Matera DC delivered an outstanding dining experience from start to finish. We tried a little bit of everything, and every dish was thoughtfully prepared. The eggplant bruschetta was a great way to start the meal. The lamb shank was magnificent--tender, flavorful, and literally falling off the bone. The salmon was perfectly cooked, while the branzino was delicate and light. Portions were generous, leaving us feeling satisfied. For dessert, the chocolate option was incredibly rich, the cheesecake was classic and simple, and the tiramisu cake was light, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The setting was dim light not to harsh on the eyes, cute little candle and a rose. read more

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Just a short 7-min walk to the Kennedy Center makes this a great pre-show dinner option. I had the Gaga Poker Face cocktail, two to be exact, because it was delicious! My friend had their twist on an old fashioned, and she enjoyed hers as well. We saw the hardest working server in DC, handling about a dozen tables, plus going behind the bar to make drinks too! She gave us excellent service too. We ordered a few appetizers for the table to share (we were a party of 5). The garlic jumbo shrimp with white beans and spinach was very good, although a little light on the garlic for my taste. The fried calamari, ordered by my friend's teenaged daughter, was a surprising standout...perfectly seasoned, perfectly tender, and just delicious! We also shared a beet salad, which was a huge portion with plenty to go around between the 4 of us partaking. My one friend and I ordered the chicken piccata, which was good and tender, but nothing resembling a traditional lemon piccata. Good in its own right, but it shouldn't be called a piccata. Not lemony, and it was served with a side of pasta in red sauce! Typically it's served in its inherent beurre blanc over a fettuccini or angel hair of some kind. It was strange to serve it with a red sauce pasta. We had to run to our show so we didn't get a chance for coffee or dessert. Next time! read more

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A very small and cute restaurant nestled in the lobby of a hotel and just a few minutes from the Kennedy Center. Our visit however, fell short of expectations with the highlight being it's convenient location. The ambiance was great and appealing, the overall experience didn't leave us eager to return. Environment It's a very lovely place located just a few minutes from the Kennedy Center which made it a convenient stop before our show. The ambiance was lovely, with an inviting aesthetic. Given it's small size, reservations are recommended as seating is limited although it wasn't too busy when we were there. They offer table dining and a small bar for a cozy atmosphere. Service The service was okay. and left something to be desired. We ordered bread for our table, only to notice that other tables were receiving complimentary bread. After bringing this to our server's attention, he neither apologized nor offered to address the oversight leaving us feeling dissatisfied. Tip: be sure to confirm your free bread with your server to avoid a similar issue. Food and drinks The food was okay. The stand was surprisingly the tomato soup which was both comforting and flavorful especially on a rainy day. I ordered the "Tour of Italy" and my friend tried the chicken parmesan, though neither dish stood out in taste. The cheesecake dessert was similarly just okay. The cocktails were on the sweeter side. Overall My experience at Matera was a bit underwhelming and didn't quite meet expectations, particularly given the mix-up with the bread service. The best thing is it's proximity to the Kennedy Center making it a convenient choice for a pre-show meal or drink. I hope to return to give it another try, hoping for a better experience. read more

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It's a small hotel restaurant, best visited for its convenience. The food is hit and miss. Breakfast was not memorable, but I loved the pasta with Italian sausage dish and the tiramisu was great. Full review at https://www.marga.org/foodblog/2025/02/dining-in-dc-matera/ read more

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Matera is a decent restaurant before going to the Kennedy Center because it is so close and something different from the usual suspects. The menu is not expensive but there is pasta along with some chicken and steak. I had the seafood pappardelle and the server gave me an option of three sauces. I chose the white sauce. The noodles were tender and the shrimp were fresh. Service was quick and there were no issues with making the show. Staff were friendly. It was not very crowded on my visit, but the ambiance is that of a smaller cafe and the noise level was minimal. read more

Matera - a woman sitting at a bar - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Chose this quaint, small, attractive space to meet a friend for dinner before a Kennedy Center performance. The KC is about 3 blocks away, so the location is convenient. The background music was on-point. However, once the place filled the combo of music and diners talking made the small restaurant extra loud. My dining companion and I had to raise our voices to hear each other speak. What is it with waiters not introducing themselves? I don't want to have to ask their name. Didn't feel like asking so I don't know who served us. Pleasant male appearing person w tats. Ordered a moscato and greek salad and added chicken. The standard greek salad was overpriced at $20. Adding chicken made it $28. Few salads are worth $28 unless it has sushi grade tuna or fresh salmon on it, maybe . The chicken was super dry and tough to the point of being difficult to cut and chew. In hindsight I should not have eaten it. And, because I didn't have the energy to do anything to address the problem, I gnawed the dry meat and gulped it down --which is atypical for me. The salad and a glass of wine came to $46 plus tip which took it over $54 dollars! I don't mind paying for a good meal and this cost too much for what it was. I would return for a drink when I'm the area. Wouldn't likely return to eat. read more

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This is a small hidden gem in this neighborhood. There are not many dining options within walking distance from Kennedy Center, and most are overpriced or low quality. The food here is amazing and the drinks are delicious. Since it is a small restaurant with a few staff members, services can feel slow at times, but they try their best to overcome this by hospitality. Definitely recommended. read more

Matera - a rose in a glass bowl on a table - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Matera is possibly the worst restaurant we've ever eaten at. 1) my husband's linguine with meatballs was atrocious. The meatballs were dry, one so hard it felt like it could crack his teeth. In other words, they were inedible. The linquine was slimy. 2) The tortellini and shrimp, which I ordered, were seeped in a watery mixture that was supposed to be creamy pesto sauce. The shrimp were all right but the dish itself was not. Our server didn't know what he was doing or anything about food. For example, he characterized the tortellini as plain, without cheese, just colorful. It was the opposite which I demonstrated by cutting one open for him to display the cheese. But yes, as another reviewer mentioned, some of Wegman's wonderful dog paintings were on the walls which does not make up for the awful food -- which was not cheap. read more

I was in DC on business and stayed at The River Inn (great hotel) where Matera is located. Service, ambience, and good were all superlative, especially considering it's a hotel restaurant. The salmon was fantastic! I don't remember the server's name, but he was attentive without hovering. Thumps up! read more

I came here with colleagues one night before seeing The Color Purple (which was awesome, btw) at the Kennedy Centre. Here is the rundown: -The appetizers were probably the highlight. The fried green tomatoes were nicely done, although the accompanying sauce was a little bland. The mac & cheese was good for non-southern mac and cheese, and I kept coming back to it. I would have liked for it to have had a crispy top, but you can't have everything. They have a nice selection of drinks, my favorite of which was the Cru-Driver. It's a relatively simple drink with rum, orange juice, and lemon juice, but it tasted more like a Jamaican rum punch...which is always a good thing! My duck a'lorange was OK. The duck was not done quite right for my taste and was a bit fattier than hoped for. The sweet potatoes and the wine reduction were good, however. Service was spotty like Spot the Dog. It was rather hit or miss to get anyone's attention, especially toward the end of the meal, when I specifically asked for the check 20 minutes early so that we could head to the theater, and it seemed that we were forgotten about. On the whole, Dish + Drinks is fine, but I will probably find another pre-theater restaurant next time around. read more

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I wish I could give them a zero. I've been twice. The first time I was excited & ordered a steak which was so inedible. Clearly frozen & not cooked nor seasoned well. The second time for breakfast for try number 2. The eggs were gross. It's breakfast so how hard can it be. Then I tried to go a 3rd time but bc they didn't have enough business they closed early & insisted that the kitchen is never open past 8:45 but they list 9:30 for food & 10:30 for the bar. read more

First of all, hats off to the waiter (an older, European gentleman). He was very knowledgeable about the menu, patient, and HILARIOUS. Another man, the manager, I presumed, was also great. They were a wonderful pair. The restaurant is within a hotel. It's pretty small, but the space was used well, and the decor was beautiful. I came with a party of 3 (which later became 4). We had calamari, duck eggrolls, grilled salmon, and the shrimp pasta. Every bite of all of the dishes were amazing, the portion sizes were large, and they were able to accommodate all of the substitutions we requested. They didn't have red sangria, but the manager was able to conjure up a wonderful substitute. All in all, it was a great visit. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Great Italian meal and service. Love the dog theme in all of the artwork. Would definitely go back.

Meh. The reviews are mostly for the prior restaurant in this space, which was so much better. This is now an Italian restaurant with not many Italian items. The best item was the bread. Warm with a good crust. And the prices are fairly steep for the quality. I would skip over this establishment. read more

We regularly dine at Dish + Drinks prior to a performance at the Kennedy Center. We usually order the duck confit spring rolls and the Ahi tuna tartare appetizers. Photos of our favorite main dishes are attached. Pan seared branzino, topped with lump blue crab meat with rice, spinach, tomatoes; Rack of lamb with arugula salad and sweet potatoes with chorizo. Excellent service. Consistently reliable kitchen. read more

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

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It was ladies' night out on Friday, and I got to tag along with the girls to Dish, located just inside the entrance to The Water Inn. The hotel itself isn't challenging to find, but you need to be paying attention when going south on 25th Street, because the awning is a little obscured by overhanging tree branches. As other reviewers have already noted, this place is pretty intimate, but I really liked the space. It's very simple and modern, with lots of dark woods and glass and a little bar in the back. I'd guess that it seats around forty people, so definitely make reservations. Unfortunately, we had just missed their pre-theater fixed price meal at $35 for three courses and runs from 1700-1900 each night. Alas, I the earliest reservations they had for me on a Friday evening were for seating at 1900. I didn't realize the Inn's proximity to the Kennedy Center! I just kind of figured that maybe the university had some kind of arts or theater building in the area and that local residents liked to attend - someone was nice enough to point out that there's an actual professional performance center around the corner. Still, we were not deterred. Between the five of us, we ordered three appetizers: the chicken spring rolls with delicious spicy honey peanut(?) sauce; the crispy calamari with really great marinara and some kind of dip we thought might be an aioli; and the star of the show, the goat cheese tart. Wow - they really saved the best for last. Spiced walnuts and dried cranberries on a mesclun mix, all topped with a piece of pita and a glob of warm goat cheese sprinkled with chili powder. The combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures made for a foodgasmic experience. I think this may have been the highlight of the entire meal for me. The entrees came out shortly thereafter. I really liked how tender my lamb chops were. It was a really generous serving, because I shared one chop to each of my four other dining companions, and easily had another four or so for myself. The crisp light salad that came with my chops had a clean, fresh dressing on it that complimented the heaviness of the meat well. Other highlights were the roasted(?) sweet potatoes with the chicken dish that were ever-so-slightly charred to lend a little smokiness to them, the wild rice that came with the tilapia, and the crab cakes - 86% jumbo lump crab meat! Those things were flavorful and meaty and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I think if I came back, I'd probably order that. We went with the recommended dessert of seasonal cobbler with vanilla ice cream. It happened to be a mixed berry cobbler - we were told fresh raspberries, but it appeared that there were possibly other berries in it, as well as pear. Regardless, it was executed flawlessly. Overall, the food at Dish was superb. The service was a little questionable - although our server was very friendly and attentive, at some points she was a little too in-your-face. At one point, she stopped by our table to present us with a salad that was going to another table - I had no idea what to make of it. On the way out, we did encounter an astonishingly large roach that scampered out of the hotel. Maybe it wanted to come home with us! Potential food safety violations aside, I'd definitely come back to Dish, especially for that pre-theater meal! read more

