare inside...I had dinner with a medical colleague whom I have known for a lifetime. He had chicken...then, because I did not gorge myself on the pre-dinner bread, I had the dessert...a chock-laty yummie think with some sort of ganash... Met some folks at our outside table and finished dinner with a great socio-political conversation... which is what Lutece is "about," a confluence of all that a dinner should be. Coming back next time I am in DC. read more

Lutèce - Yes, cozy... - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Such a cute restaurant. Takes me back to being in a cafe in Paris, Reims or even Amsterdam. Great baked eggs dish and the carrot juice was so good, I could drink a gallon of that! Everyone at my table enjoyed their dishes, will be back when I return to DC! read more

Lutèce - Baked eggs - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came for brunch and genuinely do not understand the hype. We had the shakshukaish baked eggs and mezcal smoked salmon. Both were tasty but totally standard renditions. Service was friendly enough. The interior decor is charming. If you can't land a table, you're not missing much; I wouldn't bother queueing. read more

This was a little bit of a disappointment for me. First of all, unfortunately the chairs outside are extremely uncomfortable. I had a hard time sitting still throughout the dinner because I had to keep shifting in my seat. It was also very dark outside in the evening and I was unable to see the plating or the quality of any ingredients. Regarding the food, while our plates were enjoyable, the food was very simple in its preparation and I felt it was a bit overpriced for the techniques that were used. Used. Lastly, I really did not. Enjoy my cocktail prepared with bee pollen. It was simultaneously too bitter and too sour. I would give them another chance as several of the dishes were quite tasty. read more

BEST gnocchi i've ever had in my life and I don't think it'll be topped. Everything was amazing and I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a nice dinner in Georgetown read more

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Best brunch in DC...prove me wrong. I have been to over 20 restaurants since my 2 visits here and still nothing comes close. Service and plate choices are exceptional. Great vibes, decor and options. Everything is a 5/5. Menu Selections: Pain Perdu (French Toast) Burrata Toast Dans Le Jardin (lavender gin) French Omelette (smoked salmon) tiktok #queen_dria_401 IG explorewithdria read more

CHECK YOUR BILL CAREFULLY - (1) Tip is already included, no need to tip extra despite the fact that a line is listed for this on the invoice. (2) They don't apply your reservation down payment to the invoice unless you ask. I failed to notice this, and had to call once and email three times ... and no solutions were presented. I disputed the charge on my credit card in the end. (3) Items on the menu were charged at the different rate on the bill to what they were advertised as costing on the menu. All in all, good food, but poor back-office operations. read more

Note to future self: Get the halibut, steak, and cabbage. Beef tartare with chips are also pretty good. read more

Expensive but Delicious!!! Great for brunch they have cute outdoor greenhouses for dining. Quality ingredients. read more

Lutèce - Mushroom hash - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've never had gnocchi like that before, it was incredible. Highly recommend, it literally melts in your mouth. Staff was great, really knowledgeable and gave great wine pairing recommendations. They had our seat ready when we arrived and the dining room was warm and comfortable without being hot or stuffy. Great for a fancy date night :) read more

LOVED this place and will totally come back! The waitress was awesome and super willing to accommodate us in the less-than-ideal-but-COVID-necessary busy street seating. I had a couple "In the Oui Hours" cocktails, which were light and refreshing. The food was SO hard to decide between and I definitely want to go back to try some of the other dishes. We ended up starting with: the homemade foccacia with squash blossom butter--warm and soft, although the butter was not as flavorful as I would have thought; the also-homemade burrata and stone fruit--OMG, cheese is SOOO good with fresh cherries and plums and I recommend adding another side of the warm foccacia to soak it all up; and steak tartare, which was pretty darn good. For my entree, I got the swordfish, which was really flavorful and healthy at the same time. read more

One of the best restaurants in DC and the ambiance can't be beat. However, they removed the burger from the dinner menu (the best burger in DC). Please bring back to the dinner menu!!! read more

We made an evening reservation to enjoy a tasting of what this location had to offer. While the food was delicious for the most part, the service is what stinks. The restaurant includes an automatic 22% tip for the staff, so I'm guessing the wait staff knows they will get their tip regardless of how they speak to and treat people. We were interested in trying the four course tasting plus a few other things. We were told that would mess up the plating and serving so we should just order a la carte instead. When we said we needed a minute to decide, the staff informed us that we needed to order sooner than later, as the kitchen was closing. This left a bad taste in our mouths for the whole meal. If time is a concern for the staff, maybe the restaurant shouldn't have a reservation time for when we selected. read more

Pretty new restaurant in DC - absolutely recommend! We did the chef's table, which is very affordable for the amount of food. 7 courses for $65! There is a pairing option for and additional $50, but we opted for a bottle of the Côte de Brouilly gamay (delicious - a bit jammy). The service was great and the courses were well paced. They charge a $25 deposit per guest upon reservation (pretty common in DC) and 22% gratuity is added automatically. 10/10 would return to try the bone marrow and homemade sourdough we eyed from the kitchen window. read more

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Had the Pain Perdue, Ricotta Toast, Caramelized Grapefruit. They were all good, especially the ricotta toast. Service was great as well. read more

Lutèce - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great service, food and dining experience. Really enjoyed our time dining at Lutèce! Came on a weekend trip from Philadelphia and this was the best place we ate at in DC. Dining experience is divine, especially in the outdoor spaces where each enclosed space gets privacy and their own heating source. read more

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Do not give this restaurant your credit card. They would not allow me to cancel 24 hours in advance and charged me $100. Cancellation via Web site, phone calls, voice message and txt messages all failed. They have not responded to my follow up. read more

Overpriced and food was pretty basic . The outdoor seating was pleasant but that's about it . The brunch food was extremely boring !

Really can't find a small restaurant in DC trying any harder to put out great food in a tough time. Everyone is fantastic and food is so good and always consistent. Great drinks and what they have done outside with the seating is perfect. read more

Lutèce - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia