The mushroom soup is delicious, the entrees not that much. Ordered bread twice, it never arrived. Left because I was tired of waiting. Service is not good either. read more

Decent farm to table restaurant. Good menus and taste was good. Nice ambiance. Lots of greenery made it feel homey. Close to movie theatre.

I wasn't sure what to expect but the decor and fresh food was such a treat for breakfast with my young daughters. We all enjoyed the first surprise - warm bread served in a pot. Lots of great options on the menu. Everything we ate was visually appealing and tasted great. My oldest daughter finished her French toast (and that rarely occurs). We'll be back for more brunch dates. read more

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a little high price with not so good food............ so little choice and an ok environment read more

After a movie, Terrain seemed like a quaint and convenient place for a late dinner. The burgers we got were good, and the fries were tasty, albeit it seemed we for more tips/ends than strips of potatoes. The free flower pot bread was great, especially with the sweet butter. I ordered a beer that never came, though I was glad it was not in the bill either (less tip for our server, his bad!). We had to steal bread plates form an adjacent table. The waiter took our bread plates with knives, which we then had to replace by stealing from the other adjacent table. The chairs look like old style industrial steel design but are made from lightweight plastic. I accidentally kicked one walking by and sent it flying! Overall it was odd, not sure I'd go back. read more

Terrain (Bethesda) - Loses Ground to Bethesda's Other Elevated Dining Experiences. At the top end of Bethesda's dining experiences, I would include "fine" restaurants like Black's Bar & Kitchen and Jaleo. Then, in the next category, which I would call "Elevated Dining", we'd have restaurants like Kapnos Kouzina, Raku, Woodmont Grill, and the new kid on the block Terrain. Owned by the owners of Urban Outfitters (whom also own Anthropologie), it's a rather small place - certainly smaller than those previously-mentioned restaurants so you'd probably want to call ahead for a reservation. The hostess will ask if you have one. Once, two of my officemates and I walked in at 12n on a weekday to check that place out, but the hostess said that they were fully booked until 1:30p that afternoon. Hoping to have more luck the next time around, I came in as a solo diner on a Saturday evening at 7:30p. The place was busy. The hostess did ask if I had a reservation. However, the bar is open seating and I perched myself there. There are eight seats in the small but cozy L-shaped bar area with four seats on each side. There was one extremely busy bartender in need of an extra pair of hands. The ambiance features copper tones, wood tables, plants hanging on a wall - I thought it exuded a nice rustic feel with a sense of refinement but lacking any sense of excitement. There's no TV at the bar. There are no tables for large groups as they are mostly for two or four diners. There were no children/families there. I say "elevated dining" based on the prices and the dish descriptions. For example, * House-cut fries with truffle pecorino, $8. * Farmhouse Board (charcuterie and cheeses), $22 * Grilled Thumbelina Carrots, $16 * Duck Breast (with melted leeks, fingerling potatoes, sage and pumpkin pesto), $32 * Mushroom soup with truffle oil, $12. So, after looking at their one-page menu, I decided to order the Mushroom soup and the Duck Breast (which should signal my wallet that it is going to feel lighter after this meal). I think the bartender was somewhat of a newbie to the food and customer service scene, as nice as he was. After my soup came out, he then offered bread as kind of an afterthought. BTW, I liked the bread. It was warm and soft and presented in a "plant pot," which made for a nice organic-looking touch, accompanied by a lemon-thyme butter. The bartender was having difficulty offering suggestions to the diner next to me. And, upon ordering the duck, I also order a glass of Pinot. He asked me if that would be Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio. I gave him the combo of a cocked eyebrow and the side-eye. Anyway, the Mushroom soup looked good. But, it tasted a bit "earthy" for me, perhaps due to the truffle or olive oil. I'm used to a creamier and sweeter stock. I probably wouldn't order that again. I liken that soup experience, though, to tasting coffee for the first time after being used to sugary drinks. Perhaps in time, my palate will mature. The duck breast was a nicely plated dish. It came out looking like a "log," sliced and nestled on top of potatoes and leeks with a swirl of pumpkin pesto on the plate to accentuate it's look. Upon first taste, it was admittedly very good - juicy and tender with the skin crispy and salty to my taste. But the layer of fat remains between the meat and the skin, which could turn off some diners. For example, the better Chinese restaurants that serve Peking Duck will trim away that fat before serving. The potatoes and leek make for a nice accompaniment. But the pumpkin pesto is not something that I necessarily associate with duck. And, I'm not a fan of pumpkin as a food option. I thought, as a dish for $32, the value wasn't really there unless your company is treating you out. Even then, you'd better be working for a very small company because, as I mentioned, I think the largest table can accommodate four (and don't forget to make reservations). The duck, though, was the most expensive item that I saw on the menu that evening. At a Chinese restaurant (and there are lots in Rockville), you can get the whole Peking duck for about $32 to include all the white and dark meat. Anyway, add in a glass of somewhat unbalanced Pinot (Noir!) and my total bill came out to about $56. But, I am pretty sure that I could've gotten as good a meal and a better-value meal at those other elevated dining options mentioned above. And so while I am glad that I at least tried and will admit that I did enjoy the Terrain experience, in the future, I will be giving my business to those other places where the value and liveliness go further. read more

