What an amazing experience! I love when restaurants prepare little cards to say congrats, happy anniversary, etc. It really gives that personal touch when we arrive. My husband did the chef's tasting menu and I did the four course menu which was great that they offered that! 4 courses was perfect for me and I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. Also, for being Michelin and in DC the prices were very reasonable! We started with 3 seafood-forward bites which were all delicious. Then I had the butternut squash salad, pierogi, lamb and the madeleines for dessert. Wow everything was SO GOOD. I enjoyed every bite.. I wouldn't change anything. My husband did too.. the only one he didn't love was the tuna tartare with beets 3 ways but that's more of a personal preference with beets. The only slight hiccup is I got the bees knees drink nonalcoholic due to being 8 months pregnant and they accidentally brought me an alcoholic one. Luckily I only had a sip before I realized. They were very apologetic and brought me a new one, but then surprisingly comped all of our drinks at the end of the night which was more than generous (though a pretty big mistake). Despite that, we had an amazing meal, amazing service and an amazing time. Highly recommend! read more

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Our server was exemplary. But we, or mostly I, had an off interaction with the somm. I had inquired which red might pair with the duck. The server had thought to check with the sommelier if it might be possible to order a glass off the wine pairing menu that was meant for the duck. The sommelier came after a moment and seemed immediately affronted, because there were only two glasses remaining, and they were spoken for. I didn't care either way... I hadn't asked for it. He proceeded to recommend a half bottle. This is where we had a back and forth because I'd just wanted a glass? When he'd brought his recommendation, and I opted to get something else, he exasperatedly questioned my choice (because I wouldn't simply go with his rec?). He eventually brought my glass, then abruptly left without checking whether my boyfriend wanted anything (the person responsible for beverages didn't deign to ask lol). Onto the food, the kombucha palate cleanser reminded me of Robitussin, like cherry flavored medicine. The amuse-bouche(?) after that was pretty inoffensive, mild and herbaceous, but topped with yogurt? I don't like yogurt. The foie gras terrine leaned sweet. Actually, we thought that everything tended not savory. The raviolini was a cute chew. I liked my duck. My boyfriend did not find his lamb particularly noteworthy. read more

My wife and I recently went to Bresca for a weekend dinner to celebrate a special occasion and were disappointed with this Michelin-star restaurant-it did not live up to the caliber of the designation. My wife and I were seated at our reservation time; we received uneven service the rest of the evening. It took almost an hour from the time we sat down until we got our salad; while this was a kitchen issue, our server could have let us know about the delay. However, Bresca did do a great job accommodating some dietary restrictions, and our server explained each dish well. I also appreciate the complementary non-alcoholic tea "shot" before the meal and the chocolate madeleines that came with our check at the end of the meal. The ambiance and setup of Bresca could be significantly improved; Bresca aims for an upscale French bistro vibe. However, this is significantly undercut by the restaurant playing American pop music and the exposed pipes on the ceiling. Additionally, Bresca was extremely loud and it was hard to have a conversation at times. Bresca's tables are also very close together; it was hard for servers to move between the tables and at times servers were right up against our table when taking other table orders. My wife and I were able to get the restaurant week special of three courses for $65, and were able to substitute in a vegetarian main-definitely a great deal. Our meal started with the snack plate. I really liked the crab leg with the smoky sauce-extremely fresh crab. The cheese and crackers was an interesting, elevated take on the snack classic and the cheese was tasty; the crust and the jelly were OK but not great. We each got the butternut squash salad for the appetizer course, which was the best dish of the evening. The butternut squash went perfectly with the creamy cheese, the apple provided nice crunch along with some chips on top, the maple provided some sweetness, and the presentation was great. This salad would have been outstanding if the butternut squash were warm and Bresca had left off the salt-at times it overwhelmed the other flavors. My wife and I shared the smoked potato pierogies and the Shenandoah lamb for our main dishes. The smoked potato pierogies were delicious; I wish there had been more of them. Three pierogies is small for a main dish, even at a restaurant like Bresca. The Shenandoah lamb left much to be desired. I thought when we first got the lamb that we had gotten a piece of meatloaf with gravy-it looked very unappetizing with the brown-on-brown. The lamb was tough, hard to cut even with a steak knife, and needed more flavor. The beet, horseradish, and onions did not add enough flavor to the lamb to complement or elevate the dish. We got the pain au lait to accompany our mains and the bread was warm and delicious, with the chives complementing the bread well. The butter was flavorful, smooth, and creamy-perfect with the bread. The caramel apple linzer for dessert had good gingerbread notes, but otherwise was unremarkable. I would recommend other French or Michelin star restaurants in DC if you are looking for a high-end restaurant for a special occasion. read more

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Good portion sizes, almost a bit too much. The foie gras is definitely not recommended no matter how much of a foie gras lover you are. Way too salty and moussy. It is not the foie gras terrine I usually eat which has the savory taste of foie gras. This just taste salty and way too strong. It almost killed my tongue and I had a hard time tasting anything else for a while. The rest of the food is very good and very recommended. read more

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tl;dr -- 3/5 for the food, but 4/5 for the experience. While the Winter 2026 Restaurant Week 5-courses for $95 menu was okay, the service and surprise extras elevated our experience. We received quite a few complimentary small bites and sips that the value and quantity exceeded our expectations. My friend and I trekked through heaps and piles of snow to get to Bresca because we still wanted to eat and feast. Upon arrival, our server greeted us and served us a small cup of their warm apple cider -- tart and rich with a deep warmth from the apples. My friend enjoyed it so much that he decided to get an alcoholic version of the same drink with whiskey. -- COURSE 1 -- This course came with a few small bite snacks, and the following was the order of consumption the staff recommended. OYSTER & PEAR Raw oyster topped with a delicate champagne foam (and other ingredients), definitely very thoughtfully curated. However, I didn't really enjoy the flavors of the champagne foam, but enjoyed the plump and juicy oyster. BLUE CLAW CRAB Really small crab claw that sat on the edge of a plate. Flavors were fresh and "crab-like", but I can't say this was our favorite. "CHEESE AND CRACKERS" Looks like a small cheesecake bite, but savory. Reminded us of the Ritz Crackers 'N Cheese Dip snacks I used to eat as a kid, but elevated and much less processed. We really liked these! "STEAK AND EGGS" Really delicious bites of steak tartare(?) in between delicate, flaky crackers. These were very enjoyable. -- COURSE 2 -- BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD Refreshing salad that was light with a delicious creamy sauce on the bottom that was seasoned nicely with dukkah. However, the butternut was not the softest, and we didn't really like cutting it up into pieces to eat it. CRUDO Very beautiful dish topped with different citrus fruits (lemon-kumquat, mandarin-kumquat mix), edible flowers, jelly(?), and the tuna. The broth was incredibly bright, citrusy, sweet, and slightly floral. Tuna was fresh and paired well with the citrus-floral notes. Very enjoyable, this was definitely a standout dish for us. -- COURSE 3 -- SMOKE IN CHIMNEYS TROUT We started with this because we thought it was the lighter of the two options. Surprisingly, pretty heavy because the trout (perfectly soft and fresh) sat on top of some spatzle mixed with a creamy, umami mushroom sauce. This combination was delightful, and definitely one of my favorites. SMOKED POTATO PIEROGI A rich, dense, and savory dish. The pierogi was topped with blanched spinach, gouda, cauliflower, and caramelized onions. It was a bit too salty, but bold flavors and the pierogi had the perfect doughy texture and thick cheesy filling. -- COURSE 4 -- LAMB SIRLOIN Sizable portion for our main dish, the lamb sirloin sat on top of a deep red sauce, with some onion puree which helped cut the gaminess of the lamb. Enjoyable, but my lamb was hard to cut through because of some leftover gristle. -- COURSE 5 -- CARAMEL APPLE 'LINZER' Shortbread cookie sandwiched with apple jam, dusted with powdered sugar, which sat on some eggnog. Really pretty presentation. I enjoyed the nutty and earthy notes of the gingerbread, but found the dessert a bit too sweet for my liking. MADELEINE SERVICE This came with four madeleines (topped with cinnamon and sugar) and what appears to be a stick of butter. It actually wasn't butter, but a delicate white chocolate exterior filled with sweet cream to enjoy the madeleines with. Surprisingly, this was not too sweet, and the delicate, light flavors had me downing two of these despite how full I was. The pacing of food was fantastic, and we didn't feel rushed to leave. We also got a couple petit fours (chocolate madeleine and orange gummy bear) that were lovely and a rich, decadent cup of hot chocolate (good, but a bit too sweet) as we paid our bill. We were incredibly stuffed from all the food we got -- glad that we got to experience Bresca during this RW. read more

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I wasn't sure what to expect, but we had an amazing dinner at Bresca! The range of dining options was impressive, and the staff went above and beyond to accommodate our party's various tastes and dietary restrictions. The food was outstanding, the staff and service were top-notch, and the atmosphere was both stylish and comfortably laid-back. I also loved the "secret" library room set aside for you to wait for your ride. read more

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I went again and thoroughly loved my experience! We went for Valentine's Day and enjoyed our dishes and the experience :) I think the prices are soooo worth it for the experience. The crab is always spectacular. The combo of flavors is always great. The food is always top tier. They do substitutions too- I don't eat pork so they did a few for my dishes. However I don't recommend asking for them just because you don't like a dishes content. The food is an experience so I'm glad I got the beets and tuna even though I didn't love it (personal preference- my boyfriend loved it). This is a great restaurant with knowledgeable servers. I love this place. read more

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Great aesthetic with delicious food. While the restaurant was full the service provided made us feel like we were the only table in the restaurant. The prefix menus takes you on a flavor filled journey. One of my favorite bites was the duck. Check it out. It's the perfect place for a birthday or date night. read more

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The service here was quick and great! All the waiters were on top of everything, taking care of water, utensils, and whatever else you needed. However, I thought the food was just ok and wasn't anything special. I came for restaurant week so I was able to try their 3 course menu. Their butternut squash salad was very good and loved the sweeting maple pairings. The lamb shoulder was ok. I've had better at other requests with more flavor. The horseradish sauce on the side tasted too sweet with no hints of horseradish, which was very disappointing. The madeleine service was given for dessert as a nut free alternative. The "butter" was white chocolate coating filled with crepe and a chocolate ganache. This was very light and not too sweet which I liked. Overall, I would not come back considering the price how expensive it was for okay food. read more

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We've been wanting to try this place for a while. The recent negative Yelp reviews made us nervous, but we were pleasantly surprised and delighted with the food here during Restaurant Week. We had the following: - Honeynut squash salad - tasty salad with unique novel ingredients - Berkshire pork - the cut pork pieces were good, but the homemade pork meatballs were the star of this dish for me. Definitely the best pork meatballs I've ever had! They were so moist, tender, and flavorful. The meat was wonderfully balanced out with the refreshing tang of cider and sweet, tangy cipollini onions. Definitely a must-try! - Smoke in chimneys trout - meh okay. The trout meat was tender, but the flavor was not impressive. Pretty bland and boring. We wouldn't recommend getting this one. - Pain au lait - delicious warm, soft, and bouncy bread. The accompanying honey butter was excellent. Bonus: The restaurant provided a cute birthday note on the table for my wife's birthday and gave us complimentary desserts (madeleine cookies sprinkled with cheese, very novel and interesting) and homemade gummy bears (I think they were raspberry-flavored. They weren't too sweet and were slightly sour/tangy, which balanced out the sweetness). Service was great and attentive. read more

