Don't order what I've ordered tonight on the 2020 DC Restaurant Week menu. If you imagine a Summer Berry tart, a French round-shaped tart, filled with some sort of pastry cream and fresh summer berries, like I did. Skip this. This is a rectangular blueberry muffin soaked in a syrup sitting on a thin layer of tart crust. The open face chopped steak with Poivrade sauce was the strangest thing. A black paste, what at first look, I thought, might be black olive paste. But the paste actually tasted thin, crips and very bitter. It tasted like burned scrapped something from the bottom of a pan. I thought we were not supposed to eat food so very burned... This was very strange. read more

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Food wasn't anything special. The service was slightly slow. For the price we don't think it was worth it.

Wow! Our first time dining there, but it won't be our last. Excellent service. The server explained the entrees on the menu to perfection. It's not a large menu, but the choices are sufficient. We started with a mushroom soup which was sublime. My trout was outstanding. Beautifully presented, perfectly prepared. Hubby liked his duck which we were told is the chef's signature dish. Valet parking available on the weekends. Otherwise, the street parking can be difficult. Not a long walk from a metro station. Highly recommended. read more

The restaurant delivered good food, but my expectations for a dining experience at this level weren't fully met. Despite that, it's still a solid choice. read more

The best thing about this restaurant is the service. I think 3.5 stars is the most accurate rating. The server and the wine service was exception - attentive, kind, and thoughtful. The food is slightly above average. The best plate was the crudo. Also, when you walk in the front door you're absolutely blasted with a fishy smell. Thankfully none of our food was fishy, but the smell was off putting. read more

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Cute place for a date night. The service and food were great! I wanted to try the peach upside down cake but they ran out! Will have to go back and try read more

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We came here for an early dinner on Feb 15, the day after Valentine's Day and the day I flew back from Tokyo. We didn't know until maybe 4 hours before our reservation time that we were eating here. I set up "notify" on Resy a while ago and I got notified at the last minute. Now I know it works. We were seated in the first dining room and the first thing my wife noticed was the cold breeze coming from the ceiling. She asked our server to make it warmer and he did. We had the following: Gnocchi Pumpkin soup Half chicken x 2 Dessert - Kalorama Torte We liked everything but especially the roast chicken and the dessert. It was a chocolate stout cake with Kumquat marmalade, chocolate hazelnut mousse, caramel stout ice cream and flakes of edible 24K gold. The server was nice and he explained us the menu well. The half of the half chicken my wife didn't finish was put in a box but held at the bar area for us to pick up on our way out. We remembered to pick up our coats on our way out but totally forgot about the leftover chicken. And of course no one at the restaurant reminded us of it. Next time we go we will definitely ask them to bring it to our table before we leave the restaurant. I strongly recommend all of you do the same unless the restaurant changes the habit. read more

We had a lovely experience dining at Annabelle, a newly opened restaurant near Dupont Circle. The space is gorgeous and unique; we were sat in a large middle room with a center skylight surrounded by hanging plants. The service was attentive and polite throughout the evening, from giving in-depth descriptions of the menu items to checking in and refilling water. I appreciate that the literary-themed menu has much to offer for non-meat eaters. I started with the prawn cocktail, a nicely plated appetizer with three large prawns and kelp salad. My dining companion enjoyed the savory duck confit carbonara. For our entrees, I ordered the salmon and he ordered the half chicken. Both were well-cooked and came with delicious sides. The salmon, as promised, tasted like butter and had a nice crust. The daikon, bok choy, and purple sweet potato mash were great Asian-inspired accompaniments. The half chicken was a surprisingly large portion, but was polished off in no time. After enjoying everything so far, we had to get dessert! We shared the goat cheese cake, which was perfectly tangy and creamy, and not too sweet. The fruity sorbet and spicy honey were nice contrasts. Our dinner was memorable and a nice mid-week treat. As we are in the neighborhood, we hope to return soon to try some of the other dishes. read more

