Went here for a large group dinner. The place is like a zoo (and this was a Wednesday night, not the weekend). We sat for about 10 minutes with no menus. Asked two different servers for menus, and had a third server come back and ask if we'd like anything to start with. Kind of hard..without..a menu...... There were two waiters for our table, and they didn't communicate. Placed drink orders (simple, two ingredient drinks, not specialty), and they never showed up. By the time we got them, the ice had melted. The horrendous service aside, the food wasn't anything to write home about. My filet was rubbery and essentially flavorless. The worst part was someone in our party had a birthday, and the servers must have asked about 5 times if it was 'really' their birthday. Nothing says insulting like having someone question if you're lying about an adult's birthday... Wouldn't return, wouldn't recommend. read more

I am Abby and it's my birthday. Today I am 9. I researched restaurants and Palm was my choice. I had filet mignon and it was very good. I ate it all and half a baked potato! But the treatment was what was best. Mike was my server and he taught me how to cut my steak. He also gave me a menu that the chef signed. To take home! The lady gave me a lobster pin that I named Sandwich. I also got some napkins to take home so I can play restaurant with my brother. They all sang happy birthday to me. This was a 10 out of 10. I really felt special. Someday I want to go on the wall. Thank you! read more

I went to the Palm to see Bill Clinton for a fundraiser, but instead enjoyed the view of their food, all laid out on a wonderful cloth with oysters, clams and lobsters to pounce on. They've got some great seafood, but their dessert is to die for. The Key Lime Pie is excellent, but the Cheesecake is second only to Charlie Palmer's in the city. The food is distracting enough to help you miss all the politicians in the room, which can be a dangerous thing if you host a fundraiser here. read more

Great food. Great staff. Great environment. The lobsters are delicious!

I came here for holiday party and the service was excellent. Servers made sure everyone had a drink in hand and food was continuously being passed around. While I understand that this was a special occasion the food was decent. The seafood was excellent but their sliders were not the greatest. The bread was super hard and stale. The calamari was paired with a creamy sauce which was excellent. I have to say that the drinks were extremely strong which is a good thing but almost painful to drink. I would love to come back and try their steak. I highly recommend the seafood. read more

I came here with my S.O. last night for a date night and we had an amazing experience. The atmosphere is very classy, but it didn't feel too pretentious by any means. Our waiter, Jimmy, was the absolute best. He was very helpful in giving us suggestions on what to order, gave us detailed information on their inventory and was so friendly! We got calamari to start, which was SO GOOD and perfectly seasoned. I ordered the bone-in ribeye (highly suggested by our guy Jimmy) and i was not disappointed. It was juicy, flavorful, cooked to perfection, and I couldn't finish more than half of it. My date got the surf and turf, with a filet mignon and a half lobster (I hate seafood but even I agreed it was incredible). Our sides were definitely the least impressive part of the meal -- we ordered green beans (very good) and brussel sprouts (would not recommend ordering) -- but were still quite good. Our night was finished with a slice of key lime pie which was divine. I would highly recommend paying this restaurant a visit for a lovely night out, and request Jimmy! read more

This was my first time at The Palm but given its reputation and price I expected a lot . I went on a Friday for lunch with a co worker so I was looking forward to having an excellent meal and picking out a few items from each corner of the menu. We started off by splitting a 3 lb lobster as an appetizer which took a solid 10-15 minutes to arrive. The lobster was cooked fresh and they brought it to our table split down the middle. They crack the claw and remove all the meat for you, making sure nothing is spared. They then offer to put a bib on you (hey why not?) before you dig in. The lobster claw was large, fresh and perfectly cooked. My only qualm however was that other than the claw, there wasn't much meat left in the rest of the lobster. If you're intent on splitting a lobster and enjoying it make sure you go 4 lbs or larger. For our main course we ordered the jumbo lump crab cakes, Texas burger, creamed spinach and wild mushrooms. I asked for the burger to be cooked medium but it came out very rare. The quality of the ground meat was of steak house standards so I had no major issue with the burger being rare other than being somewhat under seasoned. I was also slightly let down by the toppings of the burger, the chimichurri was not as robust as I had hoped and the peppers didn't stand out. They also seemed to skimp a little on the bacon which I was disappointed to see. I didn't get to try the crab cakes but my co worker claimed it was pure lump crab meat with no filler and tasted great. The wild mushrooms were huge, the best I've ever had by far and a meal on its own. The creamed spinach was ok, the spinach was fresh but it didn't stand out. Overall I'd give the Palm 3.5 stars. The service was excellent and definitely on par for a restaurant of this caliber. After a few drinks the bill was well over $200 before tip which is what I expected but for that price I feel as if the meal was lacking that extra element. I would go back again for dinner to try the chops but probably won't be back for lunch anytime soon. read more

