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    Bresca

    4.2 (580 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndNew American, French
    Closed 5:30 pm - 9:30 PM

    Bresca Photos

    BRESCA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Bresca

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    Cloud chocolate cake

    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.

    Petit Fours
    Ailun H.

    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.

    Strawberries & Cream
    Heidi M.

    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.

    Menu
    Sarah A.

    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.

    Perry B.

    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.

    Complimentary kombucha
    Faith N.

    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.

    Nameeta M.

    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!

    Ben D.

    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.

    Wagyu and lamb dish
    Tiffany C.

    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

    Ravioli
    Katie D.

    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.

    Quynh T.

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

    Pork loin
    Christine J.

    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.

    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.

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    Bresca Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bresca

    There is a 22% service fee added on the final bill, does this mean we do not need to tip?

    You don't need to tip, the surcharge is instead of a tip. In fact, when I tried to leave a few extra bucks, the bartender told me that the tip was included in the service charge. You only add a few bucks if the service was extraordinary, as it was… Read more

    Do they take discover?

    Hi Angelica, We do accept all major card company.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Bistrot Du Coin - Inside the bistro

    Bistrot Du Coin

    (2k reviews)

    $$

    This is just such a lively restaurant on all fronts. The high ceilings and knickknacks they have…read morecollected over the years gives this historic home charm that you would like to see in a cuisine that has existed for quite some times. Dispelling the myth that French cuisine is pretentious, we felt like we were in a home, and that we would be fed full to the brim. Came in while it was packed late into the night. We were sat immediately and had a wonderful time. Our waitresses were patient and had great recommendations for our first time trying French food. They seem incredibly experienced and added comfort in the way they spoke to their customers and ran their tables. We were even greeted by the owner who was great and cheery to each table he visited. The one night we went, it was incredibly packed with people having intimate, lighthearted, and laughter-filled gatherings, tables with multiple rounds of wine, everyone sharing their fries, and so he should feel proud of this place. Touches like this made it as though we were dining in someone's house. And I love that they start you off generously with bread and butter. Its a type of french loaf that is nice and fluffy, and I'd recommend setting some on the side if you're ordering a brothy dish. We ordered Moules Marinières, which came in a delightfully large cauldron of juicy plump clean muscles swimming in an herbaceous-garlicky white wine sauce. Unassumable from the simplicity of ingredients they threw together, but incredibly complex in flavor. This is one of the few times I actually tasted bay leaf, and amongst the fewer times I found the use of rosemary not be so overpowering. The mussel liquor at the bottom was perfect when soaked up in bread. What an incredible dish. We also tried a classic, Le Steak Maison, which was also distinctively flavorful. Our steak had a perfect cook at medium rare, and was uniquely seasoned with some sort of blend of herbes de provence. The fries were pretty standard and substantial, but paired with the Béarnaise sauce, it was such a tangy play of richness and acidity. Again really simple ingredients just executed so well. Great job, looking forward to coming again to try more on this large menu.

    I wouldn't go back. Food was fine, service was pretty awful. Not attentive, and not even friendly…read more Then the check came: -5% surcharge -20% tip added automatically -Additional tax on the tip?!?! -Tax on the rest of it What?! That's enough to drive me away, I don't know any other restaurant that does that and it seems petty. I would not recommend.

    Bistro Du Jour - Parfait De Yoghurt

    Bistro Du Jour

    (106 reviews)

    Terrific sit down dinner with friends and colleagues at the 2026 international cleaning advocacy…read moremeeting. A fine variety of foods to choose from so kicked things off with a nice healthy green salad, including mixed greens, asparagus, snap peas, chives, with green goddess dressing. Tonight's entrée was the beef bourguignon. short rib that melted in your mouth. Add in mushrooms laden with pommes purée. served from a super friendly waiter who paid just the right amount of attention to us. They had a house favorite dessert, which was flourless chocolate cake. It doesn't go with my eating healthy, but based on the healthy dinner tonight, I indulged. The dessert... decadent

    Kicked off my visit to D.C. with the cutest little breakfast at this French bistro right in our…read morehotel... it was a lovely way to start the trip! The decor was right up my alley: gorgeous details, stunning florals, absolutely beautiful. We both went with the Plat Américain, a classic breakfast with eggs, bacon, crispy fingerlings, and a croissant. A simple but solid choice! The croissant especially was so soft and fluffy, thoroughly enjoyed that. I ordered an iced latte and asked for it to be sweetened, but it came out pretty punchy... I don't think the sweetener made it in! If you're into a strong, bold latte you'll love it, but if you like yours on the sweeter side, just make sure to double check with your server. The manager also stopped by our table mid-meal which was a nice touch, super friendly and personable. It was a pleasure!

