Service can be slow but it is a delightful place for a leisurely lunch with delicious food.

I hosted an "afternoon tea" baby shower here for 16 people. I had never been here before (other than to see the space) but was pleasantly surprised and would be back here again. Upstairs, there is a small private room (where we were) and a larger main dining room. I worked with Susan and Carine via email and it was an easy process to set up logistics. On the day of, We were able to come in a little early to set up some simple decorations. Afternoon tea was reasonably priced and we had a lot of sweet and savory bites to choose from. Everything that we got was delicious (crab cake, mini smoked salmon sandwich, caramelized onion tart, lemon meringue tart, macarons). The main con to our event was the room was way too small for 16 people. I think that 10 people would be ideal, and maybe AT MAX 12, but with 16, people were crammed in the corner and against the walls and it made conversation difficult and moving around uncomfortable. It was also hard for the waiters to come in and serve the guests. I had asked about moving to the main dining room beforehand but we were not given the option. Also, not a big deal, but it wasn't clear how many small bites we would be getting and I thought that with our large party size we would have had more food. read more

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So a little pricey but well worth it. Came by accident. The downstairs is the bakery and the top floor is the restaurant. Unique french decor, love it. Not much sitting place so the place got packed quick, obviously a local favorite. Enjoyed the written daily menu. Food was amazing. Hot, fresh, and have a variety of options for various dietary needs. Desserts melt in your mouth. Coffee nice and strong, just the way I like it! Def a cute unique dinner date location. read more

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First things first - if you're not from the area, your GPS will be very confused trying to get here. See the shopping center? It's in there. I stopped for a very late lunch and some macarons before heading to the airport. I ordered the quiche Lorraine with greens but received a different quiche. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I ordered and I didn't have time to send it back. That would have made this a 3 star experience if it weren't for the MACARONS. Holy. Cow. I'm talking about melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, slightly crunchy goodness with the smoothest, most delectable cream fillings you could imagine. To top it off, they put them in this tiny little suitcase box that made me swoon like a little girl. All in all, I think I'll be back for the bakery items but will pass on the cafe. read more

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I've tried both the restaurant and the bakery here, and both exceed expectations, especially given the modest, out-of-the-way location. In particular, the bakery is a true gem: when we are craving or really need some high-end pastries, we love being able to just walk in and select from the single portion servings of many of their incredibly delicious desserts. For special occasions (birthdays, guests, etc) we stop by and pick up one of their specialty cakes (*anything* with chocolate is always a huge hit, and my personal favorite is the melt-in-your-mouth walnut dacquoise cake ... Literally heaven dancing on your tastebuds). Not surprising as the pastry chef used to be the White House pastry chef. (They're coming out with a book, in fact, about gingerbread at the WH!) The bakery savories are also very tasty - the single serving quiches and pizzas are particular faves when I'm on the go. Warning, though - this place is expensive. But hey, expect to pay for quality. Additional plus: Starbucks is in the same shopping center, so this is a great trip to get your coffee *and* dessert in one shot. Just sayin' ... read more

The most yummy & sumptuous cookies, tarts, pies, pound cake and sandwiches + coffee in the tri area of MD, VA & DC!!! But oh wait- the BEST tasting & beautiful Joyeaux Noel log that really elevates the holidays! If you took one for a holiday party, you'll be on the permanent guest list! Here's a pro tip - they sell out FAST, so place your orders early! Susan and her team are awesome and go the extra mile to care for customers. Sooo good, I make a point of stopping by while in DC. read more

This praline is not so sweet. I haven't written a review on Yelp in over 3 years, and this experience was so bad I had share. If you dine here, beware. They may have hidden fees they don't divulge to you. They have an upcharge for getting pastries from their bakery and dining in the restaurant. The real problem: -They never explained this to us. -They let us personally transport pastries (so we weren't technically served). -They showed us some alternative menu we had never seen before to justify the upcharge. -Our waitress said she actually didn't know of the upcharge and that it was news to her. -The manager was very unhelpful and unwilling to provide a refund for the measly $3. What added insult to injury is that we still had the mandatory 20% to pay for parties of 6 or more, and the food and coffee weren't even that good. They lost 6 customers from that experience. Go here if you want to ruin your morning! read more

