I absolutely loved the salad that I had. It was incredibly filling and I didn't need the extra (and delicious) French onion soup that I ordered. I also got a sparkling wine flight that was also delicious and generously poured. Even was tasty. You pay in price for the quality of the ingredients so be ready for a medium high bill. My only beef with this place, and it's a big one, is that for a place called Sonoma Restaurant, I was disappointed by how few Sonoma County wines they carried. I am from Sonoma and the name was the main reason why I chose this restaurant. Sonoma wines are so dang GREAT I assumed they would be the main feature of this place. The food was good, the service was on point, the ambience was upscale casual but I'm still salty about the wine selection. Get some more wines from Sonoma, please! read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - Bubbles flight - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

All good. Ate outside, alfresco-ish, split the cheese steak with truffle (on the side) fries and the cerviche salad w/ plantain chips, Not Too Shabby! Splashed a couple white wines and we were ready to keep exploring the Capital locale. YOU SHOULD GO THERE...NOW... read more

See all

Had a lovely girls night out here! Their bubbly flight for $20 was such a steal (my favorite was the bubbly red). Also had some wonderful pesto pappardelle that was so flavorful and fresh - loved how it was topped with pistachios. The staff were friendly and attentive! Will definitely come back! read more

See all

Stopped here for dinner. Not too busy, which was good. The waitress was very nice. She told us that pizzas were taking longer to cook that night. Lots of options to choose from on the menu. I had the angel hair pasta that was dressed in olive oil, grilled chicken, chili flakes, and crispy spiced zucchini. It was pretty good, but very spicy. Overall, we had a good time. read more

Nice duck dish! The fish (as a main) is a tiny dish (maybe for people who are dieting?). Generally good ambiance. It's one of the better restaurants on Capitol Hill. Not crowded, and comfortably low noise level (so that finally we get to chat!) This was a Saturday night, just FYI. See my photos read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Sonoma is located in the two hundred block of the Avenue (the Hill's Main Street back in the day). You may have passed by this civilized establishment to visit the venerable Hawk 'n' Dove or the revered Tune Inn (oldest pub on the Hill, which reportedly holds the seventh liquor license issued in Washington following the end of Prohibition). If you have not walked along Pennsylvania Avenue SE in a while, you be saddened by the boarded up store fronts and closed restaurants. Sonoma occupies the space that housed Jenkins Hill bar. All is well at Sonoma, which is known by lobbyists and former Presidential campaign staffers who are now consultants (Hill staff are rarely found here due to its price point) for its distinctive charcuterie platter and its deep wine list. Few tables were filled during our January luncheon visit. We started with Crispy Port Belly served with Kimchi and the Bao Bun, which comes with spicy carrot slaw and kewpie mayo. We found both creative and outstanding. Entrees were not the greatest, the Cheeseburger with bel tartufo truffle cheese had an odd flavor and the Nicoise Salad was solid if a bit pedestrian. The dessert was the star of the show; Papanasi fried dough, white chocolate ganache with black cherry jam. Stop by Sonoma, sit at the bar, open your laptop and pretend to be doing work as you enjoy a glass of Cabernet...or two. No Merlot--the movie Sideways is instructive here! read more

See all

Stopped here by chance and it was the best meal of our trip! We ordered a variety of appetizers, meals, and drinks and all 5 of us were extremely pleased with our meal. They were particularily careful of the food for one of our party who has a dairy allergy. So glad we stopped in here after wandering up and down the street trying to get everyone to agree on where to eat. read more

I was visiting DC for two days and looking to meet a friend at a nice wine bar, and this place was recommended to me. I checked out the menu online and we decided to meet here on a Tuesday night, but unfortunately the whole restaurant was closed for a private event. (It would have been awesome if the website could have told us this info to save us a trip...) Wednesday night I returned by myself, and *again* the entire restaurant was closed for another private event! No mention of this on the outside chalkboard the night before, which would have saved me another trip. I was extremely disappointed because the menu and the wine list looked really good. Sigh. read more