I'm posting this review almost a month after coming here, but I'm still thinking about the food we had here! We came here for restaurant week as a girl's night and we had such a great time sitting at the bar. The service was extremely attentive and friendly, they really added to the experience. I got the salad as my first course, and I don't eat red meat so they were able to swap the entree out for a corn ravioli with foam which was delicious. The dessert was fresh and just right, and the wine pairing worked very well. What I loved the most were the snacks and the additional items we got throughout the meal. We got the additional snacks (like the peanut butter foie gras) which were really fun and innovative. They also gave us an additional dessert with yuzu gummy bears and fresh sorbet which made the deal even better. I'd happily pay full price to dine here again, would absolutely recommend! read more

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Amazing restaurant that can't be missed. I went during restaurant week. They have a great tasting menu for the price. We opted for the regular tasting menu. We started Snacks melon - yogurt cornbread - popcorn butter Was rich and delicious nice balance with the freshness of the melon and the better along with the cornbread. Heirloom Tomato plum - teta - granola Was a fantastic salid fresh tasting and sweet with a nice added flavor of richness from the feta. The diver scallop was perfectly cooked and rich with the sauce. It was tender and moist perfectly paired with the sauce. Brioche Chicken was nicely cooked with well balanced flavor between the aju and the savory flavors of the breast The short rib was the best thing on menu perfectly cooked and well seasoned with an amazing sauce. The dessert was the only let down it was interesting looking but was just an ok dish taste wise. I didn't enjoy the texture with the yogurt. Service was top notch and extremely friendly. The restaurant is beautiful inside and has a great modern look. Must try for anyone especially during restaurant week. read more

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Came here for DC restaurant week in Aug 2025 and had the best experience. We did all the starters, had the wine pairing , ordered the wagyu upgrade. I enjoyed every bit of food and flavor profile I had heard such great things about the restaurant and coming for restaurant week made it worth it. All the meals and snacks were so delicious read more

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The service in the ambience were incredible here, and their wine sommelier gave us a great wine pairing. My favorite thing on the menu was the ravioli and the ribeye. Great experience but not sure it's worth the price to go multiple times. read more

Bresca - Ravioli - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Delicious food, great ambiance. Service was very great. Good place for important event celebration. read more

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My husband and I were very disappointed the last time we dined at bresca. We opted for the 3 course option with the additional short rib on one of the entrees. The first course the crab wasn't edible. My husband who devours anything crab said it tasted like the old crab at a buffet. The second course was a beet salad which was ok but beet isn't for everyone. The main course the short rib wasn't that tender and almost dry (comparative to the last time we dined here it was noticeably worse). My husbands pork entree was also tough. Dessert was probably the only generally good course of the evening. It was really a shame as the last time we came for restaurant week last year it blew us away and we were excited to go back for a special occasion. read more

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Service: I really wanted to give the benefit of doubt but now that I have eaten both restaurants owned by the same chef, under the same roof, I really feel like if there is any KPI among the employees to be rude to Asians (and I'll write another review for Jont to elaborate on this). We intentionally picked this restaurant because my friend was not sure when she could get off work and we noticed this would be the only one-star restaurant with so many open spots. But when we walked in, they set us at the bar so I walked to the front desk with their official website and said "I saw you guys have many vacant spots." And this lady very arrogantly responded "Well, I have 6PM coming in soon." Ma'am, there is literally a spot at 5:45 so I fought back "Well, do you want me to make a reservation at 5:45 to get a table right now? If so, I can make it because there is only one minute left." And she finally realized how bad her attitude was and agreed to give us a table. The restaurant never got full while we were there. I also specifically asked to bring my cocktail with my main but it didn't come up until I almost finished the dish. In terms of food, we really don't understand that how this is even Michelin starred. First, for my friend who has studied cooking in Paris, she pointed out that the menu setting is not genuine enough based on the ingredients listed. The fried quail with ranch was very basic and it was not much different from Popeyes. The ambiance is ok but if you like more intimate environment, Jont upstairs would be a better choice. read more