The quality of the food and baking here is pretty good. But don't eat-in: the seating area was dirty on a recent visit, they were out of both knives and forks and got our orders wrong. There's even a sign saying "we will not cut or heat anything for you." Whatevs. If you want to go...get carryout. read more

My YELP app said the bakery was open, but at 730 PM Saturday night, it had closed. The restaurant was still open so we chose to have our desserts on the outdoor patio. It was lovely out there, with shrubs, flowers, and a warm summer breeze. I had a decaf and their chocolate mousse napoleon. I like my coffee bold, and a little bitter. This cup was a compromise, that probably caters to the largest number of drinkers. It was a medium roast that lacked character. My napoleon had thin crisp dark chocolate wafers, with chocolate mouse layers. It worked visually, and delivered the chocolate flavor, but not to the extreme I was hoping for. I tasted the other desserts at our table. The brownie was ordinary. The crunch bar delivered a nice hazelnut taste along with the promised crunch. The walnut dacquoise did little to impress me. Please be mindful that my review was limited to desserts. I intend to sample some savory dishes, as well as bakery items, and hope to increase the star rating. They also deserve support because of their alliance with Glen Echo Park. They are a civic minded business with roots in the community. read more

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Used to be my go to place for delicious French pastries and breads but the customer service has really gone downhill. It's a shame to see it go down so much in the past couple of years. read more

Great local place. I've had their desserts a few times over the years and always been a fan, but this was the first time I ventured inside to try the bistro. The upstairs seating area is cute and small. The noise isn't so bad that you are unable to carry on a conversation in regular volume speech. The menu features daily specials in addition to a variety of brunch and lunch plates to satisfy both the savory and sweet tooth. I opted for the beet salad, while my friend got the turkey sandwich. I am not a fan of horseradish, and was very glad to get the dressing on the side. It was potent. The salad already had a house vinaigrette on it, which was lovely. The beet pieces were nice and big and there was a generous sprinkle of goat cheese on top. Our service was quick, but we had a fairly long conversation before ordering and didn't feel rushed or pressured to order. Complimentary bread and butter on the table while you wait for your meal is a nice touch. Friend's sandwich was gone quickly and the side order of fries that came with it looked crisp and delicious. Overall, nice place to visit, there were definitely vegetarian options other than just salads. read more

Praline Bakery - Beet salad - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Such an underrated bakery! I ordered the baguette, walnut dacquoise, chocolate pistachio cake, and quiche. All of them were delicious and they had such a variety of goods. I was especially surprised at how good their baguette was! read more

Great place! My only (slight) complaint, which isn't exactly a bad thing, is that they sometimes have been sold out of a few baked goods I was hoping to buy, including their apricot pastry. But that is mostly just an indication of how popular the place is and how loyal many customers are. I have always been able to find something else in those situations, like a croissant or cookie. The staff are very good, and the quality of the coffee has also always been quite high. Great bread as well. Highly recommend. read more

French bakery and bistro. I'm sold. Americans don't give enough attention to crêpes in general, let alone as a meal. Let me tell you that if you have not eaten a savory crêpe, now is the time. I recommend the Norwegian, with smoked salmon, spinach, and crema fresca for a satisfying treat. Also, as a perk, The french tradition is to have a hard cider with the crêpes, and I can see why. The two compliment each other superbly. Give it a try! Finally, if you do not go with their signature cakes for desert, you should question your life choices. The exec. pastry chef uniquely crafts them to perfection. You will not find their signature cakes anywhere else. Good eating! read more

Praline Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Delicious food and wonderful rooftop seating! I've had everything from the delicious cookies, macaroons, and croissants from the bakery to the summer risotto, mezze plate, and nicoise salad from the bistro. They also had a great Mother's Day bruch. My "go-to" place for meeting friends out! read more

great food, a little over priced. an older crowd but a nice place to have a leisurely lunch. I got salmon and ratatouille, which was nice and fresh. There are always a lot of specials. Beet salad is also good. Desserts are divine. read more