Terrain is esthetically beautiful! The dim lightening, mix of rustic and industrial decor and wait staff is fabulous. However, the food is what I was here to try. I ordered a small pot of Bourbon Vanilla Tea which was very good with a full body. I then ordered the truffled fries and the scallop small plate. The truffled fries lacked flavor and were dry. The scallops came with 3 well cooked scallops however were over salted for my taste. Overall, the atmosphere is beautiful however they need a lot of work on the menu and quality of food. Probably won't return other then for the drinks. read more

Ate at terrain this evening and every little detail was lovely. The decor is filled with greenery and is very cozy. The service was EXTRA attentive. Lots of staff working to make sure needs are met. We ate a whole bunch, zucchini fritters, kale salad, whipped ricotta toast, cauliflower, scallops and mushroom fondue small plates. My husband and I really loved the scallops and fondue in particular but every bite on every dish was great. We aren't meat eaters, and the veggies prepared on each dish were super delicious and flavorful. We also had loads of drinks including the beet lemonade cocktail which was soooo beet-y in such a great way. I died over the apple pie chai latte- I want to drink one every day for the rest of my life. We went all in and got the dessert sampler too- which was tasty and pretty. I loved every thing about this meal. read more

Terrain Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I stopped by this weekend and it was an adorable place. The food was excellent. The service was.... could have been better. The waiter forgot my friend's drink. When we reminded him, he said he didn't recall the order being given. We went through the whole story of why she chose the drink she did and he then remembered. It still took a bit longer to receive even after the reminder. The food was excellent. The waiter also forgot our bread, which I didn't think I would miss until the table next to us got theirs and it looked delicious. I would go back and just chalking it up to the waiter having an off day. read more

This is like the most mediocre place you could go. The first time I tried it, we had to leave because we were in a rush and were not helped for probably over 20 minutes. We decided to give it another try and I got their harvest plate and added chicken. I could have made this for way less money and have made it taste like something. It was so bland and mediocre and ended up costing almost $30. Really really just so mediocre, there are much better places in Bethesda. read more

Great food and service. Low rating is 100% due to the manager running the restaurant. We witnessed him berating the staff - completely uncalled for! What a jerk! Not the way to run a business or treat employees. Hudson is his name and he has no business managing people. He needs to go! read more

I went here with my sister for lunch. This cafe is absolutely stunning!!!!! The minute you walk in staff is so friendly and inviting, and the menu was so interesting, we ordered the burratta toast, mushroom soup and coconut rice cakes with peanut slaw. Each dish is beautifully plated. My sister loved the vegan mushroom soup and the burratta toast with the black garlic was delicious. I had the coconut rice cakes it was so good and interesting take on peanut curry. also you must order the chocolate terrarium it's absolutely gorgeous and delicious but we were too stuffed to finish it!! You must go and try !!! read more

Design is the main feature right now. The lattes we had were luke warm rather than hot. But the service is excellent and the food was quite good. A muffin in a flower pot is a nice touch but the interest lies in the flower pot, not the muffin, which is a notch below ordinary. I don't expect to have breakfast often on Bethesda Row but I do plan to give Terrain Cafe another chance at some point. Maybe an early lunch. read more

This place has good food but I sat at the bar and the service was just too slow !!! The bartender was moving like a sloth . After it got busy another employee joined her behind the bar which was as slow as her. Very disappointed in the service . read more