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Ended up here because of its proximity to my Airbnb for dinner with my sister. They have a three course "theater goers" meal which was a great deal ($40 for appy, entree and dessert). I had calamari, salmon and we split the apple beignets and flourless chocolate cake. The food was delicious and beautiful but the service was even sweeter. Carlos took care of us from the moment we walked in. Our glasses were never empty, he let us sample a wine, and he was generous with his time and recommendations (which we solicited). He kept thanking us for being there- and he seemed sincere about it. All in all a lovely meal - highly recommend! read more

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This review is long overdue. I had an amazing experience here last month. The restaurant is tiny and tucked inside the boutique foggy bottom hotel "river inn". You have to walk into the hotel lobby to get to the restaurant. The lobby is very welcoming and there is a cozy fireplace. We had 6pm reservations and were seated promptly. The restaurant is tiny... Only about a dozen or so tables... So I recommend reservations! Our servers were wonderful... We especially loved Keith who helped us make excellent wine selections to go with our meals. My friend and I started with the mixed green salad and the duck spring rolls. The duck didn't taste particularly fresh (possibly frozen) but the salad was crisp and tasty. Loved the candied walnuts and cranberries! For entrees my friend and I shared the roasted pork chop and the tagliatelle with Italian sausage. Both were delicious!!! The pork chop was tender, melt In your mouth, the pasta was fresh, the sauce was very flavorful. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert. I want to note that my friend was super disappointed that the price of the pre-theater menu went up... It's $40... But Yelp falsely says its $35. Overall awesome cozy spot for dinner! I recommend it! read more

Matera - On the bottom is the pork chop. Top is the tagliatelle with sausage. Both were awesome! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We were here for dinner before a show at the KenCen, and had a very good meal, plus the location can't be beat. We actually parked at the KC on the pre-paid option, then walked over to dinner and back. The $40 pre-theatre option was a good value for what we got and there were a nice variety of options. There were interesting cocktail offerings before dinner, and an excellent glass of wine with dinner (recommended by our waiter.) My steak was cooked to perfection, and the gala apple beignet was great, as was the flourless chocolate cake. The restaurant is small, and by the time we were done, it was really, really loud, which was really the only downside to our visit. read more

We had 4 dishes. Rosemary Chicken: oversalted, really good broccolini, this might have rated 4 stars, certainly 3.5 Mac & Cheese: goopy, enormous (for an appetizer), boring Green salad: by far the best of the meal. Interesting, really good. Kale Cesar salad: one of the worst I have had--salty, stiff, aggressive (who wants an aggressive salad) The service: Carlos forgot that we were there, and we also forgot that he was there. read more

The lamb chops were so good! I would definitely come back just for this dish. Excellent service too! read more

Matera - Lamb Chops - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dish, you have potential. In the following review I will discuss your performance (the good, the bad) and provide opportunities for improvement. FOOD chicken spring rolls - what were you thinking with the honey? I like honey in my tea not as an accompaniment to spring rolls. warm goat cheese tart - the baby greens beneath the tart were well dressed and the spiced candied pecans were a nice touch. Overwhelmingly the best appetizer of the three we tried. crispy calamari - rubbery. Not good. tilapia with wild rice and pine nuts - excellent. the food really improved after the appetizers! i would gladly order this dish again. SERVICE Our server inserted herself into our meal with some exuberance. No one in our party of five found this enjoyable nor appropriate. I'm okay with my mom waiting for me to take a bite and expecting feedback but I am not okay with restaurant staff hovering over me while I chew or pointing to which item on the plate they want me to try next. Management needs to tighten up this lack of professionalism. Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Dish. I liked that the dining room was small and allowed for conversation without anyone having to shout. If the kitchen gets a handle on the appetizers and the staff issues are dealt with I could see Dish being a place I'd recommend without hesitation. read more