Praline Bakery - Praline Crunch Bar (dessert) - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I had lunch here while visiting family in Bethesda. It is right across the street from the condo where my grandparents live. Praline's location is fairly unassuming (in a strip mall) but the interior is cute. The first floor is a French-style bakery and upstairs is a restaurant, which is where we went. The weather was nice so we sat on the outside patio. Fortunately, you can't really see the strip mall parking lot from the patio. I wasn't actually very hungry due to having a large breakfast, so I just had a piece of lemon almond cake. It was delicious! My family members seemed to think the lunch food was not as good as it used to be, but I was pleased with my cake, as well as the bread that came with the lunch entrees. I also had a mini lemon macaron... it was awesome. Way better than the frozen Trader Joe's macarons that I've been subsisting on until this point. Light and fluffy but still crunchy, with flavorful cream. It turns out that my grandparents had already bought the same lemon almond cake to have with dinner later. I had another piece because this cake was delicious. Interestingly, the piece I had at lunch tasted more lemony, but the cake I had at dinner was more almondy. I love both lemon and almond so this didn't bother me, but there may be some slight variation among batches. If I lived in Bethesda I would probably eat pastries from here every day! read more

Praline Bakery - Lemon almond cake - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I notice that reviews for Praline complain about tiny portions.... that's interesting to me! this seems indeed to be the M.O. of the chef there ... A loud and unpleasant woman who claims to be the owner and has reduced the size of what she bakes or cooks to the very minimum she can, while hiking her prices by 20 or 25% and more. what used to be a delicious chocolate pound cake of decent size and cost $15 is now reduced to a mini size for $19 and all the so-called 8-portion cakes are in fact 6-portion cakes nowadays with a hefty increase in price all the viennoiseries have shrunk in size and risen in price. The delicious refined French pasties have become ordinary. Very Sad! No one will cut a sandwich in half, no one ill heat up anything in the bakery! A rude sign tells you so! How is that too much to ask? All decent bakeries are happy to give these basic services ! The loud and rudely unpleasant chef has one answer to the remarks one makes to her : "YOU ARE FORBIDDEN TO COME BACK HERE, DONT COME BACK HERE ". thank you for the advice. We won't come back ! much to our regret, because Praline used to be a favorite place to buy pastries and enjoy delicious food. Not any more! read more

I stumbled across this establishment when hubby took me for my COVID-19 test (negative...thank God!) and I needed a pick me up after a rough couple of days. I had no idea what a praline is but the storefront was so cute and I saw that they sold other desserts so we decided to treat ourselves! I had no idea a praline had nuts...I am allergic and they were out BUT they had Parisian macrons of all sorts! They have a special display case for them. I lost my mind and I think I ordered 2-3 of each type. As I paid for my order, I saw that they had brioche beignets filled with chocolate! I added 2 of those to my order. I spent so much money in so little time but it was so worth it! I will be back. I cannot wait until this quarantine lifts so I can check out their patio. Looks like a fun spot to enjoy my treats on a weekend afternoon. Thanks for making a sucky day end on a sweet note. read more

I haven't been to the actual bakery. They had a stand at the Bethesda Farmer's Market today and am I glad I stopped! I had read the reviews of Praline Bakery on here and was so excited to see the stand. LOL I got a Florentine and the almond cake. OMG, I've only taken a bite out of each and I'm in heaven! I am definitely going to hit the bakery soon! read more

Delightful bistro and bakery. Seating is both down and upstairs. We ate lunch upstairs and outside on a wonderful patio with huge, adjustable umbrellas. I had loose crab tiny pieces in a green salad with avacado, tomato and hard boiled egg that was just ok. Maybe I should have had the burger. Our server was well versed in the dishes and was attentive to the five of us. My complaint is that we could not have separate checks. There is NO excuse for not offering separate bills. It makes it easier on the customer. I would think easier on the wait staff who does not have to explain this to customers. Update your computer and offer separate checks. It's the 21st century. read more