    La Bonne Vache

    La Bonne Vache

    (178 reviews)

    Georgetown

    I came across La Bonne Vache while walking around in Georgetown, intending on going to another…read morenearby restaurant. I'm so glad I did, because I'd give this place 6-stars if I could! I walked in and was seated at the bar. Rachal, the bartender, greeted me with a glass of water and asked me if I wanted a drink while I studied the menu. The restaurant space is very charming, giving off Parisian vibes. I ordered the Artichaut à la Grecque as a starter and the Salade Lyonnaise. The artichoke dish was simply delicious... steamed perfectly and accompanied by my new favorite sauce, sauce Ravigote. The whole plate was beautiful, but the way the sauce enhanced the flavor of the artichoke, not mask it, was just perfect execution. After taking my time with the artichoke, I switched over to the Lyonnaise salad... also simply perfect! The frisée was crisp and the lardons were cooked well. I'd say the only issue was the poached egg was a tad overcooked, but ever so slightly and it didn't ruin the dish. I sat at the bar after finishing both dishes and felt so much satisfaction from the food. The bonus was the lovely conversation I had with Rachal, at least until the rush of people started showing up... when I walked into the restaurant, it was quite empty, but when I left there was a line around the corner and every table was packed. I know why... If you're in DC, you have to dine here, you will not regret it!

    Food 4.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0…read moreValue 4.0/5.0 Decor 4.0/5.0 Overall 4.5/5.0 Really fun no-reservations bistro. Menu is in a good spot -- not very long, but has plenty of options for a nice meal. The burgers were very good, the fries were good, and the apps were all very good. The floor is very tightly packed but the ambiance is good. Would definitely go back. Be prepared to wait 30-60 minutes if you're not coming right before a prime times begin.

    Pastis

    Pastis

    (249 reviews)

    $$$

    Great food Great staff…read moreFun atmosphere We had to try the DC version after being inNYC Delicious and well priced We would come again

    Whoooooo man, do I have stuff to say…read more First off, I need to comment that Pastis and our server get a lot of leniency because 3 people in our group of 8 were 30 minutes late due to issues with Uber and other small things. But, beyond that, an otherwise "meh" night out food wise. I'm gonna streamline this. - Food: Why is the house steak called "bar steak"? That feels like a weird name for what's supposed to be a moderately upscale place. it's also $30, which is expensive for the area. - My wife's bar steak was ordered medium and it was served Rare. The same was true for a friend who ordered the exact same thing. What the hell? Sure, someone else in our party ordered hers rare, but if a guest asks for medium, cook it like that. My Spaghetti Limone was good, but was in an overly large plate. Also, it had 1-2 shakes too many of the red pepper flakes, and while I didn't mind the spice, some guests are spice sensitive and there was no indication on the menu it was gonna have any spice. We were given bread for the table but my first slice was actually cold to the touch. The bread itself didn't feel fresh. It honestly seemed like it'd just been set in the basket from wherever it was stored. Menu: - A lot of stuff on the menu seems fried (at times semi-heavily), which is not typical of French cuisine (this can be learned with a quick google). If it's meant to be "inspired by" note that. Also maybe make the menu healthier. - The menu itself is non-descriptive and gives an air that Pastis is trying to be classier than it is. Also, the cocktails and drinks menu was just a simple, cheap laminate while the main food menu was a paper one that wasn't taken away and stayed on the table throughout our meal. Service: 1) the server said "oh the non-alcoholic Bordeaux blend, good catch, " when i ordered my drink. She didn't see me point specifically to it either. If you're gonna list a couple non-alcoholic wines, maybe avoid having a regular version of the same variety? Maybe have the non alcoholic version more clearly labeled? 2) Water: our group specified flat water (not sparkling) and every time refills came (we had to ask, no staff clocked that we were low and asked if we wanted or simply brought more) only one bottle was brought and it was started at one end, meaning it was empty by the other end of the table. Why not bring 2? Why not just have bigger bottles? Additionally, because sometimes there is water upcharge in DC, we asked for Tap water. But we had to ask numerous times, multiple people in our group too, as it was never brought. 3) Our server spilled one guests wine on the floor at one point. 4) Our server disappeared for 5-10 minutes at a time, not bothering at all to ask how things were. At one point, when I got up to go to the bathroom, near the end of our meal, she was closing out other tables checks (usual end of the night stuff), which is fine, but there was still like 45 minutes left before the restaurant was due to close. Seems to me that should be done after your party of 8 leaves. We had to flag her or other servers down and Pastis was not busy. Service was inattentive. Multiple people in our party also had to ask for the table to get salt and pepper. When it came, it was just passively dropped off with big "fine, ugh, here it is" energy at the opposite end of the table, while staff walked away. I get it, half our group was 30 minutes late. But that doesn't excuse the apathy and disregard we were given. For a place that tries to be classy, Pastis was whelming. Honestly, don't recommend.

    Bresca - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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