Annabelle - Salmon with bok choy. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Elegant dining experience with well executed dishes 4.5 stars for food *On street parking, or UBER recommended *Reservations on RESY *Well curated wine list by Wine Director Mark A beautiful dining room with plants hanging from the center ceiling. Chairs are spaced well. This is what we ate/drank: Pol Roger champagne Manhattan in the rocks Delamotte Brut Blanc de Blanc champagne - comes in full and half bottles. Enjoyed this bubbly. Kusshi oysters - Pink peppercorns, compressed apple pearls, toasted buckwheat. The kusshi oysters were overdressed to the point that it overwhelms the flavor of the oyster and takes away from the unique flavor of the oyster. Nettle and Potato Gnocchi - White asparagus, ramp shoots, Rogue River Smokey Blue and hazelnuts The gnocchi is melt in your mouth delicious. Soft pillows of goodness. The cheese enhances the flavor. Shenandoah Lamb Loin - Roasted fennel, mushroom croquette, olive sauce. Perfectly cooked lamb. Mushroom croquette a delightful bite. American Red Snapper - Freekeh, roasted arrowhead cabbage, mushroom broth. A well prepared snapper, perfectly cooked. The cabbage was flavorful. Kalorama Torte - dark chocolate yumminess! Our server Michael was exceptional. Michael knew every aspect of the menu and all the ingredients. Look forward to our next reservation. read more

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The Annabelle! I had been waiting ages to check out this new restaurant and finally made it and it did not disappoint. The new renovation is gorgeous! We were seated inside and had the utmost level of care- the waiter and the sommelier were so helpful and kind! Service was very quick. The food was probably the most delicious of my life. We especially enjoyed the steak, octopus duo, oysters (with kombucha, blueberries, and mignonette) and stuffed squid. Dessert was also lovely and we stayed to just enjoy it with a cappuccino. If you're looking for somewhere romantic for the first date of a lifetime or a proposal- man, this is the place. Service was top of the line and with a star-studded culinary team you cant go wrong. I will say my friend came to the Annabelle and said service wasn't stellar on the patio. So I do highly recommend that you dine indoors! read more

Annabelle is a great restaurant despite the fact that not everything hit the mark every single time last night. It has the potential to be absolutely fantastic - a true home run - but there are just enough forced errors that I could not give it that coveted 5th star. Let's start with the basics. Annabelle looks and acts like a high end neighborhood restaurant - on the corner of Florida and R Streets NW. When I turned the corner and saw the building, it looked like a warm and welcome oasis in a residential desert. The inside lights shone with a warm golden hue, the outside lights twinkled like Christmas eve. The building is so cute and charming that it reminded me of walking to old world restaurants that I have visited in Italy or France - a diamond of a restaurant in a sea of old and dirty narrow streets cluttered with small cars I did not recognize. So too the inside is great. The dining room is smart, sophisticated and really top notch all around. Nora (the restaurant that previously occupied this space) had gotten tired and old - Nora's rustic interior hearkened back to an earlier era. But Annabelle has re-decorated the space to perfection. The wood on the walls is a very high end touch that looks great. The upholstery on the walls is not only visually stunning but it provides a quiet hush inside the dining room that is elegant. The decoration, from the tables and chairs to the inventive use of greenery, is simple and lovely. Whoever designed and decorated the place is truly gifted. Likewise, the staff is professional and highly skilled at their jobs. Friendly, knowledgeable and smooth - everyone from the hostess to the waiter to the bus people. So well done. Of course, the one place were Annabelle fails to attain the 5th star in my opinion - and it's not a loss, just a "you never quite made it there" - is some but not all of the food. Our party of 4 started out with the most scrumptious oysters I have ever had. The mignonette sauce (served on top of the oysters) was light and added without detracting from the flavor of the oysters themselves. Based on the 1st course, I had HIGH hopes! However, the next course was the grilled octopus. This was a near miss for me. The dish had all the right ingredients used in surprising ways - pomegranate sauce along with the seeds and just enough bitter greens to well balance it beautifully. Very well done on the concept. But the octopus itself was cooked too long and was slightly dry and spongy. That was a sad miss for me. My main course was tuna which was also cooked inconsistently. Some cuts were perfectly medium rare while some were well done. I know that is hard to get right every time and, if I was eating in my own home kitchen, I would not even mention it. But, when I go out for a nice and let me say it - expensive dinner - I expect more. Someone else at the table got the same entree and his tuna was almost well done throughout. Like the octopus dish before it, the tuna dish was inventive, visually beautiful, with obviously high quality ingredients, but the final result just missed the mark because of sloppy and/or inconsistent chef preparation. Don't get me wrong - I WILL DEFINITELY BE GOING BACK TO THIS PLACE AND PROBABLY MANY MORE TIMES THAN JUST ONCE! The attention to the building and the dining room, the high quality of the service and, yes, even the food, all conspired to create a wonderful evening out. Maybe it was the wonderful company I was with. Maybe it was the gin. But, all in all, I had a really great time and an enjoyable dining experience at Annabelle. I feel like this restaurant is one of those places that you can love in spite of the night's shortcomings. It is like being downgraded on your 7th grade math homework even though you came up with the right answer because you did not show your work the way your teacher wanted you to. In junior high math, you get down graded but - in real life - you overlook those small things because, in the end analysis, it is the totality of the experience that matters. OK maybe I have veered WAY off topic here - but, to me, I can forgive some problems with the food if the rest of the evening is excellent. With Annabelle, I can see the time, energy, thought, hard work and yes even the greatness over the few shortcomings. Bottom line, life is complicated and a great dining experience is way more than getting every single detail absolutely perfect every single time. And Annabelle definitely delivered a great dining experience to me last night. So, those few minor details aside, I will go back to treat myself and I am certain that I will enjoy myself again as much as I did last night. read more

