Absolutely delicious Chinese / French fusion food (and drinks!) served in a gorgeous, bustling space with super friendly service! I visited Bar Chinois for dinner with a friend after she had a great experience at their Virginia location, and we had a fantastic time! We arrived right at the tail end of happy hour so we managed to snag a few drinks and their $1 veggie dumplings ($1 for each dumpling, not the whole order). I'm usually not a huge cocktail person, but I *loved* their Coco Marseille -- it was sweet but not too sweet, creamy but also refreshing from the herbs. A+ recommendation from my server! As far as food goes, the dumplings were tasty (and so cheap!), as were the crab rangoons and garlic noodles. The crab rangoons were crispy and perfectly fried, with a tasty and creamy filling that paired wonderfully with the sweet, fruity apricot sauce on the bottom. My favorite thing had to be the garlic noodles, though -- so beautifully buttery, with a perfectly al dente texture, and lots of garlic flavor. The cheese is a fun touch, and this dish was truly fusion done right -- the French (well, really, broadly Western European) and Chinese flavors paired perfectly with and clearly enhanced one another. read more

Bar Chinois - 1970's Garlic Noodles - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place gets busyyyy! You need a reservation for HH (5-7pm) or just show up early. They do have a high top standing area which frankly stinks. It's just not spacious enough (video attached). Luckily, just as we were walking out Natalia (a hostess) had a table for us!! She was so sweet and professional. We were so thankful! Our waitress Marlena was also incredible. We had their pork and chicken dumplings which were great. They come out pretty fast too. I do wish the pork dumplings were served hot - they were room temp. Also, we had the Chinois Mule which was mostly ginger beer and sugar - not much alcohol at all. Next time, we will return for brunch as recommended by Marlena! Thank you, Bar Chinois! read more

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I came here for DC Restaurant Week on a Saturday for their brunch. For starters, the crab rangoons were a win. I'm already a crab rangoon fan, but these came out hot and crispy with a tangy yellow duck sauce that really pulled it together. Easily one of my favorite parts of the meal. For my entrée, I went with the chicken curry and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted authentic, was well seasoned, and they didn't skimp on the chicken. Dessert was the matcha crème brûlée. I'm big on crème brûlée in general, and while the matcha twist was interesting, I'd probably still lean toward a classic version if I had the choice. That said, it wasn't bad at all, just more of a personal preference thing. For brunch, I did the $25 bottomless mimosas. My only real knock here is the setup. I prefer places that bring the bottle and juice or a carafe so you can pour your own. Here, refills were handled by the staff, and after the initial pour, we didn't get extra juice unless we asked. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting. This the only thing holding it back from a 5/5. Service was good, food was enjoyable, and I don't regret coming at all. I've heard good things about their happy hour and $5 drinks, so I'll definitely be back to check that out. Overall, a solid spot with room to be great. read more

Bar Chinois - Matcha Crème brûlée - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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As the name suggests, more fusion than authentic. Flavor profile is there, but a softer interpretation. That said, prices are decent and there's plenty space weeknights. Leans more loud than lively, but the patio is chill. read more

Unfortunately this place seems to be going downhill a bit. In the past, we found the service great, the food good, and the quality excellent. On my most recent visit, two of my friends couldn't eat because they've apparently reduced the number of gluten free items on the menu, and my other friend with a serious food allergy had her food come out incorrectly and was concerned that the kitchen has become unreliable. I ordered the same dish I have gotten previously and it's smaller and has less taste and fillings. It's still good for bottomless mimosas but I'm sad to say we didn't have a stellar experience. read more