It is all hype and important people. My lobster bisque soup was good - but nothing to rave about. Had the Ahi Tuna Steak for dinner. It did not impress. Only ate half. How can they charge top dollar for this? I guess I paid to see Wolf Blitzer arrive. read more

The steak was terrific. Seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The restaurant is elegant but not stuffy or pretentious. The service was also very good. The servers are attentive and they know their stuff. read more

Food was average. Calamari had no taste. It was so loud you couldn't hear yourself. For the prices I expected much better food and service

I love the Palm. Been here a bunch of times and the quality is consistent each and every time. If I need a great filet, this is my go-to. 5 stars for atmosphere, service, and, let's be real, the key lime pie. Extraordinary. read more

We have loved the Palm for years. We live in Los Angeles and used to frequent West Hollywood before they ruined it, moved it to Beverly Hills and turned it corporate. The Washington location is everything we loved about coming to the Palm. Old school steak house ambiance, great food and fabulous service that caters to their guests every needs. Our waiter Tim was over the top accommodating and made is feel like a rock star. I would truly would not ask them to change a thing. A 10 out of 10 dinning experience in DC. We look forward to coming back. read more

Great service and wonderful food. Took my son for a pre-college dinner and the management made took the extra time to make us feel like the most special guest they had. read more

Decided to have take my GF here for a birthday dinner and also propose to her. Food was delish and she accepted my proposal :-) All in all one of the best days of my life obviously but I would frequent again. The staff was great....shoutout to our server Joann I. She was a doll! read more

The Palm is such a great restaurant. I love the service from the valet to paying the bill. I was told about this restaurant by a girlfriend last week. She said that the have the best steak and lobster in the DC area. Well I arrived for a 8pm reservation on Friday night the valet took care of the parking a PLUS. We were escorted to our table and the place is beautiful. The menu looked so good I wanted to order everything on the menu. I placed my order and it was great ....Our meals did not take long to be served but was worth the wait. A materpiece !!! A definate must the steak melts in your mouth. read more

Took my wife here for our anniversary and it was everything we heard it would be! Tim and Chuck are two of the best waiters I have ever met. I highly recommend the Chilean sea bass. This place truly is as good as it gets! read more

I've been a loyal, enthusiastic customer for over 50 years, however, dinner there last night was a disappointment. While the service and waiter were exceptional, the prime rib, (chewy and stringy), supposed NY cheesecake, (dry, thin slice), and coffee (hot, black water) were not what I expected. Further, the prices and noise level were in the stratosphere. $16 for a premium vodka on the rocks? Dress code? Men and women in T-shirts, shorts, and ball caps? The Palm needs to step back and step up to its reputation. It's good that there are many fine alternatives in DC. read more

Inedible meal, saved by the dessert The beginning and the end were the best parts of our meal yesterday. We were part of a large birthday group. The bread basket and the desserts, in particular the donuts and flourless chocolate cake, were the best part. I ordered a "medium" hamburger and it came out blackened and hard on the outside - like a hockey puck. The best part of it was the garnish. The french fries were adequate. Service was extremely slow. Most of the other meals were merely adequate. The chef's offering for the vegetarian in our group was a plate of boiled green vegetables - no sauce, garnish, or creativity. read more

Had to try the 3 course power lunch. Classic Caesar is just the right amount of garlicy, and only a hint of anchovy, which is how it is supposed to be. The Filet Mignon Medallions with bordelaise - buttery tender. Topped everything off with the Flourless Chocolate Cake, which was decadently superb. Is it a bit pricey? Yes. But the service is unequaled, as is the quality of the food. It doesn't get much better than this. read more

Expecting a Ruth chris quality filet and that level of,service.waiter was mia, and steak was mediocre. Won't be back. Lots,of options for great steaks this was dissspointing. read more

I've had better service at Outback Steakhouse. Three of our party ordered the special cocktail, a raspberry fizz drink, and all three had to send it back because it tasted of gin and nothing else. Our waiter was rude, slow, and brusque with our menus and food. When we told him that we were eating there for a happy hour appetizers/drinks/dessert type of meal (we still spent over $200) he was visibly annoyed and for the rest of the night he emanated disapproval as he begrudgingly continued to serve us. Our bread basket and dishes were whisked away without asking whether or not we were finished eating. The only reason why this review gets two stars is because the food was good, particularly: - Bacon-wrapped scallops - Brussels sprouts - Sesame seared Ahi tuna - Flourless chocolate cake If this steakhouse chain wants to compete with local restaurants that provide MUCH better service for a fraction of the price, don't treat patrons in this way. read more

My husband and I had been out for a walk, and the weather was so nice, we extended it until we got hungry. We went into The Palm hoping we could get in without reservations, since we were only 2. We were able to get a table, and by the time we left, there was only one other table for 2 empty, and the rest of the restaurant was packed. Our server, Chuck, was obviously extremely experienced and very professional, as was all the wait staff. Watching the restaurant service was a thing of beauty, as everyone seemed to be firing on all cylinders. We started with cocktails that were both plentiful and delicious. Chuck obviously was on it with the bartender, because he came back with both drinks in a flash. I had the crabmeat cocktail appetizer, and the horseradish served with the cocktail sauce was wonderful! I had the watermelon and burrata salad, which was perfect, and my husband had the shrimp rigatoni, which was also very flavorful. We also shared a side of brussel sprouts, all of which was fantastic. It was a great experience all the way around, and we were very happy we stopped in. read more

What makes this place such a DC institution, I wonder? Is its proximity to Dupont and K street corridor and the fact that the restaurant has seen various administration turnover through the years, making it a winner among some just because it has survived the times? I'm not sure, because it's certainly not the food. I went for the MadMen lunch, $20 for three courses. The food was nothing more than lackluster. I opted to get the steak because, well, this is a steakhouse and should really get that one right. Sadly, it was nothing special - the cut of meat was ho-hum and the accompanying Caesar salad was nothing better than I make at home with store-bought dressing. The dessert (NY Cheescake) is literally the size of a large man's fist - not necessary after a salad and steak lunch (or really, ever at any restaurant). Other desserts were sizes varying from grapefruits to a toddler's head, a dieter's nightmare. Service was pleasant enough, although the restaurant falls short in general with various fine-dining protocol. For example: Servers, please don't "backhand" me - when you place the food in front of me, you shouldn't be reaching in front of me, and food should be presented with the protein directly in front. Also, our particular server was busting her hump the whole time while two other servers hung out and goofed off in the corner. When it came time for the check (and let's face it, this is weekday lunch time and we need a check FAST to shorten what was already a too-long lunch), our server was indisposed and the goof-off servers took zero initiative. I'm glad I went to see what the DC fuss was about, and to see that I'll never be returning or recommending it. This restaurant is clearly for fatcats (literally and figuratively) and out-of-towners. read more

Best restaurant ever!! Wonderful Mgmt and most welcoming staff.. always remembers us. my daughter loves the veal parm, and loves when they bring her to the kitchen to see lobsters! whats not to like? unless you are a vegetarian..but then you would still love the Pasta Aglio e Olio and the creamed spinach and i love the Green beans A/0. It is pricey but you can divide entrees which is what we do... My husband love loves loves the bone in rib eye with hash browns and spinach. i love the blackened salmon.. they can do anything you like, so just ask. its a super fun place to go and very DC.. always a winner for us and any friends we take! read more

I can only speak on behalf of the happy hour experience. Go to Palm between 4:30 and 6 on a weekday! Indulge in their $4.50 PrimeBites. (That's at least a 50% off from the original price.) In the dimly lit bar, my friend and I ordered 3 things: prime steakburger sliders, nova scotia BLT lobster sliders, and mini broiled crab cakes. All were fantastic. Speckled next to the 3 steakburger sliders were a few potato chips--I liked that, because the meal was not very greasy and "light." The lobster BLT sliders also came in threes (which is hard to split for 2 people) and pretty much dissolved in my mouth. Very tasty, juicy, and crunchy. Each mini crab cake was like a gourmet hors d'oeuvre, presented on a cracker. The drinks, ironically, cost the most because there was no special. I can't wait to go back and order the other bar bites! read more

Decent food. Not great. Not a 4. Just decent. And the prices... well I guess that's just what you have to pay to ogle the odd senator or congressman. The place needs some serious redecorating. Sure the drawings (mostly Pols) on the wall are interesting but it's much too musty in there right now. An interesting aside: the server tells me that the faces started in their location in NYC. They apparently paid artists with a bowl of soup, or the artists asked for the soup and offered to paint; it wasn't clear. In any case, some of the artwork on the walls in NYC apparently has a lot of value now. Not so in DC... No one wants to pay for drawings of Pols I guess. read more

The staff is old school pro- loved it. Mike was our server. He is a master at setting a relaxed mood and can read a table very well. Calamari was amazing. I've had the steaks here before and they are great. I ordered the Philly Steak sandwich this time- not the best but good. We also had the amazing crab cake. Dessert was the five layer chocolate cake- truly brilliant. read more

Amazing food and atmosphere. Visiting from New Jersey and had a wonderful experience especially with Regi being our waiter. He was friendly and super attentive. He made our experience worth coming back. read more