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I'm giving Bresca 4 stars only because they're Michelin star, and I've come to expect a lot from Michelin star restaurants. As you enter, you're met with a full coat rack in your face on the left side. At my height, the coats were quite literally in my face. We were then seated at our table. It was a tight squeeze - they fit a lot of people into the space! The woman at the bar behind my husband needed to ask him to scooch in more so she could get out. I opted for the four course menu with a wine pairing. Everything was exceptional! My husband got the additional PB&j foie gras small bite. He pointed out to me that it was on a bed of shelled peanuts, so I went to town on those. Don't put peanuts in front of me and not expect me to eat them. When it was time to clear our plates, I was still my munching on peanuts when our (wonderful) server swooped in and took the bowl right out from under me. Now, what id expect next at a Michelin star restaurant would be for the server to come back with a small bag or box with the remaining peanuts and say, "I noticed you were enjoying these so the kitchen packed them up for you," as the table is cleaned with one of those little metal table sweepers (don't know the right term for them!). Instead, my husband was laughing at me while I awkwardly swept the peanut shell bits off the table. No bag of peanuts to take home ever appeared. Like I said before, the food itself was exceptional. The wine pairings were spot on and I enjoyed all of them, including the dessert wine much to my surprise! The short rib was fantastic. The small bites at the start were my favorite part of the meal. The bread is to die for. Get it! Our server was wonderful. The music here might not be everyone's cup of tea but I was enjoying the 90s/early 2000s jams. One of the best parts was that I went home completely stuffed! That rarely happens at Michelin star restaurants so I appreciated it immensely. read more

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A sign of a good restaurant is when they make you change your mind about a dish. I'm not a fan of duck, but a friend invited me to join him for Bresca's duck dinner. I walked out a fan of duck. Here's our experience. 1) Service: It's Michelin star worthy. Staff were professional, warm, and knowledgeable about each dish and wine pairing. 2) Food: In addition to the duck menu, a few surprise dishes were brought over. Each dish was flavorful and enjoyable, especially the burrata, small bites, and duck breast. 3) Wine: The wine pairings were unique and perfectly matched. 4) Space: It's a simple yet unique restaurant with plenty of seats. read more

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Bresca was an expensive but enjoyable experience. The service is quite good and the restaurant itself is pleasant without being overly stuffy. The food is also quite good, although nothing really "WOW"ed me. They start you off with a "palette cleanser" shot of kombucha followed by what I can only describe as a single small fancy hush puppy filled with pimento cheese. It was delicious and the table agreed we could each eat about ten more. We all chose the four course meal. The wagyu, which is the same price on the Ala cart menu, had an upcharge of $37ish dollars. As a side note, I found it interesting that they initially brought out the chefs tasting menu that was $145 and we had to ask for the other menus. The second course was two sashimi-like slices of hamachi crudo, which tasted Smokey. The sauce it came from did nothing for it. Not my favorite. Next came the cacio e pepe pasta which was chefs kiss delicious, perfectly creamy and cheese. Lastly we got our main dishes. All but one got the wagyu. The friend who got the chicken said it was the best chicken she's ever had so I take her word for it There were two relatively small cuts of wagyu but it was perfectly seasoned and delicious. I just wish for the price and uptick there were more slices. They also brought out a delicious loaf of bread and honey butter that we all gladly gobbled up. We finished with a delicious raspberry open face macaron and sorbet, and a "complimentary" lemon madeleine. Some cons leading to my 3 star were 1) the upcharge for the Wagyu and 2) my $12 mocktail was maybe only two shot glasses worth of liquid in a small skinny glass filled with ice. Will I be back? Sure, gladly, if someone else is paying. read more

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Short rib- Awesome Pork loin- Good Beet salad- Yucky Dessert-awesome Ambiance -5+ It's beautiful, they have an extra "library" space where you can wait, the bathroom even smells nice The service was great but I felt very pressured to get the pre fix read more

