We stopped by on a whim because the restaurant looked inviting and happened to be offering happy hour. We grabbed seats at the bar, and it ended up being a great choice. The bartenders were incredibly friendly and even let us sample a new cocktail they were experimenting with, which was a nice touch. The drinks we ordered were both strong and well-balanced. This was also my first time trying escargot. They serve it deshelled and topped with a flaky puff pastry, which definitely made it less intimidating for a first-timer. It was rich, buttery, and a great introduction to a dish I'd always been hesitant to order. For our meal, we shared the burger and the calamari. The burger was good but didn't really stand out, while the calamari was the surprise favorite. It had a nice crispy texture with just the right amount of heat. For dessert, we tried the rice pudding and the crème brûlée. The rice pudding was light, creamy, and not overly sweet, which I really enjoyed. The crème brûlée, however, was a bit of a mixed bag. The caramelized sugar layer was so thick that it was difficult to crack through, and I ended up lifting it off and eating the custard on its own. The custard itself was slightly runnier than I expected, but it was still rich and flavorful. Overall, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the friendly service, and the cocktail program. I'd definitely come back for happy hour and to work my way through more of the menu. read more

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Bar Colline has an extensive menu of appetizers and main courses. Our server Polina was polished and adept at helping us navigate the menu and the wine list. Don't let the French menu intimidate and limit your choices. Instead of enjoying their onion soup which we enjoyed before - we picked the prawn and rice croquettes in saffron rouille- marvelous and chicken liver mouse Foie De Volaille- outstanding. Main course choices of sea bass and mussels were delightful w texture and flavors that were welcoming and filling. The bar is a dynamic center point for the restaurant with high ceiling and lots of natural light pouring into the space. The space can handle large crowds and there are private spaces available. We were in on a late Sunday afternoon and the setting near the window gave us a great view of the well maintained streetscape. We enjoyed a pre dinner Manhattan that was straight up and so refreshing. Polina recommended a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay that really complimented our main course selections. Parking is plentiful in one of Crystal City's many parking garages and the streetscape is welcoming and smartly designed with colorful plantings. read more

Bar Colline - Mussels - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Bar Colline was very good. I visited on a Friday night and had drinks at the bar before sitting down for dinner. Drinks at the bar were made quickly and tasted good; I recommend the Old Fashioned ($10 on happy hour). Dinner got off to a good start with Rilettes (meat pate) and La Cachat (a cheese spread), both $13, with accompanying bread. The staff helpfully brought over more bread on request and did not charge for it. The special, Trout Grenobloise ($35), was a delicious large, thin piece of fish, pan-seared in butter sauce with capers, along with some potatoes and carrots. The Moules Frites ($28) were also very good, served with fries (or sub salad) and a fennel, pastis, and cream sauce. I usually do not like fennel or pastis, but I did not mind it here. The mussels themselves were large and tasty. A friend's Steak Frites ($44) looked like a very nice, thick piece of steak, better looking than many steak frites I've seen. I like that they have some cider on the menu. We had a nice bottle of La Maison Ferré, Cave de Gabriel ($36). The decor is nice, but works better in the smaller bar area; the dining room is very large and open, which swallows up the furniture and makes it feel a bit sparse. I found the prices a bit high for dinner, but the happy hour and lunch special (2 courses for $25) are good deals. Service was good enough. read more

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From the moment I walked through the door, I knew it was going to be a great experience because the hostess was so kind and welcoming. We were seated immediately, our server greeted us and gave a brief history of the restaurant. I started with the beet salad, and it was amazing! For my entrée, I had the roasted chicken, and it was so good I could've licked the bowl! Seriously though, everything was flavorful, fresh, and well prepared. I will definitely dine there again when I'm back in the area. read more

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I want to love Bar Colline, I really do, but the food is just mid, as the kids say. The decor is elegant and the service is friendly and attentive but the food misses the mark in my opinion. Happy hour prices are just right though, so if you want a nice setting for a couple of decent drinks at a cheap price, this is it. read more