I have always been a fan of Terrain cafes, and the Bethesda location is no exception! I felt well taken care of, with personal attention from the manager Khari. He gave thoughtful recommendations, taking into consideration dietary restrictions. It was a fantastic brunch!! read more

Misled, overcharged, and still hungry! What a colossal disappointment! Nearly everything from start to finish was an epic fail. Other than a very good mushroom soup, we left unsatisfied and paying $80 (not including tax or tip) for a minimal lunch for 3-soup, salad, and iced tea. Unknowledgeable staff when asked what romanesco told our dining partner it was a sauce like hummus--(instead of a broccoli-like vegetable). When asked if the Harvest Bowl had greens, she said it only had quinoa, preventing the one of us from ordering it but SURPRISE when another at our table did, we saw it in fact had arugula, as well as romanesco (the vegetable). The Kale and Squash salad at $14 was just a big bowl of kale heavily dressed. The "squash" consisted of 3 paper thin slices of zucchini tossed in with the kale. When questioning the server about where the squash was, she said she often gets that question, so obviously we aren't the only diners who felt misled. Next time we'll cross the street and go to Mon Ami Gabi! read more

Very disappointed. Extremely noisy. Popovers were dense enough to be paperweights. We were 5 and only one person finished her meal (she had a hamburger). In particular, the grilled cheese sandwich was vile, consisting of two pieces of bread so soaked in butter/oil picking it up caused grease to run down your arm). Wait staff were pleasant. read more

While the food was tasty, the service was terrible. Our table of four were all first timers and excited for the overly-hyped experience that is Terrain. The first faux pas occurred when the waitress served my bosses wife a glass of water with a hole in the bottom. The next incident involved the waitress misplacing our mushroom toast and causing it to dump onto the table. Instead of offering new toast, she picked the mushrooms up and placed them back on the bread. What?!?! Once ready to place our dinner order, the waitress went around the table arriving at me last. I chose the spring salad with salmon. The waitress then described the different temperatures and associated textures (rare/med-rare, moist; medium/well, flakey) that I could chose from. I choose medium and she graciously gathered our menus. Approximately 30 mins later our food arrived...all but the salmon. Once the food runner alerted the waitress she meandered back to our table and questioned me on what I ordered. I again told her and she exasperatedly confessed it was a miscommunication with the kitchen. My food wouldn't be ready for another 10 minutes. Other than that explanation, I received no retribution for my untimely meal. No sorry, no discount, no complimentary desert or drink. As they say in restaurants when an item is no longer available for order, 86 the Terrain Cafe! read more

Hopefully it was just an off night. The chick peas were a salt bomb, so we sent it back. The second chick peas were slightly ok on the surface, and another salt bomb underneath. We both had the lackluster burger with soggy fries. The service was poor from the manager to the server to the hair in the water glass. Yuck. read more

A very nice surprise! Beautiful, calming interior. Menu is small (food selection is like a cross between True Food and Le Pain Quotidien)...we got truffle Parmesan fries (very good but not amazing--fries were not crispy), mushroom toast (outstanding--a ton of great quality mushrooms on crusty bread with a green garlic spread, would get this again). My dining companion got one of the bowls--he liked it but didn't love it--but it was kind of dainty for him. Service was great, AC was cranked up for the hot day. Very civilized oasis! read more

So beautiful place and great service! . I have been there since they open . I think they lost the way with the food . All is very salty and a lot of garlic is , the the bread that was so great now is hard and not good now . They need to review the food and all will be ok . read more

The food and decor were very good but the service was TERRIBLE! From the rude manager down all the 5-6 staff we encountered (except two female waitresses) were rude, had an entitled attitude, shouted at each other from four tables away, hung out in the staff area when it was obvious that guests needed things. In a cut throat market like Bethesda the owner better start making changes or this will go the way of other bad service restaurants which would be a shame because the food is good, healthy and it's in a good location. read more

Not very impressed with the cafe - tables are too tightly packed- menu is too fussy and it's expensive for what you get. The decor is really nice, beautiful plant arrangements on the walls and small plants on tables. We ordered medium rare burgers that came cooked medium. They were super busy with a lot of people waiting for tables. There was just one person handling incoming diners looking for a table at around 1pm. I don't see the value for the price. It was their opening week, they're still working out the kinks. read more

I had lunch there recently and loved it. The service was a little slow, but it was around the holidays and the food was good. I went for dinner last night and the staff is very nice, service was slow and the food was just ok. I love the vibe of the restaurant. I'll give it another chance. read more