Bresca - Prefix menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This was my first time back at Bresca since I had first been there prior to them getting a Michelin star years ago. I clearly remember that visit being memorable and good. I was soooo disappointed by my experience here!! We opted to do the 5 course which ended up being $166 pp for not much food and with a 20% gratuity automatically applied. Not worth it!!! The service was fine but the staff was definitely lackluster and not at the level as other Michelin restaurants. When they explained each dish they did so in a very rushed and quiet way and you could barely understand what they said. The dishes we tried were way too inventive and out there. I am acclimated to many experiences of tasting menus, Michelin restaurants and molecular gastronomy. Bresca was a huge MISS. The initial "bites" with each course were fishy and weird - pairing gelee with oysters and super fishy fish salad on crackers that had no crunch. The crudo was gross and fishy. The only things I enjoyed were the agnolotti and my short rib entree (again a pretty small serving). Even the bread and desserts were totally flavorless. I will not be back and will not recommend Bresca to others. I was so disappointed! read more

The food was good. Service was lovely. I don't think I'd say it was Michelin star level despite having one. It's also overcrowded and noisy even with a reservation. read more

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A group of us came here for restaurant week. The place was beautiful and bustling. Despite making a reservation weeks in advance, we only managed to snag a spot at the bar at 8 PM. We couldn't have had a better time. The food was delicious and creative. Our favorites were the cheese and crackers, lamb sirloin, peaches and cream, and beef tartare. The bartender had numerous accolades and checked in on us the whole evening to make sure our experience was absolute perfection. The manager even came to say hi to us and let us taste a few additional dishes. Word of mouth is this is the best Michelin restaurant in DC, and I couldn't agree more. Highly recommend restaurant week to sample it all! read more

My favorite dish was the ravioli & the duck. Love that there's options to pick from a 3, 4, or 7 course meal. I chose the 4 course meal, which was enough to feel full. They allow the table to select different options (for number of courses), but I would recommend everyone to get the same number of courses so you're not sitting around waiting. Service was decent. It was bustling on a Friday night with a young/hip crowd. read more

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Place is too small, reservation was not honored on time, then there was a constant upsell of drinks. When ordered an extra on the fixed menu they brought it for the whole table and charged individually. They never asked. First I thought it was a mistake but they did it for everything including sparking water. As a result the prices was more than double. It was unethical. They seem to need money. The food itself was too sweet and the portions minuscule. There was a very long wait between appetizers and entrees. And they finally brought the bread after they served entrees. Very disappointed. Very sad to have fallen for a money trap. I don't mind expensive. But being tricked into double price was annoying. Servers need to ASK before adding items to the tab. read more

Fantastic experience! We left very full as the portions were amazing. The Australian Wagyu was probably a 6-7oz portion, which for a Michelin Star restaurant, is unheard of! Drinks were fantastic as well! My only critique feedback is the chef's and/or kitchen staff who bring the food out, when they explain what is it to please slow down a bit and speak louder. Our guy spoke so fast and he was almost whispering. But overall, AMAZING! We will dine again! read more

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Saw a lot of mixed reviews, but I had a lovely experience. We showed up to our reservation & the table wasn't ready yet, so they put us into a side room and we had some champagne on the house. In addition, they brought out cheese & crackers and it was amazing. Then we got seated and all of our dishes were great along with such amazing service. We went during their restaurant week in the winter and it was amazing! read more

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Came to Bresca for a birthday celebration (the little birthday placard was a nice touch), and while the service was top notch, the food did leave a bit to be desired. I commend Bresca for the quality; not any and every restaurant can say they've earned a Michellin star but I would say that I felt a bit underwhelmed by some of the flavours- or lack thereof? My table did the four course dinner and to my best recollection it went as follows: The cucumber salad was pretty good, very summery and light- but not something I would return for and order again The corn and black truffle ravioli was absolutely delicious however the portion size was minimal The beef striploin, which I had gotten well done was pretty chewy and meh at best The true star of the show were the madelines with wild blueberry and sweet cream. They were still warm, dusted in confectioners sugar and paired wonderfully with the cream and fruit. Ambiance wise it's very simply and clean. Wooden tables, a pretty bar. The waiting area was a bit more stylish than the actual first floor of the restaurant but that is neither here nor there. While it was an enjoyable experience for a special occasion, I don't foresee myself revisiting Bresca anytime soon. read more