This small restaurant inside the River Inn was definitely a pleasant surprise. My boyfriend and I wanted to try a place we've never heard of and saw this place on Opentable. We almost cancelled last minute to go to a more popular hot new restaurant in town instead but I'm glad we didn't. The decor is very simple and unassuming and the atmosphere casual but food was pretty tasty. We shared the duck confit spring rolls to start with and the staff was nice enough to split and plate it separately (we didn't ask them to do this btw). Talk about caring about food presentation! The steaks (NY Strip and 10 oz flat iron) we had were perfectly cooked to medium rare and had a very nice char/crust! These were better than steaks I've had at real steakhouses. I especially love that sauce the NY strip came with but both steaks were great without any sauces though. For deserts we went with the apple beignets w/ ice cream and pistachio creme brulee. Both were pretty good and my boyfriend can't stop telling me how much he loves that apple beignet. Haha. Everything was delicious and we definitely left with very satisfied and happy bellies. :D I have no regrets coming to this place! This place is not exactly in the most happening part of town but it's really convenient if you're catching a show at the Kennedy Center. I also liked that they take credit cards for valet. Also, sorry beer lovers but they don't have great beer selections. They only had 2 beers on tap but their bar was pretty well stocked with liquor and had a decent wine list. read more

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It's attached to a hotel so not the best ambiance. Decent for small groups, or someone you're not trying to impress, or dining solo. Pleasant service for sure. The food came out slowly and it was not that good. The drinks, however, were tasty and strong. But everything except for the bread was overpriced. Overall, I would not come back here except if I were in a pinch. They had mints though so that's nice. read more

Out of the place, wonderful eating venue in the ground floor of a boutique hotel, the Water Inn. Parking can be a hassle but there's such a god relationship between the restaurant and the owner that they allowed us to park in the loading area. Our food evening consisted of a tender, succulent Calamari, butternut squash soup, Tagliatelle with Frutti di Mare, and a swordfish that left us licking our fingers. Then there was a to-die-for Key Lime Pie for dessert. Ambiance was also upscale yet casual. I wanted to take my partner out for his birthday and we were able to enjoy a wonderful meal in an out-of-the-limelight place where one can talk at a normal tone and not have to yell over the noise. We will return. As well, Open Table has them in their listings, so making an online reservation is a cinch. Yum! read more

Disappointed with this one. We went at 9:30p on a Thursday night.First they seemed to be understaffed with one bartender/server. Then she seemed to take all our orders without writing anything down. So inevitably two things came wrong including a steak that was clearly medium rare instead of medium and a salad with bleu cheese when it should've been made without bleu cheese. Speaking of the salads, whatever ranch dressing they were using tasted awful. I don't know what that was but it wasn't ranch. For my meal I ordered the lamb chops. Which were fine. But the warm couscous was not. I like couscous but I think serving it hot as a side just leaves you wanting for more on a $32 dish. Finally my companions ordered dessert chocolate cake and doughnuts. Neither was a hit. I would put the dessert at the level of what you'd get at Applebee's. Overall it's an expensive restaurant with food far below average and service to match. read more

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

Hopefully this was an off night. 4 of us chose to dine here pre symphony due to the good reviews on Yelp. Our experience did not measure up. This is a small, very noisy restaurant located within the Riverside Inn, a short walk to the Kennedy Center. Good location for a pre performance meal. Very poor service: an ordered soup was not brought, tea bag came but no cup. Waiter spoke quickly, was impatient taking orders, & barely materialized thereafter necessitating our hailing other servers. My chicken happened to be quite good. It was moist, tender, and nicely flavored. Others did not fare so well. Veal scaloppini came out in thick slices instead of nicely pounded, thin portions. It was also pretty tough. Duck was judged "just OK". My hubby's scallops were acceptable but lacked the "yum factor". read more

What a lovely evening we had last night at DISH + Drinks... such a Foggy Bottom hidden gem! It was a special ladies' night as four of us visited before the Ballet at the Kennedy Center. From easily making our reservations -- to swift and friendly valet services, to warm greetings from Carlos, to fabulous service and fantastic food -- we could not have had a better experience! Three of us choose the Three-Course Fix... the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Flat Iron Steak with béarnaise sauce, and the Gala Apple Beignet were fabulous! And, thank you for the very personalized service in crafting a special drink for our "light-weight"! I guarantee we will be back to enjoy more DISH + drinks! THANK YOU for your attention to detail, warmth and kindness, excellent service, fabulous drinks, and shared culinary talents! read more