Came with a group of 7 initially for the Happy Hour, which then transitioned into the dinner segment so we could experience Winter Restaurant Week 2025. Many of the reviews of Bar Chinois focus on the HH. From 5pm-7pm everyday (which is a rarity), all cocktails are 1/2 priced and all dumplings are just $1; indeed one of the better HH's in all of DC. And even more diner friendly is that the HH specials aren't just applicable in the closet sized bar area, but extend through the entire restaurant and to the outdooor patio (in the warmer months). Our group arrived around 6:20pm and crabwalked through the extremely tight bar area. In addition to bar seating, there are a few tables and a long counter to stand and place your drinks/food. As for the decor, it is modern with a very dark color palette, exposed duct work, and pops of red from the lanterns, lighting, and Chinese characters lending to the Asian motif. While I was waiting for the rest of the group to arrive I ordered the Chiniois Mule which is a concotion of Absolut Vodka, Créme de Cassis, Berry Shrub, Lime, Ginger Beer. I love the classic Moscow Mule served in a copper mug, but with the addition of the black currant derived Creme de Cassis and Berry Shrub, Bar Chinois version was predictably a bit too sweet for me. When we were finally seated, several dumplings were ordered for the table. Garlic Chives, Gyoza De Boeuf, Pork XLB...they were all fine. Not outstanding, but acceptable. Good filing to wrapper ratio; even if the filling whether they were veggie or meat was underseasoned. The accompanying dipping sauce added some saltiness, but had more sweet flavor notes. While the rest of the group was here for Restaurant Week, I was already getting full from drinks and dumplings, so I just opted for an entree of the Lu Rao Fan. Most Asian cultures have some version of slow roasted pork belly braised in a sweet/salty aromatic broth including star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger sichuan peppercorns, and rock sugar. To be clear, Bar Chinois culinary viewpoint is Asian Fusion, so I already tempered my expectations of this dish. If this was pork belly, I couldn't tell since the meat was dry and flavorless. And I could hardly discern any of the 5-spice blend in the sauce. The bowl came topped with a nice soft boiled egg, arugula salad, scallions, and sushi ginger. Again, this is Asian Fusion and not an authentic dish you'd find in any one of many eateries in Rockville or Falls Church. If I hadn't asked our server for a side of chili oil, the dish would've been much too bland for my tastes. Be forwarned, this is palce is L-O-U-D. The acoustics resulting from the high ceilings and concrete creates a sometimes deafing echo chamber. Don't be surprised if you spend most of the evening leaning in to be heard and having to yell "what did you say?" to be heard over the din of discordant background noise. Service was good. Our main server checked in on us throughout the meal and was patient with a large group. Otherwise, a team of servers delivered food and ensured water glasses were kept full, and plates/dishes removed in a timely fashion. Note, Bar Chinois DOES NOT allow for separate checks, so if going with a large group, figure out a system before hand for how to account for individuals orders. My portion including one HH drink, an order of dumplings, and one entree came out to roughly $40 with tax and tip. Which IMHO, is a decent value for DC dining. Everyone else in the group also seemed to throughly enjoy their meals. Does Bar Chinois serve the best most authentic Asian cuisine? No; but then again, that's not what this place is trying to be. It's a cool spot for Happy Hour, and an intimate dining spot. Now that I'm back in the office 5days/week, I can definitely see myself heading here with co-workers as I wait for DC traffic to subside. read more

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This is a chic Chinese French fusion eatery a block from Mt Vernon square. The place was jumping for a Tuesday night. Come for the dollar dumplings at 5 pm but stay for the small plates and mixed drinks. 10/10 would come again read more

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Prefacing this with the fact that we live in NYC, so we're used to great food. Food was OK. We tried the pork dumplings, egg with cheese, chicken flutes, and Brussels sprouts. All--meh. Edible, but that's it. Portions fairly small. For a Michelin recommended place, we expected more. Wouldn't recommend. read more

Fun brunch option in a trendy setting. Did a Sunday brunch date with my wife here before a visit to the national portrait gallery for bottomless dimsum. The good: it's a fun brunch option near enough the national galleries to walk on a lazy Sunday morning. The dimsum menu includes quite a few dumplings, bao, and other options that should satisfy a larger party looking for more variety. The dining room is comfortable clean and modern with a trendier feel for a date spot or anyone trying to make a first impression. The bad: you are paying for the location and the decor. This is perhaps more noticeable this close to Chinatown where a similar meal can be had in a more modest dining room that will be a bit more friendly on the wallet. A fun occasion spot, but maybe a bit out of reach for a regular option. read more

Bar Chinois - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

this bar is not a good environment if you prefer professionalism and good vibes. At first, it seemed like a cool restaurant but i learned that they discriminate against me read more