Bresca - Beef tartare, crab cocktail, oysters and strawberries, "cheese and crackers" - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So 5 stars for Bresca and right off the jump the tasting menu is the way to go. It's the best bang for your buck. But a la carte looked super tasty and I'm sure is amazing Also this is THE PLACE to go to, unless you make bank, for a big special occasion like a big birthday or any Anniversary. You'll drop serious coin, but from the service to the genuinely wonderful atmosphere and the considerate attention to detail, the vibes are immaculate. Service and food were exemplary, our favorites being the brioche chicken and Halibut. My only qualm is it get very noisy in Bresca as the night goes on. So, heads up there. This is on our list of very nice, special occasions to go to. For sure. Also, pro tip: you can pay for parking at or pay in advance on Spothero at a garage on U street right before 14th street. read more

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Tried Bresca for Restaurant Week and it did not disappoint. Every dish felt like a mini work of art. Definitely worth it if you want to experience elevated dining without the full tasting menu price. Would go back in a heartbeat! read more

Bresca - Peaches and cream - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I expected the duck with the full tasting menu and didn't get it. So, that was a big let down. The food was good and service was good. Except for the final savory course, which was some sort of pot roast--I took one bite (not good at all-really bad). No inquiries or apologies from server or kitchen, which you would expect from a place of this caliber. Overall, I think I expected a lot more after having such a great experience at Jont (the upstairs sister restaurant) and Jont being one of my favorite restaurants. Not sure I need to go back to Bresca after this experience. I rather spend the extra at Jont. read more

How have I not left a review here? One of the best DC restaurants hands now, definitely the best tastings menus by a long shot. I'm a big fan of tasting menus as if you really don't like something, you can just move onto the next dish. You will never have this problem at Bresca. Even when using ingredients I'm not a fan of, each dish is thoughtful and delectable. Environment is great too, an intimate and inviting atmosphere without the pretentiousness you can sometimes get at other fine-dining establishments. Staff definitely helps with that! I recommend this place regularly read more

Solo diner review: What a wonderful evening with delicious food. I had a bar reservation for one at 7pm on a Friday night (9/6/24). There were only a couple other diners when I arrived, but it was packed soon after with couples and larger gatherings. Dinner highlights were the melon yogurt, the poached swordfish, and duck (of course). The meal was well paced with attentive and friendly service. The decor is an interesting mix of ducks, hexagons (a nod to their Bresca/beehive name), and golden fish heads sticking out of the walls. I would not recommend getting the full tasting menu at the bar. There are hooks underneath for purses, but nowhere to put a smaller bag. Stools are too tall to reach the floor, but are otherwise comfortable seats. I also felt that I wasn't able to develop a rapport with any of the staff. There was a bartender who greeted me, but then I didn't talk to her again until the end of the meal when she brought my bill. There are two large bathrooms tucked down a little hallway (with more fish heads) and attire ranged from business casual to a little dressier. Most men wore buttoned shirts, but without jackets or ties. Overall the evening felt relaxed and luxurious without being pretentious. However, when I go back I'll make a reservation for a dining table instead of the bar. read more

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We came for restaurant week (they were offering 3 & 5 course tastings) but ended up going with the regular tasting menu (7 courses) since it looked really tempting! Favorites were the brioche chicken dish (the brioche topping and jus sauce was SO delicious paired with the crispy chicken skin), the roasted mushroom cavatelli, and the ribeye dish. I liked the black cod dish but didn't feel like the beans added much to the dish, and the yellowtail crudo had a little fishy aftertaste tbh. Service was great. Overall would definitely be back for an a la carte meal just for the chicken!! read more