Made a reservation for 5:00 after some shopping. Was with my sister and her 9 month old baby. We got there a bit early - 4:50. The servers were preparing for the dinner shift but there were a few people seated at the bar. The hostess was not friendly or welcoming. She did not offer to seat us, get us a drink etc. Instead we crammed into the tiny waiting area with the stroller. Bar service was slow and unfriendly. Finally were seated. Server was friendly but so slow! There were times when he would be missing from the floor for 10+ minutes. Ordered bottled water (tap is AWFUL), but later he pored tap right into the glass with the bottled. I've been to the PA location where the ambiance is so much nicer and service was much better. Food comparable. Ideas are nice, but just doesn't seem to live up to the menu. We had steak and it was chewy and just blah. In the PA location you can sacrifice a bit of food stars for the beautiful decor and friendly staff. This one doesn't offer much in either category. Which is a shame because its so convenient and such a fun idea to eat after you shop. read more

This is based solely on customer treatment, as we didn't even get to the food or the service of the food. I waited several minutes by the bar area and was not acknowledged at all by the bartender. I finally asked if I was standing in the right place to get a table or at least look at a menu. Another patron was the one who informed me that the kitchen was closed for another half hour. That's when the bartender finally turned and addressed me. Said I could buy a cookie, barely looking at me. I walked out and went across the street. There are too many places in downtown Bethesda to choose from that they can't afford to take prospective patrons for granted. I had just had a very nice experience on the sales floor, that's why I even considered this place. read more

Beautiful and lush, plant-filled setting. Fantastic food. Very loud atmosphere and it seems like they are still getting the service down, but a great place for a lunch or brunch date with a friend. read more

This new restaurant is a real discovery. The food is absolutely delicious, fresh, creative and entirely satisfying. They use local suppliers and change the menu with the season.....it's a winning recipe. Our waiter, Damaris, was also very attentive, patient and kind. An altogether great place to spend an evening where the ambiance is quiet enough for a discussion, a long one since the food is so good you want to stay on!!!! read more

What a disappointment!! The hostess was rude and dismissive. You have to earn your customers

I'm really torn as to how to review this restaurant, but let's start with positives. The space is really pretty with lots of natural light. We were warmly welcomed and seated right away (we did have a reservation). My friend and I ordered entree size salads, both of which were very good. Unfortunately, the whole experience was a downer because our server disappeared on us for much of the time we were there. We were there on a Wednesday night and it was NOT busy. After we were seated, it easily took 15-20 minutes before anyone came by. We were busy talking so we let it go, but as the night went on and we wanted to order a second glass of wine, we realized we had not seen our server since she took our order. I guess they have food and beverage runners because a different person brought our food and drinks than the person who took the order. When we tried to order another glass of wine through that person, she said she would get our server--who was nowhere to be found. At one point, we saw her clearing the silverware and glassware from never-used tables, but the restaurant didn't close for another hour. She never once came over to see how everything was and if we needed anything. I heard the people at the table next to us complaining about the same thing. So I'll be giving it another chance because the food was good, but the service needs a major upgrade! read more

The first thing I want to say is that the food was good. Unfortunately, I still left not feeling good about my experience. We had been walking around the Anthropology store and decided to grab some lunch so we headed to the cafe a little before noon on a Saturday. I immediately noticed that there were many empty tables. The hostess told us it would be about a 35 minute wait. I asked why since there were many empty tables and was told that they were reserved for reservations. Okay, fine so we gave them a phone number to text us on when a table was ready for us. At that point some seats at the bar opened up so the hostess offered those to us and told us we could get the full menu at the bar. Since we were hungry, we decided to sit at the bar. First, the chairs are not terribly comfortable and are very high for a short person to get into. Secondly, I decided to check out Open Table to see if they were as "booked" as we had been told. To no surprise, I saw that I could book a table for two in 15 minutes. Since we were already seated with menus we decided to stay at the bar, but a few minutes later we overheard someone at the host stand telling a customer that they don't take same day reservations. Well, not according to Open Table. Needless to say, when we finished and left the restaurant, I went ahead and made a reservation for 30 minutes later. I got a confirmed reservation through Open Table for a same day reservation. I don't know if this can be chalked up to poor training or what, but I was highly disappointed. When we left the restaurant there were still several tables that were available when we arrived still sitting empty. read more