We came back for lunch, the menu is changed. So I tried a new dish, and my friend ordered the burger which was still good. I ordered: 3*Paella included saffron rice, chicken, shrimp, coppa, onions, red peppers, and green peas. It wasn't that fresh nor tasty. I was a little disappointed, but I haven't given on it because it still offers good burgers, lambs and goat cheese dishes. read more

See all

Amazing service. The Swordfish on the special was incredible!*****! Great choice of wine. My only complaint is the hat racks are 16' high

Stopped for a bite before a day of adventures. Service was amazing; friendly, efficient. We were worried we were underdressed for such a classy looking place. However, there was no judgment whatsoever. The pasta was absolutely top notch. I put it above most of the pasta I've eaten in Italy. I'm reviewing just so I can find this beauty the next time I'm in DC. read more

If you're touring Capitol Hill and looking for a fun environment to chill and sip wine, look no further. Sonoma has an extensive wine list and nibbles to go along with the wine. Plus, you're within ears shot of buzzing hot topics. A friend was visiting from out of town and wanted to walk to the Capitol Complex. Afterall, it was a beautiful spring day. We booked a reservation for 7:15 pm since it was a weeknight. Sonoma is busy during the week. It's located near the Library of Congress. Food: We ordered salads and glasses of wine. My salad was just the right size after adding chicken. She ordered the beet salad with an order of warm focaccia bread. Note: they charge for bread. Service: We were seated right away and the staff were prompt and attentive. We were informed about the bread charge beforehand. Ambiance: It's chill and low key. Some would say chill enough that right before we walked out, a group of four very noteworthy House members sat next to us. It was a first and short lived experience for me to sit next to members' at a restaurant. Overall, Sonoma is a place to sip and chill. They have varied food with prompt service. read more

We stopped for a quick lunch. Found seating at the bar. Jarred got us in and even came to start our order and give menu advice. Then Devante and Jordon took care of our orders and recommended the burger and calamari. To say they were a hit is an understatement. So so good. Great people, great food, and cold beer. What more could you ask for? ....nothing, the answer is nothing! It was great, come eat here. read more

The staff was excellent and the food was delicious. We had a party of 14 and they went out of their way to accommodate us, including getting a squatting party to move so that we could all sit together. I had the Brazino and it was delicious. read more

I went here for dinner with a few people after visiting the Library of Congress. Overall the food was 3-4 stars the service was pretty bad and drew my overall score down. First Ill cover the food we all ordered. We ordered the Burger, fettuccine, and Chefs pizza. The burger was well cooked and was to the temperature requested. The two people who ordered said it was juicy and flavorful. The fettuccine is a big portion. Had a taste of it. Pasta was well cooked and the red sauce had good flavor it needed some pepper or something to make it more balanced with other items on the dish. The shrimp were well cooked and nicely seasoned. The chefs pizza I ordered was good but has a few drawbacks. It comes with ricotta, slow cooked beef, arugula, and caramelized onions. All the ingredients on the pizza tasted great and worked great together. You get the richness of ricotta with the savory flavors of the onions and the beef. Unfortunately, the pizza was held down by the fact it's mostly a thick crust. The thickness of crust in contrast with the thinness of the pizza causes an uneven cook. A few pieces of the crust were still raw when I ate them. In regards to the service it was pretty poor unfortunately. The server forgot drink orders a few times, the pizza came out much later then the rest of the tables entree's, forgot the burger orders ketchup and mustard when we requested it the server didn't come and deliver it till much later. Luckily in condiment situation the manager saw us waiting and got them to the table very quickly. Overall, the food is solid, restaurant just needs some improvements to get it where they want it. read more

I went before closing on a weeknight. It's a nice lowkey restaurant on the beaten path. The shrimp offered a flavorful punch coupled with the sauce. The fries were tasty too. read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - Tempura shrimp Hand Cut Parmesan Fries - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got street parking luckily, right around the corner. The staff was great. I got the rose, it was ok...but the place was really cute. A Saturday, around 6pm and empty. I did not try any food but the table i was at did and it all looked good. I had to be in and out though so only got the rose. read more