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Second visit and Bresca continues to provide an incredible meal and service. Very attentive and no pretense with deft attention to detail. A little loud, but that's just because everyone is having a great experience. Got the chef's tasting menu & deliberately did not look at the menu so every dish was a surprise. From beginning to end, each dish was a knockout. Compared to similarly starred restaurants in Atlanta (my hometown), Bresca is a bargain. DC is lucky. read more

We were here last night. First time ever and I had been looking forward to it. In sum, this was a memorable delicious meal with great service in a fun and high energy atmosphere. We had a great server, excellent table with a Birds Eye view of everything (table 4) and great food. As it was restaurant week there were several options plus the à la carte options. We did the five course menu which consisted of snacks (including a delicious and inventive savory cheesecake), crudo, pierogi, pork main course, and a delicious course of hot baked madeleine cookies for desssert. Yum! Plus the wines and drinks were great and a competent, caring staff really made the night. I'll be back. read more

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I'm surprised this restaurant has a Michelin star. I suspect the inspectors haven't been back recently and are letting it ride on past performance. The food was decent, not great. We had the 3 course menu. The app snacks were meh. The crab claw was very fishy tasting. The main course short rib was the biggest disappointment. It had lots of fatty gristle running throughout that hadn't been rendered properly. They clearly didn't take the time to cook it low and slow. Very disappointing to find this at any restaurant, let alone one purported to be this caliber. The service was solid overall up to our entrees, until we had to wait over 30 plus minutes just to get our dessert. We were among the first tables seated for the night, so I don't understand the hold up. Overall, perhaps worth a try if you're trying to hit every Michelin star restaurant or looking to use a CSR dining credit, but not worth the time or money in general imho. PS just a heads up that they've increased the menu prices in person without updating their website menus yet, poor form. read more

Went here for my anniversary and it was a great experience! The tasting menu was incredible and the drinks very interesting. They start you with a mint kombucha that may have been one of the best things I had that night (who would have thought!). The service was also so attentive and top notch. The only reason I can't get this to five stars is that the place is really loud and we were seated just inches away from the next table. We still had a great time, don't get me wrong. I just think that for the price point (this was the most expensive meal out I have ever had) it would be nice to give each table a bit more space and hang some soft fabrics that can absorb sound. Other than that small nitpick, it was great and definitely recommend! The food is worth the price! read more

Bresca - Mint kombucha - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Street parking around the DC area but we ended opting for a garage nearby since we couldn't find any street parking. We arrived pretty early but didn't have any problems being sat right away as we waited for the rest of our group to arrive. The decor inside was cute, I loved the beehive design on the walls and photos. They had some $9 cocktails until 6:30 (we were here on a Sunday) and I chose the St Germaine Spritz. My husband opted for the Paloma Americano. Both were pretty good and definitely cocktails I would order again. Two of us opted for the tasting menu ($158/person) and the other two members of our group chose a la carte items. I did substitute the duck for the Margaret River Strip. Substituting it was $40. For the a la carte options we orders the cheesesteak, the kanpachi crudo, the Foie gras, and the brioche for the Beginnings. For the mains and the large formats, we ordered the duck and the cod. We ended up order a bottle of wine but in my opinion, it only paired well with the duck. We had ordered the Beaujolais and it seemed high in tannin so I didn't really enjoy it. We enjoyed most of the items. The Foie gras came with this biscuit that I didn't think paired too well. Both he Foie gras and the biscuit was a little sweet. It did pair well with the brioche though. The duck was also delicious though, definitely recommend. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the river strip. While the steak itself was good, the sauce that it sat it in was very salty and the saltiness and the tannin of the wine just became very overwhelming. I will say that the desserts were probably the best course. I loved the coffee ice cream that came with Chocolate Tree. We also really enjoyed the cloud cake, it was a very refreshing. We did also have the madeleines which were to die for. Overall, I'm not sure I would return but most items were pretty good. Service did kind of dwindle off towards the end but everyone was very nice and answered all our questions! read more

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