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I came in for happy hour and had a seat at the bar. This was my second time coming in since it opened. It's a good place for professionals to stop for a bite and a drink, but the dining area would also be nice for a date. The bartenders were friendly and attentive. I had the happy hour burger (comes with fries). It came out quickly and it was great, flavorful and cooked well. On an earlier visit, I had the escargot, which I also enjoyed. read more

Bar Colline - Happy hour burger - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Cute little French bistro in Arlington. French onion soup was good including the savory soup. Steak tartare and mussels were also good. The salad was disappointing. Lettuce wasn't really cut much and minimal dressing or vegetables/herbs. Their desserts were good - little bit overboard on the whipped cream ratio to the pot de crème pudding portion. Service was good and the hostess and server readily gave their suggestions on what dishes they like the most. read more

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Nice interior, good restaurant for big groups. However menu selection was small, and I wish the dishes were more descriptive or had pictures. Mussels came with a literal pot full of mussels and was a weird entree to eat. Creme brulee was too sweet and creamy. read more

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We went here for their happy hour. We got the standard deal for my area happy hours - $10 burgers with fries. The food menu is really small and you can only get a burger, oysters, or fries. We got the double patty cheeseburgers - the patties were extremely thin and flimsy - not fully covering the patties, just barely holding it torched in pieces. The fries were mostly overcooked and somewhat burned for my taste. We got glasses of rose for $6 each and they were good. They also have cocktails for $10 and options are nice. The ambience is great and the best part about this restaurant. It's very lively and nice looking. The McCormick and schmicks in the next building has a massive burger and amazing fries so we'll probably stick to that spot for our happy hours. read more

Bar Colline - Bar area - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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About a 2.5: Bar Colline is a nice welcome to the National Landing area, providing French bistro fare for lunch, dinner and HH. We came to check out their Happy Hour, where were able to find a couple of spots at the bar. We ordered: +Oysters - came with 6 and a side of mignonette and cocktail sauce; the oysters were very fresh! +the Bistro Burger - prepared with 2 smash patties, club sauce, lettuce, American cheese, and pickles, served with a side of pommes frites; definitely greasy and juicy +and, Calamari - these could be more fresh and more seasoned; served with a side if aioli The staff were attentive, and the bartenders were working it! The place was packed, so you can tell that this place is pretty popular with the locals. Garage and limited metered street parking is available in the area. +fresh oysters! +attentive staff +garage and metered street parking available read more

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Such a nice cozy Parisian restaurant in crystal city. Staff is really nice. We mixed stuff out locations and ended up at this restaurant instead of their sister restaurant and they worked really hard to find us a seat so we wouldn't have to Uber so really nice staff. The food was exceptional. Ambience is cozy sweet and if it was a little darker would be a romantic escargot was fresh and very well seasoned. I enjoyed the oysters, but they did not have a variety so they just have one kind and it's pretty good whatever that evening they serve served Also got steak tartar, which was exceptional. I absolutely loved it and muscles were cooked to perfection in some white sauce. They do have many items on the menu so I would like to come back and try more. Absolutely, lovely place read more

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Met up with my gf for lunch here! We parked at a nearby garage and walked over. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly. We had the croquettes, bistro burger, and loop de mar. What I didn't know was that my gf is NOT a fan of French food but I convinced her that they make some of the best burgers and fries and it's safe to say... they won her over (thank goodness!). My sea bass was soooo delicious, the seared it impeccably well and manages to maintain crispy edges. I don't normally like nuts in my food so I did scrape away the majority of them. The croquette was decent, not sure I'd order again--next time I'll try the onion soup. All in all? We'd come back! read more