Great food, gorgeous aesthetic, kind and attentive staff. Came in on a whim while staying in DC for the week and it was our favorite meal. We had the grain salad and a pizza, 10/10 recommend. read more

Nice place but the staff needs more training. I asked for a glass of champagne. The menu said BRUT. They gave me something sweet. I said I didn't like it and I'd like to order something else and the very friendly, nice and attentive bartender said to me: "I gave you Prosecco, which is the same". I did t order Prosecco because I don't like Prosecco. The champagne was even more expensive so who just give me the Prosecco without even saying "this isn't what you ordered, this is actually Prosecco" It's a wine bar so I wasn't expecting to have this happen at a wine bar. Other than that, it's a very nice place, I'd go back to and try the food. read more

Walked in unannounced with 17 people... not a problem even with only 1 server. Excellent service, great food and beverages. For a place that said at the beginning they were short staffed, they delivered. Give this place a try. You won't be disappointed! Thanks for a great evening Sonoma!! read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - Wine list - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We ordered takeout the other night because we've been picking up wine here for a wine club we're in, and the 2-person Netflix and Chill meal looked promising for the price. In the carnivore meal, you get an app of meatballs with polenta, a small salad, a burger (that also comes with a salad), a pizza, and a pint of ice cream. For $60! The highlights were definitely the meatballs and the burger (which had a really delicious bun). Oh wait, actually no. The highlight was the ice cream. Obviously home made, super delicious, and I could have eaten two or three by myself. Okay back to the dinner. The salads were a little underwhelming, but that's okay. The pizza was good, but I'm a person who likes blue cheese so if you don't, find something else to get. I've heard their pastas are really nice, so that's what I'm looking forward to trying next. After I get some more ice cream. read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - Carne Pizza - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here for dinner and thought it was just ok. Had a bread basket that was so-so and then got the burger & fries. Ordered the burger cooked medium with bacon & sauce on the side. Unfortunately it came out well done with bacon on it, so that was a let-down. Fries were great but couldn't make up for the burger. I don't think I'll feel compelled to return. read more

I've been coming to Sonoma off and on since they opened and I was super disappointed tonight by the quality of the post-pandemic food. I ordered the pesto pasta with chicken. It was super oily, the chicken pieces were tough and there was very little pesto on the penne. I hope they invest in the food quality going forward, because this used to be a solid recommendation on the Hill and is frequented by lots of Hill and Supreme Court notables. With that said, service was good even tho they were clearly understaffed. I'm sure I will be back for happy hours in the private space upstairs. read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - Pesto Penne Pasta with chicken and bacon - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Truthfully, I was disappointment considering this restaurant is on the Michelin's list. They don't have many options on their menu and if you want to substitute something, they're not willing to do so. For example, I wanted to flank steak and asparagus but the server said it was not permitted but I could order the flank steak salad with no dressing or additional toppings and a side of asparagus. Now, I will say they have a nice selection of wine and no one was disappointed in that department. read more

Starters: roasted brussel sprouts, 2hich were flavorful and crisped to perfection. Went nicely with the " Bubbles" flight. Moved on to the fettuccine with prawns, which were plentiful and the size of mini lobsters. Literally had to share them. Flavor popped, and al dentéd to perfection. People watching is great and congressional gossip aplenty...sssh, don't talk so loudly, intern, we now know what you did and with whom...yes, know it's a loud place, the distressed brick doesn't absorb any sound. read more