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. The drinks and the service were great. The bartender was gracious and made me a fantastic cocktail (Berry Blossom) - strong and tasty! We were then seated and greeted by our waitress (fantastic!). Now on to the important thing - food. The wedge salad was delicious!! A wonderful medley of blue cheese crumbles, dressing, walnuts, bacon on a HUGE wedge of lettuce for $10. Not bad at all....could actually be eaten as an entree. Then we proceeded to order the rib-eye steaks.....they were pretty good. Perfectly cooked (medium) but the outside seemed more charred then I like. For dessert we shared the cheesecake. Delicious and simple. I was happy until I got the bill - very pricey but it was worth it :) read more

I had the lobster pot pie which wasn't worth all of the fuss! I would definitely dine again just to try another menu selection. The service was superb!!!! read more

I have been to The Palm DC several times. I have really enjoyed the food, drink, and atmosphere every time I have gone. The Lobster Bisque is the best I have ever had. This is a highly recommended restaurant. read more

Visited The Palm for the first time on Friday 04//12 around 6:40pm. We sat at a table right up against the wall where we had to be extra careful when moving stuff around. It was so cramped I felt like if I spilled some water the guy at the other table would get wet. There was a constant draft from the air conditioning so I had to keep my sweatshirt on for fear of my asthma being triggered. I ordered the Prime NY Strip 18 oz and my date ordered the Prime Bone-In Rib-Eye Steak 24 ounce - she does this because she treats restaurants as takeouts. My side order of hash brown potatoes was okay but it went downhill from there. I had ordered my steak well-done and it came well-done on the outside and partly inside but, as one cut deeper, it turned redder and redder. It was edible and I am not the kind to send stuff back so I ate it anyway. Later the waiter came by and I guess he felt bad and he offered to take the steak back and warm it up for me or, in essence, try to make it well-done as I had asked for. My date had no better luck as she said her steak was flavorless as was the goat cheese whipped potatoes side, as was the creamed spinach side, as was the complimentary shrimp she got from my steak order. For the first time ever, I had to eat crow (which would have probably been more tastier than what I was served) and join my date in getting a doggie bag as I could not finish my meal. We got dessert Crème Brulée and Cheesecake which were good but, who can mess up cheesecake? We left with the thought that, like a guy jumping into a lion's cage - it was our first time trying it and our last time. read more

Well I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. The steak had a good flavor but the bone in steak was a little tough and was a little done along the edges. Another customer also complained about this. Next to the bone was fine. The veges were great. Service great. read more

Its alright. I don't usually like chains. The food is okay. I hate how this place gets so loud at dinner.

Overpriced, loud, pretentious, and sub-par food. Two of us had mid-range entrees, one glass of wine, and one side dish. The veggies were overcooked and the steak, ordered medium-well, was bloody. Total: $175. Outrageous fraud, even by DC standards. read more

I get it. This is a good steak house with excellent food and very attentive service. A bit over crowded, maybe because it was RW, but I wasn't wowed. I'll give it another try and report. read more

What a fantastic place to visit for HH (Sun-Fri, 5-7PM). Although the bar area is a little tight, if you can finagle a high-top stool and a table you will be set for some delicious prime bites. You must order the lobster and bacon fondue, served with warm, black-salted pretzel rolls. This dish is absolutely delicious with the proper proportion of lobster meat, seared bacon, and creamy cheddar cheese. Also noteworthy are the lobster sliders and chicken meatball sliders, both served with tasty pickles and executed superbly. While I was concerned about how overcooked the burger sliders would potentially be, I was proved wrong. The mini steak burgers with cheddar and pesto mayo were divine - a perfect medium rare. Wines and beers by the glass are half off, as are select cocktails. You can also end your bar dining experience with one of many of Palm's excellent dessert martinis. read more

To be honest, I just wasn't impressed. For the Palm to be an expensive and well known steakhouse, I was expecting to be wowed by my steak but I left feeling like I had a satisfactory steak I could have gotten from any restaurant that makes steaks. I do have to say the ambiance was nice and my waiter was really friendly. read more

I thought this place was just OK. I had lunch with co-workers for restaurant week. I chose the chicken parmigiana. It wasn't bad. It was pretty standard. The mixed green salad and cheesecake were OK too. But, I don't think I'd come back here. I wasn't really feelin' the artwork on the walls. However, the service was good. read more

This place is THE BEST of its kind in DC. If you want great steak, lobsters, martinis, or any combination of the above this is the place to get it. Obviously its a little pricey but where else in DC can you pony up to a bar next Ted Kennedy?...wait a minute, maybe that wasn't the best example. Regardless, The Palm is great, go there. read more