DIsh is kind of a weird place, I thought. It is part of the hotel, in that it opens on to the hotel, but it does not seem to be part of the hotel next door. I thought that maybe they would share a bathroom with the hotel lobby, but I couldn't find a bathroom anywhere (which I think is worth noting when you go for dinner and a few drinks). The service was friendly but slow. I had a reservation, but it was clearly unnecessary; maybe it would be necessary in the pre-theater timeframe as it is near the Kennedy Center, but i was there fairly late after catching a show. My girlfriend and I started with soup; hers was squash, mine was gazpacho. Both the soups were good, though not tremendously memorable. I had a pasta special with shrimp and a creamy pesto sauce; it was tasty, but somewhat bland and light on the basil; it could have used some sun-dried tomatoes to really help it pop. My girlfriend had squash pasta; it was an unidentifiable mass of orange; it looked like someone had gutted a pumpkin and tossed its entrails in the oven; not appetizing to look at and I thought it tasted terrible. (She more or less agreed, though she did nibble at it). I wouldn't go back unless I was in a pinch to find somewhere before going to the kennedy center, but with the center being such a short walk to the Georgetown waterfront, I don't know why people would go here. read more

The restaurant is located inside a hotel. If you do not really know the address of the restaurant, you might pass the restaurant without knowing. The service was initially good; however, it fell into the trash at the end. My friends and I finished our dinner and were enjoying our wine after the meal. Then about 11 PM, the waitress came to tell us that if we did not finish the wine soon, we would need to finish it in the lobby of the hotel since she would lock the restaurant's door soon. I understood that it was late. But come on, did she know the basic concept : the customer comes first!!! The food is quiet expensive for the portion you get. For the entrees, they are around $20 plus. I expected a bit more portion for the money i spent. read more

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

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The thing that makes this place stand out was the excellent service we got. A very nice Venezuelan gentleman whose name I can't remember. The food was just fine. Nothing great and the prices, for what we got were way too high. I got nachos that were special for Cinco de Mayo. I've had much better and less expensive nachos elsewhere. My friend got the Cinco de Mayo sampler which was, again fine. But nothing you couldn't get at any bar for much cheaper. Basically the service (very good and fine dining) didn't match the food quality. read more

Was staying nearby and stopped in for dinner ... and glad I did. Good Caesar salad to start, and excellent lamb chops for the main course. Will return ... read more

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

This is my second time coming to Dish. It's in a great location that's walkable to the Kennedy Center. It makes me want to really like this place. Dishes are a little on the pricier side. The food was good but it came out lukewarm. I definitely wanted it to be hot. The Brussel sprouts were a little under done. We didn't get told about the dinner specials but tables around us did. Also my water was empty several times throughout the meal. I think I would go in a pinch before a show but it won't become a regular place. read more

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

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I am from the Caribbean and if you know anything about Caribbean people we are "foodies" I decided to visit disk and drinks and it was a great choice. The owner Keith and the staff were professional and very friendly. Keith lad some great stories, a great guy. I had the pork chop with a tomatoes reduction on top with wedges of potatoes. The pork chop was cooked to perfection and the food went well with the Merlo that I had. Overall, I great experience and great food in a great and welcoming atmosphere read more

Matera - The staff were very professional and friendly. I had the pork chop with chunks of tomatoes reduction on Top. It was just perfect. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a good little hole in the wall thats not your typical hole in the wall! For me, when I think hole in the wall I think kinda grungy. This place is not grungy, as its in the bottom of an inn in foggy bottom. That said, I call it a hole in the wall, because its never busy nor do a lot of people know about it. The reason I like this place is because its a relaxed place with some pretty awesome bartenders. The vibes are chill, the food is good, and the drinks great. The only thing is it is on the pricey side, which you wouldn't expect walking in. Just be forewarned if you're looking for a cheap bite to eat! read more