Came here for a family holiday weekend visit as it was recommended by our family that lives in DC. We enjoyed their brunch menu very much. The prices were quite reasonable and portions were very fair. The plating was very good and the good itself was very tasty. We just had family come back from Paris and they said the food was very comparable. That's quite a compliment. We had a party of 15 so we sat upstairs in a semi-private room. The waiter was very helpful and attentive and everything came out perfectly. We enjoyed almost every menu item from the croque monsieur (which was a hit), frittata, waffle, benedict, steak & eggs, and more. Everyone was quite satisfied. I was surprised this place only had a 3.5 yelp rating at the time. I would easily give this place a 4.5 in quality and presentation. It's a little gem in a small plaza and you would least expect the brunch offerings from outside! I would highly recommend this place if you don't want to fight traffic/parking in downtown DC/Georgetown area. I would definitely come back here again! Highly recommend! read more

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Went there for lunch today with a friend. Lovely space, also an open patio which they apparently can reserve for events. We dined on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Praline Salad with Grilled Chicken. Then enjoyed the sorbet of the day (including mango and raspberry) & the cake of the day (lime mousse cake). They were gorgeous AND delicious. And then there are the cookies which i brought home for later - their lemon drop, lemon ginger, and pumpkin cookies are good. Their chocolate mocha cookie is ridiculously rich one was PLENTY (and I love rich chocolate things). But their oatmeal cookie was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Oh, and their macaroons? Yes. Just, yes. read more

Praline Bakery - The desert of the day - the lime mousse cake. Light, refreshing, and generally amazing. - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

The service was great. The waiter made some good recommendations. My duck confit was a bit salty but otherwise good. The crowd there was a bit mature read more

We ate brunch at the bistro upstairs. Food was mediocre at best, but two stars is for the very shady pricing practices. One member of our group ordered a croissant, but they were out, so they waitress offered that she could go down to the bakery to choose a different pastry. At the bakery, she asked repeatedly if she should tell the waitress what she wanted or carry it up herself and was assured she could just take it up. When we received the bill, we were charged 3 dollars over the price of the pastry downstairs. When asked we were told the bakery pasteries cost more (almost double!!!!) upstairs. When we told the staff no one told us this, our waitress said she didn't know the price would be higher upstairs. The appropriate response at that point would have been to adjust the price, given that even the staff did not know about the price difference. Another staff member (I assume the manager) was equally unhelpful and rude. We were origi ally planning to come back the following day to purchase bakery items, but will not be returning. Mediocre food, very poor customer service. read more

Have gone here for years. High quality but high prices. Today after buying a very expensive and small croissant I asked for a cup of tap water. "We don't do that here" was the response from staff that were not busy doing anything. I've never encountered a place that wouldn't give me water. read more

Parking is not a problem and the restaurant being open all afternoon is highly appreciated. I love seating outside on the patio in summer but this time I really enjoyed seating in the quiet backroom reading my book. The food is great (I just had the escargots and the duck breast). The bakery downstairs is an absolute gem! Everything is tempting and all I tried so far have been excellent. The lemon almond cake is my favorite, it is light and not too sweet, ends the meal just perfectly! read more

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This used to be one of my faves. After my last 2 visits, I will stop going there. The selection and quality have declined dramatically. So has the service. It also needs to be painted. It looks worn and actually sort of dirty. The chef salad was very expensive and the portion was very small, more like a side salad. The vegetable soup was very watery without much flavor. My friend got a cappuccino which tasted awful and was just lukewarm. Right after it was made. read more

Went back on a regular Friday night. Was very good but not as good as New Year's eve, when they had a special menu.