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Musings on mussels at Bar Colline in Arlington: I have found enjoying the broth of pots of mussels an unreliable pursuit. Seriously, it is doubtful I am the only one who has ordered mussels and wondered where the flavor went in the broth. Unless, of course, you are presented with multiple broth variations to choose from. These bland broth endeavours have been common and repeatable experiences ... until my meal at Bar Colline. And for this reason, I can best describe the broth from the mussels -- called Moules Frites -- at Bar Colline as quixotic. The flavour of the broth was so lovely that I needed to find out as many of the ingredients as the chef would reveal. I was then inspired to create small pieces of artwork featuring a few of these ingredients of the mussel broth. The presentation of these mussels was beautiful. The broth was both light and savoury, pearlescent and mildly creamy. Ingredients include fennel, tarragon, heavy cream and pastís. Pastís -- since I didn't know -- is ouzo, which is a liqueur that maybe tastes like licorice. Google search results also said ouzo is, "known for turning milky-white when mixed with water or ice (a process called 'louching')." This may explain the sheer color of the broth. The satisfying result was a pot of fresh mussels which were bathed in a tangy, super-light and buttery sauce: all at once. Ahh the complexity of French cooking. And now onto the frités (thin French fries): they were fabulous! Light, crispy and so flavourful. It is very important for a brasserie to get frités right, and again, Bar Colline surpassed my expectations. When I asked what the most popular dishes were, the bartender exuberantly recommended the Loup de Mer. Ingredients include sea bass, french beans, fennel soubise and an almond-caper beurre noisette. I don't what any of the latter of these ingredients are. Next were the Grilled Chicken Palliard and finally the Steak Frites. I was informed that since i was ordering mussels, I should be sure to return and revel in the Loup de Mer since it was that delightful. I very much appreciated his passion for the recommendation, as well as his easy rapport. I experienced the same hospitality with a hostess and other servers, as well, and so my impression is there is nothing snobbish about Bar Colline. Bravo! There is Prix Fixe Lunch on weekdays between 11 and 3 for $25. I'm not familiar with Crystal City, at all, so I'm curious if there is a business rush here. A favorite wine was a tasting of the Leon Beyer Alsace, Pinot Blanc, 2023. Meow. It was divine with a fruity aroma, and notes dry and lovely. I also sampled the Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale (see Local Taste by Jenny Season 1 Episode 5 for more on my visit to the Oskar Blues Brewery in Austin). This ale was less pale and more rich and deep. I ended up with a Beale's Gold Lager on draft. It had a familiar taste that was easy with the steamed mussels. There are also 3 non-alcoholic drinks to choose from, not including a Stella Liberté nonalcoholic brew. I am not well-versed in French cuisine but am charmed by the complexity of flavors and level of effort that goes into preparation. Bar Colline is no bistro. I think it's larger than Bistro du Coin in DuPont Circle and lacks the storied history. Bar Colline is not as touristy as my fun experience of a steak frites dinner on a sidewalk patio in Montmartre near Paris. Bar Colline has a large and grand bar with few quaint areas. This makes it a perfect meeting place and great spot for large groups and gatherings. It is an elegant atmosphere with art deco nods that keep it from feeling overly done. Maybe Bar Colline was somehow inspired - architecturally - by The Odeon, a brasserie in Manhattan. Or maybe the interior design firm just put together all of the right elements to create a familiar brasserie atmosphere. Bar Colline is a reliable French restaurant with welcoming service, fabulous drinks and delicious fare. A meal of at least mussels and wine or beer -- or the Loup de Mer -- at Bar Colline is a reason I would simply recommend visiting Crystal City. read more

The service here was great and the food was very delicious. I loved the French onion soup and the braised short rib - which was their monthly special. The ambiance is old fashioned but cute. read more

Bar Colline - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Outstanding place to relax, refresh, and enjoy great food and service. Sat at the bar and had a very good bar tender and everything ordered was delicious read more

Bar Colline - Delicious IPA! - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Pretty pleased with the experience here. I'm dc there's a ton of options and it's refreshing to find great drinks, inspired food and at a decent price. First of all, sitting at the bar on a random Thursday, the service was excellent. I was surprised how good she was for how busy it was. I ordered an old fashioned which she executed flawlessly, and then the sea bass, and a side of fries. All was excellent. The sea bass was perfect, light, lemony and served with the veg in caper sauce was a perfect compliment. If I could sing them in anything, it would be that it's really loud in there. Great ambiance, clean, simple, but lots of hard surfaces make it feel like you have to yell to speak to the person next to you. That said, excellent dining experience. Plenty of parking on the street and fro the dc area, prices weren't bad. Drinks, two plates of fries, and sea bass for $75 after tip isn't awful for the quality. I'd go back again. read more