I still love this place almost two years later. This place is like Cheers, I love it because everyone knows your name for real. The bartenders and staff are attentive, they remember what is going on in your life personally and professionally, and they privately ask. This shows we as regulars are not just a check or tip. I can not go too long without coming to the Dish!!! read more

Matera - Great menu, even Veg friendly! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Four stars due to parking great place to dine before curtain call at Kennedy Center Date night dinner before the theater- the service was fantastic and Keith was awesome. Had a couple glasses of wine, the gazpacho with crab and avocado, and crab cake dinner. The ingredients were fresh with interesting combinations. The atmosphere was quiet and elegant. The dessert Omgosh...brownie a la mode. The chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream was refreshing, accompanied by ripe, juicy strawberries. Beneath this mound is where I discovered a gooey, moist fudge brownie in Heaven didn't want to share...The Dish is located inside The River Inn Be prepared to search for parking but worth the time. Keith knows his wines and can make outstanding cocktails. read more

Matera - Crab cakes delish and delish - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 STARS (so between Stef W. and myself, it all works out) I hate to cop out this way, but I have to say that between the reviews of Stef W, Kevin L and Miriam W, my food experience here has been covered. Overall, it was a good meal with some hits and some misses; and I'd definitely go back the next time I'm headed to the Kennedy Center. However, I'm not in a hurry to make my way back there again for dinner alone, nor do I plan to become a regular here. Everyone agreed that the warm goat cheese tart with baby greens, spiced candied pecans and tomato vinaigrette was the winner as far as appetizers were concerned. I was happy with my roasted half chicken (but not necessarily blown away). And our cobbler dessert was good too. I think what took away from the experience was our waitress. I really hate saying this because we had attentive service, and if I'm complaining, it's usually because I don't get enough attention (insert joke about my princess ways and not related to dining out here). Here we got TOO much attention. I felt like someone's aunt was hovering over us, asking us how we liked dishes and commanding that we try specific things on the dish, not leaving until she saw us taste said item. She complimented my purse and actually reached over and stroked it. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy friendly service - I really do - and I probably even get more chummy that others would like, but this was a bit much. We were trying to enjoy a girls' night out and catch up with each other. She wasn't supposed to be one of the girls. read more

Here for a quick Labor Day getaway from the big apple. We stayed at the River Inn and Dish is located in the lobby of the River Inn. While the girls were upstairs getting ready for dinner (believe me, it only takes a few seconds for them to look great. Yes, I went there), the boys went here for a drink and some apps to chow down before the big dinner. I had really good calamari, which came with both marinara sauce and tartar sauce, and it was truly delicious. my friend had the salad and a few virgin Marys. I'm not a Mary fan but it tasted really good as well. And as you'll all aware, i'm all about having a few virgins in my mouth. (oh yes, I went......right......THERE) The bartender also served as our waiter, our chef, our valet. I'm telling you, he pretty much did everything for us. If we asked him to come upstairs and clean the room, I'm quite sure he would've. All in all, a great little place thats right downstairs from our hotel room. And from what I've been told, alot of the local residents come here for a nice cozy dinner as well. read more

There are only 2 words you need to know to eat or drink here: "Ask Keith." I've been going to Dish for years, took my wife here on our first date, and even had our rehearsal dinner here. Take it from someone who knows, ask Keith! I'm not exactly sure what his title is, but he seems like the head everything - he bartends, orders the wine, waits on customers, and interacts with the chefs. Therefore, he knows what items on the menu are freshest, best, most interesting, or making the biggest splash. But more importantly, he knows what's off-menu and what NOT to order. He also knows what wines to pair with your meal. In all the years I've been going there, Keith has never steered me wrong. He also makes some delicious custom drinks - just tell him what you're in the mood for and he'll come up with something spectacular. This is not the kind of place where you're going to get wishy-washy answers about food or drink, and it's also not the kind of place where all the food is equal. If you want a spectacular meal, give up a little control, put down the menu, and let Keith be in charge. He won't let you down! read more