Room is pretty, food is great, but the SERVICE! oh my goodness: 1. Having just been served drinks, we were in an animated discussion when our waiter just came over and interrupted us. 2. Between courses, one of my guests excused himself for the restroom. Our entrées were set on the table in his absence. To get cold, I guess. 3. Busboy hurriedly knocked a knife (and some food) onto the table and just left it there. Such good food, such a storied location and such a revered chef deserves better staff. And so do the diners. read more

An incredible evening and meal, courtesy of Shop small, American Express, and Resy. We were warmly greeted by a number of people at the door. Not sure how our meal would go as this was our first nice meal out with a four-month-old. The hostess and servers made us feel confident:) Our server was quick to bring us menus as we were not going to be having a long, dining experience. But that did not mean the experience was less than perfect. Starting off with beets, heirloom tomatoes, and some oysters along with a bottle of French wine which was so yummy. We bypassed the second course, and went straight for some mains. Did a nice variety with the red snapper, the chicken breast, and the New York strip. I have to say out of everything the heirloom tomato (as if they were just picked out of the garden), the beets and chicken were out of this world. We did get one pepper with the chicken breast that was pretty spicy, but the person who luckily ate that loves heat. 2 desserts were shared and we were treated two warm chocolate chip cookies. Thank you so much for making our evening so wonderful it was really over the top. #shopsmall #americanexpress #Rest read more

Wow! The service, the food, and the drinks were incredible. My friend and I went here for winter 2024 restaurant week and we were shocked at how amazing it was. We started with the lentil soup which I could've had four bowls of. We added on the tagliatelle for an additional $10 and it was well worth it. For our main course, we both enjoyed the swordfish. For dessert, we got the chocolate torte and the rum cake. Make sure to see the bartender Kevin before you sit at your table, he makes a mean dirty martini. read more

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This restaurant is just a couple blocks away from us and a place well often visit when we have guests in town. I really like the atmosphere. It's sort of loft-y and chic but with rustic finishes. The food here is good. You won't be disappointed by the flavor. However, the prices are high. $42 for 5 or 6 slices of duck breast felt excessive. It was a rather small portion. It is possible to leave here full but you just have to be willing to spend $60+ per person to do so. My last meal here consisted of the beet salad ($18), the duck ($42), and at least one side ($10). I also had multiple bites of my partner's steak and appetizer. To fill me was more like $75+ (I should note that I am mid 20s and very physically active so I may eat more than the average person). The service has generally been good in our experiences. The sommelier is excellent. He's knowledgable, personable, and gets to the point which is always appreciated. I do recommend this restaurant for a pleasant date night or evening with friends but I'd be ready to spend a little more than a typical dinner elsewhere. read more

Very nice restaurant a few streets away from the busy DuPont Circle. Came on a Friday night and thankfully had a booking as it was busy. The inside of the restaurant has been redone recently; nice decor, a slight nod to Art Deco. Very attentive staff. Menu had good options, although the 'wines by the glass' is quite a small list when you see how big the wine menu is. The heirloom tomato's were very good and lots of flavor. The steak was cooked and seasoned well and very nice. Would recommend for a nice dinner out. read more

My partner and I tried Annabelle on a whim and we will be back in the future. Staff was very attentive and the food was well portioned and full of flavor. I highly recommend the pork chop dish as well as the Fricassée of Summer Corn and Maine Chanterelles (especially if you want a vegan option). If you have the opportunity, take the time to talk to their sommelier Gary. His recommendations paired perfectly and he is a wealth of knowledge that showcases his dedication to supporting the ultimate experience Annabelle strives to present. read more

Great food! Small menu but everything was fantastic! Definitely worth a visit! Try the duck! .