I've been to Sonoma for happy hour several times but this afternoon was the first time I've eaten here (Summer Restaurant Week 2018 lunch menu) and the food was pretty bad. My starter salad was very lightly dressed but it was the saltiest batch of lettuce I've ever had - pretty little salt crystals clung to every leaf and the two little carrots I dug around for were a tad bit dehydrated. Second course was a decent salmon with green beans and potatoes. I had no significant complaints but the butter sauce had broken, if you're worried about that kind of thing. Dessert was sadder still, though, and my sliver of a goat cheese cake reminded me of a frozen pie, except for the crust - a remarkably smooth mush (perhaps almond flour missing butter and the oven?). It took us thirty minutes to get our first course and despite leaving it nearly untouched, over an hour to finish our lunchtime meal on the Hill. The manager did stop by to let us know when our courses were being plated and he was quite gracious, but I'll stick to Sonoma for happy hours and events. read more

See all

This review is specifically for Hilary and the beautiful private event she helped me pull off last month. I was a little bit extra and had flowers delivered, dropped off custom cookies, and created a playlist that I wanted played in a specific order starting at a certain time. Hilary didn't blink an eye at any of it and was so helpful giving me a hand with making menu selections as well. I didn't arrive to Sonoma as early before the event as I was hoping so I was freaking out that there'd be a scramble putting everything in place...but Hilary had already handled it! The cookies were displayed, flowers were on tables, candles were lit, music was playing...everything was perfect and it would have been a disaster of a mad dash without her. I'm so grateful for her support, and will definitely look to host future events at Sonoma--especially if their food and beverage minimum continues to be the only option on the Hill that's not highway robbery! read more

See all

I need a place to stop during all the city walking, so I just walked into this restaurant. Kelby and Nick were so helpful and even gave me recommendations for places in DC! (Visitor post) This is a perk of sitting up at the bar and talking to your server, they will talk read more

See all

Amazinnnngggggggg! The fettuccine was to die for and the shrimp was perfectly cooked. They forgot my focaccia but I was so full that I didn't miss it that much. Great flavor and presentation. Some of the wines we tried were good and very affordable. My friend had the steak and said it was the best thing he's ever had. We got to talk to what I assume was the owner and he was incredibly friendly. Ps Don't forget to try huckleberry wine!!!!! ;) read more

The food and service were great. I don't normally post, but the place was empty and I'm kind of surprised more people don't go there

I would trust all the negative reviews here and just pass on Sonoma. We only visited because we had a gift card and were severely disappointed. There are so many lovely places to dine in D.C. I'm not entirely sure why this place is still in operation. Ambiance: Nothing special. Weird tiles on the floors circa early 2000s. Needs a refresh. Also on the chilly side. Food: Underwhelming. We could have made these dishes at home and they would have tasted better. Some dishes were lukewarm and others were bland. And at this price, it's shameful. Service: Our server was pleasant, but couldn't really make up for the issues with the food. We almost felt bad for the waiter for having to present the food in a positive light. And to top it off, they don't allow you to charge tax or tip to the gift card, so we got stuck with a hefty bill and a remaining gift card balance that we don't plan to use. If you're feeling adventurous, we're happy to donate it. We definitely won't be back. read more

This is actually one of the best places to enjoy good wine and a good quiet environment. The food is good also. However, they have poor business practices. For example, they offer happy hour from 4:30-7:30...but only upstairs. Not only does this exclude people with disabilities...a whole other story, but if there's a private event it's upstairs. Therefore, there's no happy hour as they don't move it downstairs. Most recently there was a DC water issue- which isn't their fault. However, it took 20 minutes before we were notified they wouldn't be serving food, and that's only after we asked for a menu. Better business practices necessary. General manager is kind though. read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a lovely dinner with the server Lindsey last night. Please excuse my poor photo quality- i didn't want to start taking photos with flash on so I used the candles to help light up the plates. So Lindsay recommended a lovely white for my friend and I and helped us navigate through the charcuterie and cheese. We went ahead with a charcuterie board of manchego & 1 other cheese and the duck prosciutto & prosciutto di Parma. I couldn't be too adventurous with meat/cheeses as it wasn't my friends favorite thing but they definitely have more fun options to choose from. The board was delicious however the bread that comes with the board is lacking something... either their focaccia needs to be grilled longer or brushed with garlic/EVOL to give it flavor- it was almost not worth the carbs to eat the bread. There also was i believe a crostini of sorts but my girlfriend ate them all so i can't speak for how those taste. The charcuterie was delicious and we were given a heaping amount of prosciutto di Parma. For main course my friend got the spaghetti vongole & I had the mint papardelle with lamb Ragu. The mint papardelle were definitely interesting and had an enjoyable taste. My friends vongole had just the amount of additional clam broth at the bottom of the plate helping the pasta to not dry out & remaining flavorful. If you're visiting for dinner and are sensitive to cold I'd suggest to get seated farther inside as the restaurant did get a little cold but that's just expected of winter time! read more