Bar Colline - Sea bass with caper sauce over veg. REALLY good! - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I really enjoyed Bar Colline, which makes sense as I am a fan of their sister restaurant. Bar Colline has a very nice interior with lots of seating. I ordered a delicious cocktail. My entrée was the loup de mar, which was excellent. The menu description noted that this entrée came with French beans, so I was excited for a Tarbais bean, or perhaps a Lingot. What it should have said was "French green beans" because that's what it actually came with. The lack of specificity on the menu is disappointing and I was disappointed when receiving my order. I enjoyed my sorbet for dessert. Service was friendly. I'm looking forward to returning for drinks and/or happy hour. read more

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Bar Colline is my fav spot as of late for their oh-so-good mussels and fries. The bartenders are always super cool and attentive and it's just so stinkin cute! Try the mussels, you won't be disappointed. read more

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My kid had soccer nearby, and I decided to go to Bar Colline to have a bite for dinner and get some work done. That was a mistake. I had taken a picture of the bar/dining room because the ambiance looked really nice. I was even thinking about bringing my wife here. Now I never want to set foot in there. It wasn't even the most horrible overall restaurant experience I've ever had. It's just that I felt like the restaurant didn't care about me as a customer...at all. I sat down, and the bartenders ignored me for around 10 minutes. When I finally made eye contact, one of them grabbed a dirty menu laying on the bar and handed it to me. She was pleasant enough, so I figured she was just busy. No problem. The food looked great. The lady next to me had the burger, and it looked fantastic. The guy to my left had a nice-looking bourbon drink, some fish dish, and some tasty-looking bread and butter. Let's go! I was going to order, but then my kid texted me and told me that lightning might end practice. I had started to ask one of the bartenders for the onion soup, but I asked him to hang tight and that I would figure out my order in a little bit. I'm not sure what happened after that, but the service just got terrible. He was chatting with people to my left and people to my right. I kept thinking he might eventually acknowledge me so I could have a pleasant experience, but he absolutely blew me off. He was scowling. Then I got word from my kid that practice was cancelled, but she found a ride. Yay! I could stay out and linger. This night would be solid after all. I was still planning to stay, order a drink, an appetizer, dinner, and some dessert to go. I'd never been here before, and I was looking forward to it. My wife had even asked me to bring back some onion soup. It looked amazing--gooey, melty cheese on top. Strong! But the bartender just made me feel...unwelcome. I don't know how else to put it, and I've really not felt that way almost anywhere else I've ever been. I'm pretty friendly, I promise. I kept looking at the menu, debating whether to order anyway. Then I thought maybe I'd just get it to go. But after more ignoring, I finally decided to order the onion soup, get out of there fast, and go somewhere else for my meal. He took my order. Completely transactional. I asked for some bread and butter. He grunted. No eye contact. What? I know it's hard to work in food service, so I tipped him nicely anyway. He had mentioned (to someone else - remember, he chose not to talk to me) that they were understaffed and that it had gotten busy. Here's the thing: I eat out. A lot. I tip well. I've always debated jumping onto Yelp to do a review, but I just never got around to it. But this place made me feel so unwelcome, and so bad about being there, that not only did I leave as quickly as I could, I knocked out this review the same night. I haven't even eaten the soup yet. I just wanted to vent here. I was going to send management an email, keep it off Yelp, and give them a chance to make it right. But then I couldn't find an email, just a phone number (and I really don't want to talk to them right now). Forget it. On my way home, I decided to stop somewhere else and get carryout. They held the door for me. They welcomed me. I got my order, and when I left, they thanked me. I thought, "That's how it is done." The food is probably great at Bar Colline. Other servers are probably solid, too (I hope). But my service tonight was really terrible. I won't ever come back. If you go, I hope your experience is better. The food's got a shot to be good. I wouldn't know. read more

wow! just a short walk from our hotel and you can find this great french bistro. Everything we had was amazing from the amazing crusty bread to the chicken liver mousse and th steak tartare. flavourful and fresh. The cocktail were just right. A little inventive but easy drinking and not too over the top. Wait staff attentive and the french vibes were on point read more