Absolutely expensively rudely awful. Food and service was terrible - even took our order incorrectly. And when we requested a sandwich be cut in half, 3 people, including a manager, descended from upstairs and refused to cut it because it's not a full service restaurant and if they did it for us "they'd have to do it for everyone" ... even though no one else was there. The sandwich was so stale, a plastic knife wouldn't cut it. All in all, a waste. read more

A ten dollar chicken salad sandwich. I asked for it to be cut in half. No we can't do that. Replied the unfriendly staff. Seriously?? The bread is hard enough to break your teeth and the chicken salad had no flavor. read more

I recently went to Praline's for a colleague's going away party and I really enjoyed this place. It reminds me of an establishment one would find in Sacramento. The patio seating adds a really nice atmosphere. I had the Champêtre which is Mushrooms Herbes de Provence crepe. It was so flavorful and filling. I can't wait to bring my family here! read more

Meh. We wanted a special place in the neighborhood in which to have a cuppa. I eschewed the Starbucks to actively support a neighborhood business. We tried this place because we really want to find a regular, neighborhood hangout. Downstairs is the self-service area, upstairs is for sit-down service. This is important to know up front. More on that in a moment. We stood in line behind one other couple to order coffee and pastries. There were four people behind the counter, but all seemed to be in training, in various stages of leaning how to put a pastry on a plate or get the coffee machine to cooperate or work the register. After a longish, 5-minute wait, it was our turn. We got our pastries on plates, then our barrista, much flustered by the complex order of one double shot espresso and one capuccino, asked us to sit down and she'd bring us our drinks. Then she turned to another trainee behind the counter and they set off on a grand adventure of figuring out how to use the coffee machine. By this time, there were about 8 people suffering in silence behind us in line. A group of three turned around and left. I get it, people need to learn their jobs. No big deal. I wondered where the owner was, as we looked around for a place to sit. There were about six tables and a small counter with stools. Sadly, the tables were all occupied, and the only place left to sit was a counter that was covered with crumbs and dirty coffee cups, so we trudged up the stairs. Big mistake. As we reached the top of the stairs, an older woman (later identified to us as the part owner) who had watched us navigate the open stairs with plates in hand, stepped directly in front of us. "Can I help you?" in the stilted manner of the snooty shopkeepers in Pretty Woman, because she did not really seem to want to help at all. I was confused. I had a plate with a pastry. She had just watched us climb all those stairs. I gestured to the empty tables (there were several). She knew what I wanted, but, to make her nasty, smug point, she squared herself in front of me and said, again, "Can I help you?" through a tight smile that was more of a suffering grimace that certainly was not friendly in the least. Not really a question, more a statement. You do not belong here. I was starting to get that the upstairs was sit-down service, and the downstairs was for self service. Of course, I only got it the second time because I speak fluent passive agressive, not because the woman had any intention of actually being nice and explaining this to me in a polite manner. I smiled my best smile and said, "We are looking for a place to sit." She pointed back downstairs. No explanation, no apology. Just pointing. I was a bit shocked, but kept my temper and politely pleaded, "Yes, but there is no place to sit." She simply shrugged and continued to stand there blocking our path. No sympathy from that quarter, and certainly nothing that even vaguely resembled politeness. So we turned and walked down the stairs and just stood there. I looked around the stairs to see if there was a sign that indicated that the upstairs was only for sit-down service and meals. Nope. I stopped a group of three who was just starting up the stairs with plates in hand, and warned them that they'd find no warm welcome. One of the ladies in that group seemed unsure whether to believe me and said, doubtfully, "Really? There isn't a sign..." Our barrista showed up with our drinks on a tray. Two capuccinos - not what we ordered, but... okay. We all three stood there looking at each other, because there was no place to put the drinks, nowhere to sit. A seated couple noticed us, and told us that they were leaving. As they stood, we put our plates on the table and the barrista left our capuccinos there. She did not collect the dirty dishes that the couple had left behind, so I added them to the growing collection on the counter. The three ladies who had considered going upstairs just stood there, looking confused and frustrated, then one started to stack the dirty dishes on the counter to one side to make room for them to sit down. I'll point out that the owner had full view of the area downstairs, and made no attempt to direct her staff in training to clear dishes from the counter, even after our encounter. The cappuccino was good. The pastries were decent. The barristas tried hard, even if they had no guidance or solid training, and were bubbly and friendly. The selection of pastries and cakes seemed awesome. The decor was warm and welcoming. An okay destination if you order to-go, but a difficult place to get comfortable - which is what a neighborhood coffee joint should be. The owner was a nasty piece of work, and pretty much ruined our hopes of bonding with her neighborhood cafe. Starbucks next time. At least there is a place to sit! :) read more