We had a very negative first experience at Annabelle, which we wrote about on Yelp. The owner reached out to apologize for what happened, explained the miscommunication that had occurred, and invited us to return. Everyone deserves a second chance, and we're glad we tried again. Service was attentive, the food was quite good, and most importantly, the restaurant made appropriate accommodation for our dietary restriction. We greatly enjoyed our leisurely dinner at Annabelle and would certainly dine here again. read more

The bar is adorable. Good ambiance. Good wait staff. I expected the food to be better than it was.

One of DC's best restaurants - beautifully redone (was the old Nora), excellent staff and truly delicious food. Presentation is excellent but the flavors are superlative. One of the most under-rated places in the City. We visit fairly frequently, and every time we go I ask myself why has it been so long since the last visit. read more

Man this was one of the best meals I've had in DC. We were able to sit outside with enough space to properly social distance while still enjoying the warmth of a heater and the beauty of the neighborhood. Every dish we had was amazing and each bite was so well thought out -- the Oven Roasted Brassica Salad, the Ravioli of Organic Broccoli, the Slow Cooked Cod, the Heirloom Carrots, the Spiced Cake. It was all outstanding, the service was so lovely and attentive, the prosecco fit the mood, the atmosphere was popping. Hope they stay in the neighborhood because they're so great! read more

Annabelle - Oven Roasted Brassica Salad - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to Annabelle to celebrate a special occasion and it was amazing. First off, the staff were very gracious and accommodating from the get-go. Our server was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and went above and beyond to make our night special. Additionally, my partner and I do not know much about wine, so we asked to speak with the wine director to get a recommendation of what would pair well with the dinner. Unlike many sommeliers, he was very approachable and walked us through the wine list. He helped us select a delicious wine that exceeded our expectations and within our budget. Overall, it was the best dining experience we've had in DC and we can't wait to go back again. I highly recommend it! read more

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Do not eat here! First, they only employ men! The plate broke on a $39 dish and the employees stood around laughing. The napkins were damp/wet The sexist men that haven't been trained on ageism asked my 22 year old daughter 3 times if she wanted a mock tail. They did not pay or treat to anything even after our dinner was ruined by glass in our food. Horrible customer service. read more

Annabelle - Plate BREAKS employees stand around and Laugh!! - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Take out was awful. Avoid the tuna confit. Looks and tastes like cat food (worst sauce imaginable). Chicken was tiny and the sauce was comparable to the confit. The side of bulged and chard was like mushy baby food. Deserts were okay, but the "deconstructed" tart and cheesecake should not be reconstructed. Maybe it was a restaurant week (below par) menu, but will definitely not return after this experience. Should definitely take away any Michelin stars. read more

Went here for restaurant week. I enjoyed all the food and the service was great! The pork belly was a standout it tasted amazing! read more

Annabelle - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Annabelle was one of my first experiences dining out during the pandemic, and it did not disappoint in any way. Tons of safety precautions were taken to make sure that our dining experience was safe- staff were wearing masks, the tables outside were spaced apart, and we used single-use paper menus. But on to the fun part- the food! The menu really showed off what was fresh and in season, and everything was absolutely delicious. We started with goat cheese dip and lavash crackers, oysters with this incredible blueberry kombucha sauce, and tiny quiche pieces with spinach and lemon. The summer corn ravioli as an entree was one of the best dishes I've had in a long time- it perfectly showed off sweet summer corn, accented with just enough black truffle that didn't overwhelm the dish at all. It was also a perfectly sized portion (I hate ordering ravioli and getting like three small pieces of pasta). The duo of rockfish and octopus was also delicious. We finished our meal with the trio of cheeses, which came with housemade jam, honey, and absolutely amazing almond-fig bread, and a chocolate hazelnut torte with a passionfruit layer. I would order every single thing we had again, but I know from what we tasted that there must be so many other incredible things on the menu! I was also surprised to see so many tables around us ordering wine, because the cocktails we had were incredible. Highly recommend A Yong Woman Moves to Washington and Red Medicine if they are still on the menu. We also had exceptional service- our server, Michael, was friendly, knowledgeable, and made great suggestions. I know dining out in a pandemic is a luxury that is not something to be taken lightly, and I appreciate everything the staff and restaurant did to make it a special night in extraordinary circumstances. read more