Bar Colline is a nice French bistro near the Amazon HQ2 offices in Crystal City (being rebranded as National Landing.) The restaurant wasn't too crowded on a summer Thursday evening so the noise level was pleasant. Our service provider was spunky and attentive. Drinks were good as was the escargot starter which my family shared. Dinner and a shared dessert capped off the evening. Overall a good evening. Definitely would dinner at Bat Colline again. read more

Bar Colline is a lovely and very approachable French restaurant in the Crystal City area. My husband and I were looking for a place for dinner after enjoying happy hour at the nearby Water Bar and most places required a reservation, but we were able to just walk-in at Bar Colline, so that's what we did. We were greeted warmly as we entered and promptly shown to a table. Our server was friendly and provided recommendations from the menu. The food and bottle of red wine we ordered were all delicious. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of our main dishes, but I promise they were good and very filling. We were too full for dessert, but we will definitely comeback. Thanks! read more

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I went to Bar Colline during happy hour, I was craving a Parisian evening and this spot did not disappoint. They have a great drink deal for happy hour, along with that they have a good sized menu with plenty of options. My wife got the poulet roti (Amish chicken with potatoes and spinach) and I got the burger which is like a smash burger. We sat outside and I really liked the vibe, they have nice Parisian music and the servers are nice and attentive! read more

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The drinks, service, and ambiance are top notch! Tyler and Amy are awesome bartenders! Both were entertaining and elevated our experience.

Good deal with the happy hour burger and fries. Tyler took care of us and had was knowledgeable about the cocktails and made us feel welcome. 5/5 would go again during happy hour. I just wish they had a wider gin selection and a tv to watch the games on. read more

What a great Saturday evening! Stopped in for a drink and found some wonderful Happy Hour specials to boot. The drinks were very well made, heavy pour, and very nice draft selections. We had the oysters which were very fresh as well as the burgers and escargot, amazing.! We will definitely be coming back very soon. read more

Had a nice late lunch there today. Fan of La Colline and was in the area thus thought would try this place. Well lit spacious dining room with cool long bar. Menu identical to La Colline. Very reasonably priced. Had traditional rillette with cournichons and mustard , fresh bread, then had Onion soup as main. Both simple and very well done. Just good traditional French food. Mi lady had chicken paillard topped with a very good caesar salad. That too was spot on. Great cocktails and good wine list. Last but not least this place has expresso while La Colline doesnt. Parking was a bit tight given nothing plowed in Crystal City but we managed. Will definitely be back whenever in area. read more

Came here for happy hour and ordered a few of the apps at the bar. The croquettes were pretty good. The steak tartare was nice and fresh, a little on the acidic side. There is a ton of space inside as well for seating. read more

Walked in early Friday evening and was able to be seated right away. I ordered the French onion soup with was to par with others I had. My husband ordered Rilletes Maison which is confit pork is a pate. For dinner I had Steak Frites which was excellent and he had the confit L'Orange with is crispy duck. Both were exceptional. The place itself was quiet and started slowly getting more crowded while we dined. Would definitely visit again read more

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French onion soup is excellent So is the escargot, very approachable for someone who might not be sure if they want to try them. Maybe a little too much pastry for someone looking for the full experience. Service at the bar was great, but could use a little more personality. read more

I went for lunch today. They had a lunch special with two courses for $25. I had the salad maison and the grilled chicken paillard. I loved the salad, but the chicken paillard was amazing! It was a unique way of serving it. I think I tasted pesto in it, and it was served over lettuce. It was full of flavor! This lunch is such a deal. Everyone at my table loved their food. The chef is very talented. The restaurant decor is gorgeous. I felt like I was in France. I can't wait to go back! read more

We had a great night out with friends checking out the new location in Arlington. We are huge fans of Cafe Colline in N Arlington and Bar Colline didn't disappoint! The menu is similar (favorites like escargot and onion soup are on there!) and everything was delicious. Our server was great and the new space is quite large! read more