Went to bistro for brunch. Great atmosphere and onion soup was excellent. Praline dessert are died for. I would go back again. read more

Praline Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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I'm disappointed to give this place one star since I actually do like the food. But the service and the attitude of the hostess at the bistro upstairs is unacceptable. We tried to get a table right at 10 am on a Saturday for two families (four adults 2 toddlers). The place was entirely empty. It's always empty at that time- I've been there several times at that hour. We were told that there was no space and we could not be accommodated. Disappointed, we went downstairs to the bakery and ordered there. An hour later, the place was still 3/4 empty. It's clear they could have accommodated us. My guess is that the hostess doesn't like small children. I've been there a few times with just my daughter and she's definitely given me attitude then, too. Which is fine- you are entitled to your views. But it's a friggin bakery, not a fine dining establishment. There is really no basis for denying service to families with small children. read more

Food quality is excellent and always consistent. Lovely, accommodating wait staff. The chef stayed a few minutes late one time to make our carry-out order. Terrific mussels, scrumptious ratatouille and wonderful onion soup. read more

Bethesda isn't exactly known for sprouting indie coffee shops. You grab your morning latte from either the Moose or the Mermaid, and pretend to enjoy the pasty scone that goes with it. Tucked into the blandest of strip malls in a residential neighborhood (though across from some sort of gated military installation), Praline actually serves coffee, tea, and pastries without making you feel like a corporate drone. There is, in fact, outdoor seating, free wifi, and an employee who comes around with a tray of French macaroon samples. What's not to love? In addition to that tasty macaroon, I got a vegetable quiche that was filling but light. They actually bothered to toast it to warm it up, rather than nuke it to death. Absolutely worth the wait. Can't speak to the upstairs restaurant bit, but the bakery is absolutely wonderful. read more

*3.75 stars for the restaurant and still 5 stars for the bakery* Came here for dinner with three friends. We started with the cheese plate, which was great. The vegetarian got the vegetable napoleon, I had salad with salmon, one person got the chicken pot pie, and another had a meat dish. I wasn't thrilled with my salmon and salad -- the last time I'd gotten it, the portion was definitely larger. And the salmon was overcooked. But everyone else liked their dishes. For dessert we had planned to go downstairs and get some pastries from the bakery. Turns out the bakery closes at 7pm on Sundays, and by the time we were done with dinner it was well past that. Instead we got 2 slices of cake off the restaurant menu. At $7.95 they are not cheap, but they were damn tasty. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wine list. It's small, but they offer both glasses and tastes of about 8 different wines. I'm not much a drinker, so I ordered a taste of the chardonnay. The size of the taste was much larger than I expected -- it was a small glass, filled to the top. The chardonnay was perfect for me, and at $3.75 you just can't beat that. Considering the price of eating here and the number of servers/busboys seemingly running around, service was definitely not as good as I'd expect, nor was it as good as I've experienced here in the past. read more

Went here for Sunday brunch. Horrible service. Our waiter took our order and went home. We waited 5 min after receiving half our order to receive an incorrect second half. No one came to check on our table to correct the error. Sat with empty drinks nearly the entire brunch. Omelet was running and undercooked. Praline salad was ok, but not as described on menu. Simple "over easy" eggs were brought out as lightly scrambled eggs. Potatoes were overcooked and cold. Asked for manager and was told the manager went home. Therefore, no resolution was offered for the poor food and poor service. Will not return to this restaurant. read more

This is my favorite place to go whenever I find myself in Bethesda, which is usually twice a year. All of the baked goods are great, from the pastries, to the cookies, to the macaroons. They also have a restaurant upstairs, but this review is only for the pastry/takeout section. Staff is friendly too. read more

Praline Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland