Outstanding food, five-star service, and a menu so good you'll want to order everything your server recommends. I had some mild expectations when arriving at Barrel & Crow which were quickly met and exceeded. Our party of four enjoyed a truly delightful and delicious meal. From the moment we sat down, our server--Dan--delivered five-star service. He was genuinely friendly, attentive without hovering. His knowledge of the menu and thorough description of the dishes was also notable. Some were his favorites, so he really described them (all) with mucho gusto. It was like we were guests in his home. We basically ended up ordering literally everything he recommended and he was absolutely spot-on. We started with the fried green tomatoes and calamari. Our smorgasbord of entrées included the lamb bolognese (my favorite, though sadly not the one I ordered), a beautifully tender lamb shank, spiced shrimp and grits, and a deeply flavorful andouille and seafood gumbo. Each dish was thoughtful and well prepared, though the shrimp and grits were a bit savorier than I'm accustomed to. Dessert didn't disappoint either. We savored the chocolate torte and also their signature sweet beignets. They were the perfect ending to an already stellar meal.We left behind so many other tempting menu items and looking forward to our next visit. read more

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We had brunch here recently. It was a pleasant experience. The best thing was that we could talk to each other at normal volume! So often these days places are so loud! The service was so so considering the size of the restaurant. There seemed to be plenty of servers but we had to flag them down to order, get coffee refills and get the check. We liked the food. They had an interesting shukshuka that 2 people got and finished every bit. They also got a side of potato "hash" but they were really just diced roasted potatoes. Not worth the $6 price but worked for soaking up the shukshuka gravy. We had one beet salad that was very nice. We ordered the beignets at the end and they were just fair. We would still go back to try other things! read more

It's been a few years since I've been here, but the food and vibes are just the same. This particular day I was able to catch Happy Hour and they have pretty good pricing for the area. I had the salmon burger sliders, calamari and beignets. All 3 items were good. With the calamari being my favorite! They were cooked perfectly. However I wish they had a different type of sauce to go It. Service at the bar was also great. He even introduced me to a new wine, which I will be now adding to my home bar. read more

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The food quality is consistently high, and the staff are friendly and professional. For private dining, Barrel and Crow offers a positive experience that I would highly recommend. However, my experience booking a large group event highlighted some concerns. I agreed to a minimum food and beverage spend and expressed uncertainty about whether my group would meet that threshold. I was advised that a party of our size would likely do so and was willing to take the chance of owing a large bill if they did not. At the conclusion of the event, our total fell $3,000 below the agreed minimum. In accordance with the contract, I was required to pay the difference to meet that minimum as agreed upon. Unfortunately, tax and gratuity were billed on the minimum food and beverage amount rather than the actual amount consumed, leading to a $600 discrepancy in the bill, which the owner was not willing to reimburse. Based on this experience, guests planning larger group events who are not looking to spend a few thousand dollars may want to consider alternative locations, as multiple other local restaurants have lower minimums for large parties and do not require taxes and gratuity on food and beverage not purchased. read more

They have very nice patio seating. The drinks are good. I really liked the Blue Harvest cocktail. For food, the best items were the fried calamari and the special seafood pasta. The burger, salad, gumbo, and mussels were all fine but not exceptional. Duck fat fries are very rich, as you'd expect. My husband prefers regular fries :p Patio is dog friendly! read more

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Amazing brunch spot, which is casual and perfect to hangout with a group of friends. The food and drink are both great! Especially loved the bottomless mimosa. And our server made sure the glasses are always filled on time! Definitely will be back. read more

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Ambiance: nice hype restaurant in downtown Bethesda. Dark colors and wood gives it a warm inviting vibe with great patio for people watching l. Service: SLOW Food: the burrata was good but I've had better. The bottomless mimosa was a great value but they do cut you off at 3pm. I would have liked a small carafe of juice and a bottle of champagne rather than waiting for a refill but I'm a lush so.... read more

Barrel & Crow - Fresh Burrata - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Let's start with the really chill and accommodating staff. They get 5 stars. Really nice indoor outdoor vibe. We ordered off the happy hour menu which had some nice options. My company and I have different likes so we disagreed on favorites but the good news is someone loved everything! We tried the short rib and salmon sliders. Short rib has sweet flavor. I would order both again. The friend pickles were what you'd think they would be but I was wanting a stronger pickle flavor. The crab beignets were a hit for both of us. The broiled potatoes had too much of a garlic flavor for me. Tasted good but honestly would've been better if they came as advertised, broiled potatoes. No garlic oil which clashed with the side of ketchup. Just crispy salted potatoes would've complimented the meal better. Everything was happy hour prices which I loved because it allowed me to try lots of things. It's worth the early seating and I'll definitely be back. Again, kudos to the awesome staff! read more

To be honest the drinks were great but the food lacked.. my fish tasted old and lacked flavor.. I'd say more but it's just not my space.. I would not recommend read more

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Service was great! And the Duck Fat Fries are a must - we had two orders lol Sunday brunch has bottomless Bloody Marys and Mimosas for $18 read more

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I've been here twice in the past two weeks, and this is easily one of the best happy hours in the area. Fantastic happy hour and regular drinks menu, with a great selection of beers and wines. And the food is excellent and reasonably priced, unlike many over priced happy hours in the area. My favorite items are the fried calamari and the mushroom gnocchi. We also enjoyed duck fat fries, fried pickles, beef sliders, tacos (these were smaller than we thought but very nice), burrata... and everything tasted great. As a treat, we ordered beignets, which were thin, perfectly fried, impaired beautifully with the whip whipped cream. Perfect happy hour. We will be back. Easy Metro access. Metered street parking. Local garage is also available. read more

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I recently had brunch at Barrel & Crow, a restaurant that takes a "contemporary approach to regional cuisine", because we wanted to try something new. Looking at the brunch menu, I quickly assumed that many of the dishes were Louisiana- or Southern-based, which was something that I was looking for. I really enjoyed the cozy down-home vibe and atmosphere of Barrel & Crow. For folks with kids, the restaurant appears to be very kid-friendly because I saw a lot of families dining with young children. For my meal, I tried the Crab Beignets and Pulled Beef Brisket-Potato Hash. Oh, the restaurant provides a round of regular Beignets to warm your tastebuds. While the food was fine, I have to admit that it was a bit underwhelming. Since the restaurant is Southern-/Louisiana-based, I assumed that the dishes would have bold and dynamic flavors full of spices and richness. However, my two dishes kind of fell flat in regards to seasoning. Let's say that I used a LOT of Crystal Hot Sauce on the hash dish to give it a bit of flavor. I'll give kudos to the restaurant for having Crystal Hot Sauce, a NOLA-based hot sauce, on deck. That said, there were some redeeming aspects to my visit. Our waiter, Peter, was absolutely wonderful with his friendly and attentive nature. He did a great job answering our questions about the menu and bringing refills for our AYCD mimosas. Although the the food did not quite hit the mark for me, I thought the overall experience was pleasant. If I'm in the Bethesda area, I could see myself giving them another try to explore other menu options (especially the happy hour menu). read more

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Crab beignets First off having been to Naw'lins this is no where near a beignets. They need to change the name to fried crab balls since that's all it was. The grease was too hot since the outside got cooked and the inside was still raw. Lots of fillers and not much crab...in Maryland terms these balls were running light. Just an okay item. Pork chop The last time I visited the pork chop was a thick cut. Shrinkflation: this time they used a thinner cut and didn't adjust the cook time, even when ordered medium it arrived over well, leaving the chop tough. This was for both orders that we had at the table. Pickled cabbage it was topped with and the right amount of acid and good seasoning. The grits were on point! Thick, and with a buttery cream finish. They definitely didn't skimp on the cream or milk fat and it was delicious. Service Extremely slow, waiter seemed like he didn't want to be there. Pleasant enough. The busser did a way better job and we saw him 10xs more often than our waiter. Clearing our plates diligently and providing more water bountifully. Outside of the busser, the overall service was as lackluster as the first time I visited this place. Nice to see they have blocked off the restaurant door and only allow enterance on the bar side, since last time I was there. The opening of the door made it really cold back then. All in all, mediocre food, at a medium high price point with portion sizes that after I left and had to eat somewhere else. read more

Barrel & Crow - Grilled Heritage Pork Chop - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Nice spot. Delicious food. Good service. Friendly staff. The steak was cooked just right and was very tender. My son devoured his bacon cheeseburger before I can get a bite. read more

Maybe the best chicken & waffles I've ever had. Also really enjoyed the duck fat fries. Would love to return.

Great food, bad service, and decent ambiance! I was in town for a business trip and a small group of us decided to dine at Barrel & Crow. We shared an order of fries as an appetizer. Two of us got the smoked duck breast, one person got the shrimp & grits, and the other person ordered the salmon. We all loved our food but the service left much to be desired. We arrived astound 645 with no reservation and were told we could be seated outside in 5 minutes. It was a nice October evening so outside was perfect. We waited about 10 minutes which wasn't bad. Our server then took a while to come take our orders. When he finally took our orders, it took almost 45 minutes to receive our meals but we saw people around us receiving their food and a few had items we ordered as well. Additionally, our fries were our appetizer but arrived with our meals. When it came time to receive our check, we waited forever for our server to finally acknowledge us which sucks. We got the check and then he went to talk to the table next to us. After about 10 minutes we requested that he take the check and he said, he'd be there in a bit. He proceeded to talk with the other table and it wasn't that he was placing their orders. Instead, they were just chatting it up. We ended up asking another server to help us check out and our server never came back to check in. It felt like we were an afterthought for most of the night which isn't a good feeling. read more

Barrel & Crow - Duck Fat Fries Smoked Duck Breast - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I really want to like this place. The food is pretty good. The crab beignets actually exceeded my expectations. I like that the skin on the blackened salmon was really crispy. I also got the crème brûlée, which is pretty decent. However, every time I come here at the service is a a bit slow. Granted, this time I came with a large group and were seated in the back room so it's expected that service was a bit slow. I do have to admit the servers that brought the food were impressive, carrying multiple plates on their arms. Appetizers came fairly quickly following drinks, the entrees just took a really long time to get to our table. I felt like we were at dinner for about three hours. read more

Barrel & Crow - Fresh Burrata and Crab Beignets - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Beautiful atmosphere, delicious drinks, reasonably priced bottomless brunch cocktails! And to top it off the food is amazingly well crafted and tasty read more

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The restaurant has a nice casual vibe. There are plenty of different seating options to accommodate groups of any size. Nice combo of outdoor and indoor seating. The apple core coctail I had was amazing, but the Rose blush was not. My partner and I had steaks. They were cooked perfectly, however, flavor wise the meat and the sauces lacked to make an impression. Not bad, just not elevated. Croquettes and duck fries were perfect.I would give back one more time to see if the main entry were better. read more

Barrel & Crow - Apple core!!! Very well balanced. Love it. - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Had three appetizer, calamari, tuna taquitos and oysters. Very simple, tasty, with a cocktail. Happily will come back read more

Barrel & Crow - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I came in with a few girlfriends for dinner. Service was very slow, and our server left and we didn't know in the middle of our meal. We started with the calamari which was crisp and had a great aioli with it. I had the sesame soy wings with a mixed greens salad. The wings were ok, and the mixed greens salad was a large portion and fresh. My friends had the steak special and the lamb bolognese. read more

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Went back and gave the Grilled Heritage Pork Chop, Stone Ground Grits, Sauteed Red Cabbage, with Honey Bourbon Demi-Glaze another chance and it was divine! Started out with the duck fries that were delish! read more

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My partner and I came here when we visited DC in 2018, we loved it so much we went twice on the same weekend trip. Coming back here it was nice that we were able to have something that we had in 2018. This year for our anniversary we decided to take the infamous lamb bolognese to go. To start we had the crab beignets 5/5 garden salad 3/5 and oyster on half shell 3/5 And we both had the special entrees, with my partner getting the short rip and mash and I got the NY strip and mash together we shared Brussel which had a beautiful flavor profile that was buttery and garlicky instead of the usual carmalized honey glaze 5/5. I had gotten the NyS which was well made well seasoned and cooked to perfection 5/5. My partner got the short rip which he described as good but it feel like it was missing depth in flavor, 3/5. The drinks were delicious I had gotten the apple drink and my partner his signature margarita. Both drinks were made well. Our waiter was attentive and kind and we were well taken care of. Always a great time and wonderful vibe. read more

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Barrel & Crow's atmosphere is sophisticated yet relaxed with tasty food and laid back, nonfussy service. My friend from Boston and I really enjoyed our evening here. The fried green tomatoes were nicely crispy with such fresh pimento spread - a really delish dish, we should've ordered two servings because it was memorable. For entrees, I'd suggest the subtly spicy seafood gumbo with andouille sausage, which is flavorful and filling. I've had gumbo in New Orleans and this is pretty close to that level. My friend's hanger steak was tender, cooked perfectly and well seasoned, with must-have duck fat fries. Frankly, the entrees were so good that my friend and I - both very chatty peeps - went silent eating! The desserts were really a strong point too - her strawberry rhubarb crisp and my peach tart with blueberry ice cream were just the right size and absolutely scrumptious. Recommended! read more

They have pretty good happy hour deals at the bar only. Very small plates but you can try new things. Seems pricey.

We stopped at Barrel & Crow because we had just seen a matinee performance at Round House Theater and wanted a little lite fare and a minute to talk about the show. There are a lot of restaurants on the same strip, it's a very trendy area, and we chose Barrel literally because I googled "appetizers near me." It turned out to be a lovely experience! They were pretty empty on a Sunday late afternoon (I think it was about five thirty), but I imagine they fill up later. We were told we could sit anywhere, so we sat at a table in the bar area. They have these big roll up windows that open on to the patio area, so we were getting a lot of fresh air while still being inside. Danny, our server, was prompt, friendly, and accurate. I asked about a mocktail menu, and Danny basically said my options were a few fruit juices with soda water. I ordered the pineapple juice "mocktail," which was okay, even refreshing, but kind of boring. I wish they had something more playful available. We were just there for small plates, so we ordered the crab beignets, and the Burrata with jam and balsamic. They were lovely! The crab was fried well (the remoulade was very tasty), and the Burrata paired nicely with the jam (but we could have used a bucket more of the balsamic reduction, and the cheese desperately needed salt). We looked at the menu, which is cajun inspired (shrimp and grits, gumbo) and we may come back for a full meal next time we go to the theater. I really liked this place, and I hope to explore the menu in the future, but they could offer a better non-alcoholic menu and put some salt and pepper on the table! read more

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Service was decent. The food left much to be desired. I was surprised at the small steak portion. The meal as a whole had very little flavor. It's a cute restaurant in a great location. Maybe we will try it again one day. read more

Barrel & Crow - Steak and Hanger Steak & Eggs - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Delicious food, excellent service, will definitely go back. We found the options on the menu unique and everything was delicious

It looks very fancy but it was just okay. The fries weren't very flavorful. The hanger steak was tender but not necessarily flavorful. My husband got the duck breast & liked it. We have tried a few restaurants on this street & this isn't our favorite. Really good crab beignets though! read more

While we didn't have a rezzy, Barrel and Crow was able to sit our party of 6 fairly easily on a Sunday evening. I went for their apple tequila cocktail (I forget the name), but it was so good that I got TWO. Duck fat fries were good-- I just mixed the mayo and ketchup together. I did not order my own main, but did have a taste of the children's chicken tenders and the steak-- I prefer the steak. The chicken tenders were a little dry. Altogether though, cute vibe. Family friendly. Solid drinks! read more

Found out about this spot while staying at the Bethesda Marriott Downtown. It is relatively close by. Had dinner with friends on a Saturday night. A word to the wise... make a reservation. This place stays packed. I imagine they get business on the strength of being close to a major hotel and good reviews, but they also service the local residents of Bethesda. You can tell some of the patrons were regulars. At any rate, despite having a reservation, there was still about a 20 minute wait after the reservation time. I won't complain because with just the initial visual, I didn't think we were going to be seated. I had already started looking at other places. We did get seated. As for ambience, the place was extremely lively. I could see you hanging with friends or swinging by on a fun date, definitely not a romantic one. The food was generally fine. They even allow substitutions. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. In providing you with a balanced review, I will say the cocktails are questionable. If you are seeking adult beverages, stick to beer and wine. The bathrooms are filthy on a Saturday night. Going back to the food... to support the pics I've posted, I note the following: Duck Tostadas: dry, lacked seasoning Fried Green Tomatoes: again, could have been seasoned better, but overall, a nice bite Calamari: good. would have been better if it was served with the spicy salsa verde, as advertised. Looks like they may have run out of the sauce. Beet & Arugula salad: Sooo good. Would order again. Manhattan: worse Manhattan ever. Tasted like cough syrup. Advice: only order the drinks listed on the menu. I think they perhaps memorize them, as one would a food dish. They aren't bartenders for real. Long Island Iced Tea: I knew as soon as it hit the table, it was going to be terrible. The drink arrived looking like a cross between sweet tea and diet coke. Too dark. Dead giveaway. Lamb Bolognese: Fine Salmon w/braised collards: Really good dish. It is actually served with brussel sprouts. The collards was a substitution. I think that was a better choice. The mushrooms, onions, and that Dijon sauce still came through well. Sweet Beignets: fine Ricotta & Lemon cake: meh Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp: OMG! The best dessert on the menu, hands down. All in all, this is a good restaurant. You will notice most of the criticism I had was for lack of seasoning. They have a great menu. If the dishes are served as advertised and seasoned properly, I'm sure they will be phenomenal. They are just passable now. Definitely worth the visit, but I would expect more for a $300 dinner. read more