Bar Colline - French Onion Soup and Escargot - French Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Rarely am I this impressed with a restaurant but I think I found my new neighborhood favorite. It has a huge bar top and a lot of seating. The interior isn't flashy, not too trendy or outlandish which really allows the food to shine. AND SHINE IT DID. We got the French onion soup, escargot, steak frites, and bucatini pitsou pasta. Everything was an absolute 10/10. The steak frites do not come cut but I'm okay with that because it gives the steak more time to rest. Steak was juicy and flavorful, pasta was perfectly al dente and fresh, escargot was served with a beautiful puff pastry and the soup was flavorful and not too rich. Service was incredible; attentive without being overbearing. The manager (brian or bryan) stopped over twice and made sure everything was great. I will be back multiple times. read more

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Great happy hour! I stopped by for dinner at 6:30pm. It was busy but was able to get a seat at the bar after just a few minutes. The oysters, burger, and cognac old fashioned (all on the happy hour menu) were all great. Always good to get fresh oysters! I will be back soon! read more

We've had steak frites all over the country. These were by far the best. Service is amazing. Ambience is awesome. Happy hour cocktails were all superb. The béarnaise sauce is incredible. read more

If you care about your order being right -- or handled safely when it's wrong -- skip Bar Colline. This was my 2nd time here. I came once for dinner with friends and once for lunch with colleagues. It's conveniently located for all of us, and since it's new, we figured, why not. This experience just took the cake though. I went for lunch with colleagues and simple requests were completely ignored. Two friends said three times they were splitting a burger; each got their own. They had ordered THEIR one burger with no pickles; both got pickles. My friends ended up saying nothing and picking them off. Waitress saw, and said nothing. I ordered a burger with no pickles, no sauce, no lettuce. It came with everything. When I sent it back, the waitress literally brought me the same burger with the sauce wiped off the bun (still on the bottom, lettuce still there). That's not just lazy, it's unsafe. We stayed polite, I chose not to eat the burger, after I took the first bite and realized what she did. Again, she saw, but said nothing We paid in full, and tipped -- but if this is how mistakes are handled, it's only a matter of time before someone with an allergy gets seriously hurt. Really disappointing. read more

Had a first meal at Bar Colline. Escargot and Foie volaille. Both good, would have been elevated by better bread. Staff was especially lovely. Friendly, efficient, observant. Nice single occupant restrooms, a very pretty private dining room for events. Interior is very attractive but zero effort spent on sound absorption. I'm sitting 1-2 empty seats away from anyone else at the bar, it's half empty - but I can barely hear the bar tenders from the noise on the restaurant half. A restrained, age mixed, not overfull crowd early on a Sunday evening. If I can't have a nice chat without yelling at my companions I'm unlikely to come back often, which is unfortunate. It is a great addition to the neighborhood. read more

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. Our last visit was simply outstanding. Both service and food were top notch. Our server was Raul C. He was very attentive and professional - best service we've had in a long time. Two of us had the steak frites, and they so good! They were cooked perfectly and really high quality steaks. My husband had the frites - always incredible. I was able to sub the side salad - very simple, but even better than the frites. Fresh ingredients, simple, but done very well. From start to finish - everything was super! We will definitely be back. He also told us about the great happy hour options, and we definitely need to check that out as well. read more

I know it opened recently- so hopefully it'll improve. Just a huge meh for the entire meal. And it's pricey so meh isn't good enough. For appetizers we had shrimp croquettes which were dry and flavorless and chicken liver mousse - which was shockingly delicious. For main course, the salmon was decent, the mussels were 5/10...tops. Dessert was middle of the road Staff is still working out the bugs.. that should improve One of the most off putting aspects is the ambience and acoustics. The place is damn loud. It has more of an Outback or Cheesecake Factory vibe than a French bistro. Bottom line: they have some work to do to catch up to other local French restaurants read more

Great spot, clean and refreshing interior. Friendly staff. Food was delicious. It's a great addition to Crystal City that's worth stopping in. Excited to try more of the menu and check out the HH deals. read more