I like Bar Chinois. I've been here once before for drinks, and ultimately I think that's their strongest quality. I've had a Cosmo and an Espresso Martini, and both were extremely smooth and well crafted. This spot is the ultimate place for drinks & apps. As for the food, I was still extremely satisfied. I tried the Pork Belly Bao, Red Chili Wontons, and the 1970s Garlic Noodles. The bao had a great texture, soft and bouncy, soaking up the grease and flavor from the meat beautifully. The Red Chili Wontons had the perfect amount of spice and a good chew to the meat filling. I really liked the addition of the garlic noodles to the menu, and I appreciate that the name encourages customers, like me, to look into the origins of the dish. read more

Bar Chinois - Red Chili Wontons - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The service was lacking, but the food was absolutely amazing! We had a glass of Pinot, a glass of Biscay, brussels sprouts, pork belly baos, pork xlb, char sui chicken, and 1970's garlic noodles. We weirdly purred and smiled at every bite. The food was worth the waitstaff interactions. read more

We came for bottomless brunch and had such amazing service and it was well worth the $23 for bottomless mimosas. Our glasses were never empty. We ordered food a la carte. I think the food is a bit overpriced because each dish only came with 4 pieces, so I recommend maybe eating a bit before. Our favorite were the Pork XLB and Spicy wontons. read more

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Trying an unfamiliar restaurant week is a true delight. We were lucky and had happy hour craft cocktails and dumplings to start. Their cocktail list is unique and delicious and very well priced during happy hour. The happy hour dumplings were great. Happy hour was reason enough to return. But we also had a full dinner. The red chili wontons were the best thing we had off.of the menu. The bao were delicious, a unique presentation, like a crunchy sandwich. The 70's noodles were wonderful and the char chicken rice was great. The matcha creme brulee was wonderful. The restaurant was full of people, inside and out. The staff was great. The restaurant itself was fun and well decorated. Looking forward to returning. read more

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Came here for restaurant week with a group of friends! Definitely some hits and misses, I'm not sure it was good enough for me to want to come back. The restaurant week deal was alright, $40 for a starter, entree, and dessert. Was not a fan of the bao; it lacked sauce and tasted kind of raw. I liked the char siu chicken rice and also tried my friend's garlic noodles, which tasted pretty basic but definitely yummy. It's a lovely space and I liked the reddish dim lighting. The chocolate cheesecake and matcha crème brûlée were my favorite parts! read more

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This is a decent place for happy hour - I personally find it rare to see a restaurant with a weekend happy hour but Bar Chinois delivers with $1 dumplings and half off their cocktails! You do have to order your dumplings in groups of 4, but our overall check was roughly $20pp without tax and tip, which is wonderful. Dumplings were ok - the steamed ones were a smidge too hard for my liking, but the cocktails were fairly decent. Their mule is definitely less boozy, more sweet. Service is friendly and consistent. The ambiance is on the darker side, making it a fun place for a girls' night out or a date. read more

Bar Chinois - Steamed and fried veggie and pork dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The restaurant was pretty small and dark and it was a great place to go with a group of friends. The service was good, and the food came out surprisingly quick for the amount we ordered. Some of us tried a few cocktails, and based off of the ones we tried I might say this is one of the best cocktail menus in DC, they were all that inventive and delicious. We really loved everything that we got but some of our favorites were the 1970s garlic noodles, the chicken karaage, and the gyoza. I would honestly eat everything off the menu though. Will definitely be back to take advantage of their great happy hour deals! read more

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Great restaurant in Chinatown, DC. I came for Happy Hour (Daily, 5p-7p) which offers $1 Dumplings and half off select cocktails. Dumplings were great with a choice of being fried or steamed. Drinks were well made. I did not try any of their main entrees but they looked good as well. I would highly recommend coming here. read more

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Right near my hotel, great reviews on Yelp, beautiful patio dining, gorgeous interior, and a dumpling Happy Hour from 5-7!! First great choice, the pork dumplings. 4 large dumplings to a plate and the dumpling sauce really makes the dish. Second great choice, going light after the dumplings with the Chinois chicken salad. Great experience. Hope to come back. read more

Bar Chinois - BC L'Espresso - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

In love with this place from the minute we stepped in! Love the vibe and the service was phenomenal. We had to wait just a bit for our table (we had reservations). The place was packed! We enjoyed happy hour dumplings and drinks. Super tasty dumplings and probably one of the best drinks I've had in a while. Our entrees were delicious. The 1970's garlic noodles dish was comfort food at its finest. So good! Thank you for a wonderful evening! read more

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First, I want to say to make a reservation because as soon as this place opens.. immediately get's busy at the bar and outdoor seating is pretty bad if it's a hot summer day. The main attraction to this place is the $1 dumplings that come in an order of 4. You can pick from pork, veggies and chicken and you can decide to have them fried or steamed, and honestly fried was definitely better. The drinks are also cheap and we got a few rounds of Mousse à la Peche, which is so good!! Please order next time. I will say maybe because it was busy but service was a bit slow and they forgot our drinks and one round of pork dumplings but we sat outside and after an hour of being in the heat we paid and left. I feel like the experience is well worth inside. The dumplings were okay to be, it is $1 so you really can't complain per say but the chili karaage was so delicious, I'm happy we ordered it bc we weren't gunna get full on dumplings. I wanted to rate this place a 3.5/5 only because I felt like the dumplings could be better, they forgot our drink & dumpling order. I do want to say they gave us a free drink that was extra at the bar but it was so strong we had to chug it because we didn't want it to go to waste :( read more

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Pretty much loved everything we ordered here. Got into the city pretty late and decided to try this place because it was still open. Seated right away and although it was hot and loud inside, ambiance was still good! Lots of people just in there for drinks at the bar, but there were tables around the periphery for those who wanted a meal too. Red chili wontons were definitely spicy and delicious. The sauce on the gyoza was the best part. Garlic noodles were great at the table, but even better as leftovers. Chicken rice dish was super fresh and a mix between salad/rice base. Drinks were good too! read more

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might be the best happy hour ive ever been to! FOUR dumplings for FOUR dollars... what a deal in the city! the dumplings were so good, the cocktails were fantastic - particularly the mule! it was pink and so tasty. my friends had the espresso martini that had the bar's logo on top which was such a fun touch. crab rangoon was a hugeeeee hit with my crew and our waiter was so kind! but by far the best part in my opinion was the matcha crème brûlée! deeeeeeeelishhhhh read more

Bar Chinois - espresso martini - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food was delicious! Every dish was super unique and had tons of flavor. I didn't expect to really love the garlic and chive gao but I loved how crispy they were. The Mousse a la Peche was recommended by our server which was also super fruity and yummy! The black pepper duck was super saucy but also crispy, it was really good. Overall it's a really cute vibe a good spot to come on a weekday that's open late read more

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I definitely recommend making reservations for this spot. It is super small and I had over a hour wait. While we waited we did order some appetizers at the bar area. All the orders did come out pretty quickly which was a good thing. The was dimly lit and it was a little loud. Once we were seated we ordered the Crab Rangoon and the Garlic noodles. Both were very delicious. I did add shrimp on the garlic noodles which was a good addition. Overall I would return but definitely with a reservation or just order at the bar area. read more

Bar Chinois - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Bar chinois is my new top choice as an after work drinks location, and or any dinner night. Their garlic noodles are absolutely delicious with a savory taste. That's going to have you coming back from more. After having these ones, I'm now at a point where I will order them for takeout. The bartender's here will make you any drink that you can think of, and have a few signature cocktails as well. The shrimp bao and pork belly bao are great bite-size small bites for the table and a must order if you're going to go. Honestly, this is one of those locations where I'm going to keep coming back to try every dish over my time in Washington DC. read more

Bar Chinois - Menu - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fantastic happy hour deal every day, half off cocktails and $1 dumplings, which were actually delicious (we got both chicken and pork). Loves the chili karaage (sauce was amazing) and garlic noodles, definitely very garlicky. Our favorite dish of the night was the gyoza de boeuf (French onion dumplings), never had anything like it before. It's a somewhat small restaurant, so highly recommend making a reservation, especially during happy hour. Service was good and prompt. read more

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The food here is so so delicious. Also we came at the end of happy hour and got $4 dumplings so an incredible deal. The garlic noodles are a must try and the pork belly was so soft and flavorful. Will def be back read more

Bar Chinois - Dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We just went for restaurant week. The food was drenched in sauce for everything, overcooked, and flavors that didn't mesh. I've never had bad duck until today. It didn't taste like French Chinese fusion, it tasted like a pound of sugar. The ribs were more char than meat. The only redeeming quality of this place are the servers. We did not try their drinks but definitely do not come here for the food. read more

We come here often for the happy hour-- which used to be the best in town! I think the menu (for cocktails) has changed because it used to be half off cocktails during HH. Now there's a set menu of six cocktails at varying prices ($6.50- $8.50). The chinois mule is standard although slightly on the sweet side. My personal favorite was the coco Marseille-- perfect balance of sweetness and herbs. The BC L'espresso taste like a standard espresso martini-- didn't really get notes of pandan or coconut. The best part is the $1 dumplings. Each order ($4 for 4 dumplings) can be steamed or fried, and either pork, chicken or vegetable. Tastes like standard frozen dumplings that they prepare quickly for happy hour. Make sure you get a reservation because seating is hard to come by. There are seats at the bar, but those fill quickly. Outdoor seating during spring/summer can be a little uncomfortable (the humidity and bugs are a killer). read more

The food is amazing and the place is always buzzing with big energy. The bartenders are great. I recommend sitting at the bar and sampling a bunch of things. read more

Went for happy hour and ordered the mule on the happy hour menu. Bartender was not very friendly and then proceeded to charge us for two mules not on happier hour menu. But charged us happy hour price for dumplings on the menu. When we asked he doubled down and said we order regular ones when we explicitly said chino mule twice. Not happy being charged 30 dollars instead of 15 do not go here unless you want to be overcharged. read more

Went for HH. A 2 hr table got reduced to 1.5 hrs bc they were packed. IMO it didn't quite live up to the hype. $1 dumplings were so doughy and thick. Other items were pretty good but wouldn't necessarily be pressed to go back read more

Bar Chinois - Crab Rangoon, dumplings, and Salt & Pepper Shrimp - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

ordered a bunch recently for takeout, have no intention of returning. no dishes stood out, most dishes were underseasoned/lacking flavor, just overal disappointed with the meal. garlic noodles had no flavor, chili karaage was very overdone (tough chicken texture) with no skin texture, beef gyoza I would not have guessed as "french onion" flavor, roasted mushroom salad was ok. the zha jiang mian was the best dish but even then wouldn't go back for it. read more

One of the best happy hours in the city! And this time I had the crispy shrimp bao- next time I'm ordering two!! It was so good ! Service is always great here and it s a very small place but social and friendly vibes all day and night! read more

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Excellent food, ambiance, and service. The atmosphere is vibrant and the staff made the experience seamless. A fantastic addition to the D.C. dining scene that I would highly recommend to anyone. read more

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Came here for late night foods after a night out. Everything was made fresh and stayed great! Plenty of seating. The ambience is fun and reminded me of Korean pubs / pochas in New York! Service is quick and nice staff. read more

Went for happy hour. The dumplings were kind of terrible and the restaurant is super loud to the point that you can't hear conversations on opposite ends of a 5-6 foot table. I only got a non-alcoholic drink and it was a nice size for the price. It tasted alright but nothing to write home about. Probably wouldn't come back here. read more

We sat at the bar for happy hour (Tu-Sun 5-7pm), and it was great. I got the peak bloom and maximilian and both drinks were delicious. The dumplings came out quickly and were pretty good too. Happy hour is 1/2 off drinks, and $1 dumplings (only pork, chicken or veggie; special dumplings do not apply). The bartender was also attentive and friendly. Definitely come early as it gets crowded quickly. I would come back again! read more

Bar Chinois - Peak Bloom - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Bar Chinois is a must visit! Walking in was such a vibe, from the dim light and music... it was wonderful. Stopped by during restaurant week for dinner and our meal was so delicious. I enjoyed a Riviera Highball and Peak Bloom for my drinks. Both were tasty and refreshing for a summer evening. Coco B was a great server! For dessert, the matcha cheesecake was a delightful way to end the night. Will absolutely return. read more

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