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Went for happy hour and it was really nice. The food was pretty good, and drinks were delicious and worth it. We got the gimlet for drinks. For food, we got the salmon sliders, the brisket sliders, crab beignets, duck fat fries, fried pickles, and sweet beignets for dessert. I don't recommend going from one slider to the other - if you start with salmon and try the brisket, the brisket doesn't taste as good and vise versa. But I thought the salmon slider was great and my friend really liked the brisket ( the sliders we started with). The duck fat fries were great! They were crispy and flavorful. The crab beignets were also delicious. The fried pickles were good -pretty average. However the sweet beignets were very disappointing. They were thin, light, and hollow - not like traditional sweet beignets. The service was good and I would definitely be back to try other things on the menu. read more

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A must for locals and travelers alike... Dear reader, as you know Bethesda is my second home. The drive and settling into one's hotel can work up a bit of an appetite, which is why Barrel & Crow is such an important neighborhood fixture. As far as food is concerned, there are a plethora of happy hour options which will be sure to take the edge off of your hanger. Fried pickles...mushroom gnocchi...burrata...all in the "yes please" zone. The staff in generally friendly and helpful. Lilly knows my name, and the gents know what I drink. Cheers to them. The atmosphere is upscale without being pretentious. Not for the "party crowd"...but a welcomed respite for the working adult who needs a beverage and a bite. Don't be a stranger, yelp friends. read more

Really great food. Duck fries are not to be missed and the service is excellent. parking is pretty easy as it's in the quieter part of Bethesda Great for a group. read more

Food was pretty good. Steak was cooked to requested temperature. It was nice to come when it wasn't overly crowded so we could enjoy our conversation. It's a little bit of a smaller space so I feel like if it was to be busy, it would be incredibly noisy. read more

Barrel & Crow - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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We have had brunch on a Sunday morning and it was amazing! Just keep in mind to have reservation. They were very busy, and we were lucky we stepped in without reservation exactly at 11AM when they have opened. It was just two of us and they could accommodate us quickly. A few minutes later and we would have probably have had to wait. The place got packed within a few minutes after opening time. The service was beyond great! The food was heavenly. I didn't think I would have find a burrata dish in this area. It was impressive! The photos speak for themselves. Very calm decor but a bit too dark for me. Very well priced! Surprisingly good prices for Bethesda. Loudoun County VA should follow the same pricing model! read more

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Decent spot for cocktails in Bethesda. I've went pre covid a handful of times and I think it was better then. Not sure if management changed or not. It's still okay. I was disappointed in the lack of bourbon cocktails offered and the one I got tasted super lemony. Really couldn't taste the bourbon at all which was a bummer. read more

Barrel & Crow - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I expected to have a nice solo brunch experience outdoors since the weather had finally started breaking. Unfortunately, the restaurant had other plans as the staff informed me that instead of being able to dine in the sunshine, I had to squeeze into a table in the corner of the packed dining room, since they were not opening the patio that day. A little disappointing, but not a deal breaker... Although with the number of people there, they definitely should have reconsidered. The fried green tomatoes and seafood beignets immediately jumped out to me. The tomatoes were served with some kind of tomato aioli or some other kind of sauce that was absolutely delicious! It was a perfect compliment to the fried tomatoes. The seafood beignets were more like fritters. Anyone who's from New Orleans, or has ever been will tell you very quickly that that is NOT a beignet. Not by a long shot. Aesthetics aside, the flavor was on point. The aioli that complimented them was another excellent addition to an already delicious dish. As good as the food was, I think the Cava was actually the star of the show. Now I am not a Cava drinker. At. All. But this one was delightfully floral and just a little bit sweet. It's the Masia de Luz Cava Brut. If you are a champagne or prosecco drinker, you need to get a glass of this. A bottle even! Overall, it was a really great, albeit brief, solo brunch. It was a little too crowded for me to really enjoy myself. Maybe I'll come back again when the patio is open. read more

Barrel & Crow - Fried green tomatoes - Southern Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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All great. Experience fantastic dining place has good staff and delicious food and casual atmosphere read more

The food, service and ambiance was great. Good city vibes, crafty drinks, large table for a groups. The only minor thing was some of the apps are super small. read more