The food was decent, but nothing to write home about. The dessert was better than the savory dishes. Overall, the taste of the food doesn't match the price tag, but the ambiance (outside tent during Covid) was nice. read more

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A lovely special occasion dinner for a group of 7 friends tonight. Great food, great service and an all around terrific experience. Highly recommend. read more

Excellent meal -- everything we had at Annabelle was delicious. We particularly enjoyed the scallops, lentil soup (with lobster) and the cod. The service was also top notch; our server, Travis, gave us some of the best service we've had in DC. One final note: the price was not crazy; we definitely felt we got our money's worth. We'll be back! read more

Arrived early on a Saturday to get a table because reservations were booked. Walked into the restaurant to be greeted by two unfriendly faces. The hostess asked if we could wait two hours for a table. I expected this and agreed nonchalantly, and right away the host offered to seated us right then. I turned to the hostess in confusion who by then turned her back to me. Quite bizarre - I get the feeling she wanted to turn us away by suggesting a later time but when I agreed, I called her bluff. It really left an impression. I don't think we came off as improper customers. The food was delicious. Delicate and not over-powering. We started with the candy stripe beet salad and the Yukon gold potato gnocchi. We then had the Maine lobster Americaine and the smoked olive oil poached Chatham cod. For desert we had the goat cheese cake and the sachet torte. The welcoming could be more hospitable and was sort of off-putting. read more

I had dinner there with friends on Jan. 15, 2023. It was my first time there. The atmosphere was beautiful. My entrée was the pork loin. The pork loin was forgettable. The black-eyed peas and greens surrounding the pork loin on the plate were excellent though. For dessert, I ordered the carrot cake. The carrot cake was disappointing. The dish consisted of two 1 1/4" square "cubes" of carrot cake surrounded by two dollops of sour cream ice cream and other yummy additions. The carrot cake was in the dry side. This is an expensive restaurant. I expected more. My wife and four other friends agreed. The wait staff were superb! read more

Had a very disappointing dinner .The service was poor and the chicken was salty . They should know better . Sending a free dessert just does not make up for an unpleasant evening read more

Annabelle, like the other Knightsbridge restaurants, is under the watchful eye of the owner who shows up randomly each night, often more than once, at each of his restaurants. We've been to almost all of the restaurants, and they are consistent performers. We had an early Saturday night reservation and were seated at a table that was very comfortable. There is sound absorbing material in the dining room so we could actually have a real conversation. The food, under Frank Ruta, was lovely (although we missed seeing the roast chicken on the menu). One thing we all appreciated is that the desserts are not so sugary sweet as many other places. Service was professional and efficient. Annabelle is not on the trendy list but it was completely full of what we think as people like us, locals of a certain age or who will be there within a decade or so. We'll be back. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g28970-d19692074-r879287350-Annabelle-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html# read more

Ordered online yesterday and our order was cancelled one half hour after it was supposed to be delivered. Email said they didn't have the ingredients. It would seem that they woukd have know this an hour before delivery time. Having to post a star rating isnt good because there is no 0 rating read more

Had the restaurant week menu with wine pairing and it was fabulous! The restaurant was socially distanced and felt very safe. The waiter was helpful and the service was lovely. The food was superb! I had the grilled opah for my main course, which is one of the best pieces of fish I've ever eaten. The apple Napoleon for the dessert was quite unique and flavorful! My two friends also loved their food. Definitely plan on returning! read more

Annabelle - Provençal fish cake - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I should have taken more pics, but this was the most delicious piece of halibut I have ever eaten in my life! Everything was delicious. I highly recommend! read more

Annabelle - Halibut - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I attended a private dinner at Annabelle. While the service and wine were outstanding, the food left a lot to be desired. It took an epically long time for food to be served and when it was finally served, my steak was cold. I'd come back to see their regular dining experience is but currently do not have high hopes. read more

Service lagged when we were in and they weren't busy. Food was alright. Expected better after reading the press but nothing sang to me and the wine pairings we were given didn't seem to make sense. Product and interpersonal quality has definitely slipped with the pandemic, as even Rasika had lost the allure last time we were in. Look elsewhere. read more

I don't drink, and it can feel impossible to find excellent, well-balanced mocktails, but Josh at Annabelle is a genius mixologist. There's so much detail in the small things. You can also tell him flavor profiles you like and he'll take it from there. Delicious food and drinks, and amazing service. Will be back very soon. read more