See all

An easily shareable pizza with good toppings and a nice crust. Burgers were good also. Nice atmosphere with efficient service. Outside dining available. read more

Whenever I go to Capitol Hill, I always feel like I'm a tourist in my own city. Sure it's just a couple of miles from my humble abode, but something about it just seems so different. Maybe it's all the interns, or all the pompous staffers, or the intense police presence. I don't know exactly what it is, but I'll take it. It allows me to step out of my normal hustle and pretend I'm somewhere far, far away.. all in the shadow of the capitol. I went to Sonoma for the first time some years ago, as a young, young lad. I knew nothing of this whole "foodie" scene, or why the heck they were serving wine out of a funny contraption in the wall. But now I get it. Me and the boo had a little date night here last weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely everything was. We were able to snag a perfect table on the patio, on the beautiful, atypically cool DC summer evening. The interior is very clean feeling, fitting a mold for what most chic-foodie restaurants are trying for. A dark atmosphere, bold lighting fixtures, concrete bars, metal seating. Sure it's replicated all over the place, but who am I to judge? I mean, if I had a house and an actual budget to furnish said house, it would probably not look unlike this. This is obviously a wine bar, they do nothing to disguise this fact. But happily, they also have a nice selection of beer as well as the hard stuff. Before we sat down at our table last Friday, we grabbed a beer at the bar just to ease into the evening. We aren't exactly wine connoisseurs, but we try, but either way, starting off with a beer just seemed right in our world. Once we sat down, we opted for a bottle of pinot grigio. As I mentioned, we don't know what the heck we're ordering, so we just went for a bottle that wasn't the cheapest, but was far from the most expensive, and hoped for the best. And it worked! Yay good wine. To go along with our nice chilled bottle, we picked out a couple of cheeses. I like cheese. I don't really discriminate with many cheeses, but for whatever reason, I found selecting 2 cheeses out of the list of 12 to be harder than choosing the proper wine. So I handed that task over to my man and figured I'd devour whatever arrived either way. We got a nice blue and a sheep's milk, which were both perfectly paired with slices of crustini and a proper accompaniment. Proper cheese parings are so darn lovely sometimes. After the cheese, we dove into the main courses. I had the Carolina trout, as that healthily fatty fish is one of my favorites out there. The thing about trout is that sometimes it has the aroma of the stinky water it lived in, which is obviously, expected since it was plucked out of that. But Sonoma's trout was impeccable. They served two huge fillets atop one another, also atop some farrow grain. Perfection on a plate. My gentleman friend had the pork special, which was a pork tenderloin which similarly looked divine. As stuffed as we were at this point, and as much as we had intended to go grab dinner somewhere else down the street, after seeing the dessert menu, there was no turning back. Goat. Cheese. Cake. I can get down with a good cheesecake from time to time, but Gabe, well, that's all he needs in life. So we shared a nice piece of that. And since we had emptied our bottle before the dessert came, we knew we had to do something about such a travesty. He went for a scotch, since peatiness is up his alley, but as much as I wanted to give it a try, I went for a nice neat bourbon to wrap up the meal. And it did just that perfectly. I highly recommend swinging by for a visit and give it a shot, play tourist in your own town! read more

See all

If you've ever lived in Northern California you might be understandably skeptical about a place called Sonoma in Washington, D.C. However, I went with an open mind. When I entered the space I immediately liked the airiness, the long bar and the exposed brick walls. It felt like the kind of place I like to hang out in - drinking wine with my favorite Washingtonian at the bar, having dinner with friends at the larger, communal tables. The highlight of my dinner was the local tomato-forest mushroom bruschetta with herbed sheep's milk ricotta. I also enjoyed the stone mustard braised shoat on grilled ciabatta with chard and grilled peaches. Because Sonoma offers wines in smaller "tasting" sizes, I was able to try both the 2006 "J" - a Pinot Gris from the Russian River Valley AND a Sangiovese/Nebbiolo from Napa Valley and make it home still on the sober side of things. A WORD ON EVENTS AT SONOMA: I planned an event for 75 at Sonoma and worked with Rebecca to make it happen. She's super on top of the details and I couldn't recommend her or Sonoma highly enough for an event. My reception was a fabulous success as a result! They have multiple spaces upstairs that can accommodate events of various sizes. FINALLY: If you're homesick for Northern California's food and wine, get your fix at Sonoma. read more

The dinner that I shared with a friend put us each $40 in the hole yet it was not in the least bit satisfying or tasty. We ordered an appetizer of grilled calamari with red beans, arugula salad, roasted branzino (sea bass) with more arugula, and a rice pudding with pumpkin dessert. I feel like the chefs forgot to add some flavor to their dishes. The vinaigrette on the arugula was just merely olive oil. The branzino had no seasoning while the rice pudding had a mellow taste, not overly sugary, which was good yet it was nothing that would grab my attention. I understand the concept of this restaurant, small portions, focus on fresh ingredients, however, the food was just plain bland. Service was great. It is incredibly loud inside so if you're trying to have a conversation with a dinner mate, forgettaboutit. Like other Yelpers have suggested, it's probably a great place for drinks, however, as for the food, maybe stick to the basics of pasta and pizza and splurge on the wine. read more

1st attempt( a year and a half ago): Snooty front of house service, group could not abide by it, so left. 2nd attempt( a year ago): tried to do happy hour, area for happy hour closed, no other area to get deals 3rd attempt(11 months ago): date night, no, can't seat you for 1.5 hours, yes the empty tables are for reservations 4th attempt(today): friends from out of town just text and said " you said we were supposed to meet here right? because it looks like their lounge area is closed" I'm sure if you can get there, it's great. As for me, I chalk it up as an epic fail. #whenitistoohardtoplanyouhavetoassumethattheydontcare read more

Sonoma has a great wine list and I love coming here and eating lots of cheese. As other people said, it's definitely a step up from most of the places on Capitol Hill as far as atmosphere. They also offer two spaces to rent for private parties on the second floor. It would be such a cute place to have a party, I wish I had an occasion to do so. Food items I find quite splendid here include the chickpea puree, the white pizza and of course the burger. Reservations are tough to get though, as other reviewers have noted. read more

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Like I said, I went back there to try something else. 1. Burratta cheese w/ ONLY ONE slice of bread, tomato slices/jam. Burratta is always fresh and milky but I had a better one from most g-store... I wish they put something else like ricotta cheese or honey.. 2. Steak w/ parsnip puree: Parsnip puree was great. My friend said the steak was good. 3. Pasta: pacherri (forgettable) and spaghetti (very forgettable) were aweful. Both must have escaped the boiling water before time was up. All ingredients were playing independently without any flavor what so ever. Egg in spaghetti came as actually thinly sliced boiled egg, not as a part of sauce like carbonara. WTF. I had to do something so I asked some parmasan cheese and just dump the cheese into both pasta bowl. Well.. it didn't help much and I ended up making my own mac n' cheese when I got home. Mac n' cheese from the Package was MUCH better than sonoma's pasta. Completely faied pasta dish.. Not sure if I want to return when I know there are many other wine bar offering good selections of wine and FOOD. read more

See all