I have visited this bar several times and always have had a pleasant experience until recently. I went this weekend to meet up with friends and when I checked in at the hostess stand, I began to fill out the form for contact tracing. Being that there were two people behind me, I simultaneously pulled out my ID for the hostess to check and slightly stepped to the side so she could proceed checking others in. She snapped at me saying I "HAD TO FILL OUT THE FORM" which I was, my phone was still in my hand and I was clearly still typing. (As you'll note in my first name, I do not have a short name and the form included email address, phone etc.) The bathroom experience is what absolutely gives this a one star. This policy is out of control. Having to "ask permission" at a bar to go to the restroom??? I understand COVID precautions are in place at restaurants and bars but this is the ONLY place in DC where I have experienced this. It's a natural human bodily function and having to be told by your waiter when you are allowed to get up to go is just absolutely ridiculous. Almost like being in kindergarten again. I waited at least 20 minutes to be "allowed" to go. The bar also has a 90 minute table limit. Which again, I understand COVID precautions but the place was relatively empty. No one was waiting for our table nor was the bar overly crowded. The same rude hostess that checked us in was very quick to shoo us out at our exact 90 minute mark. No gratitude for our business expressed from her whatsoever. Lastly, the more attention I paid last weekend, the more I note their drinks are way overpriced for such a small portion. With plenty of other bars with nice settings around town, I won't be back here. read more

This is my go to place to grab drinks with friends. The ambiance is top notch, bistro lights, picnic tables, it's casual and cute! Their frozen pina coladas are to die for. Beware they are strong! read more

I've been here a few times and here's all I have to say Atmosphere: 5 stars Staff : 5 stars Food : 5 stars - good bar food that's vegetarian friendly (my fav is the Mac n cheese balls !) Drinks : 5 stars - the drinks are strong and taste great. Their cocktail menu is amazing ! Vibe : 5 stars - great for all types of people - great music and beautiful décor inside and out Come here !! read more

Excellent summer vibe. Great small bites. Drinks were a bit strong, but nothing wrong with that. Great way to start an evening.

We wanted to come here after seeing photos and liking the vibe. It definitely didn't disappoint! We really enjoyed the outdoor seating, how spaced out each table was, the music, and overall ambiance. They also have great Covid precautions - have to sign in for contact tracing (a slightly lengthy process), and have to use the QR code on the table to find the menu, order, pay, and request to use the restroom. I've seen some folks say they didn't like the restroom piece of it, but I think it's a good idea. It avoids having a line outside the restroom when you know when it's free or not, like an airplane. Regarding food and drink, we made our own pizza and had a few of the pouch cocktails. The pizza was amazing and a pretty good price ($16 for any toppings we wanted), and the cocktails were tasty! Just didn't like how little cocktail there actually was in each pouch. It felt half-full, like a bag of chips. The service overall was good. The guy at the front was a little short with us for some reason, but it didn't bother us. We had an 8pm reservation and got there around 7:45, and let him know that we were happy to wait until 8pm for a table. He still seemed really annoyed but made the exception and sat us within minutes. So it wasn't a big deal. The wait staff who brought the food and drinks were lovely and super friendly. They often came back to ask us how everything was, which we appreciate. Overall enjoyed coming here for the experience, and a good summery outdoor spot! read more

Great place to hang out, decent food and drinks! (Only wish they had more warm cocktails) Came here on a Saturday night with no reservations. They were able to accommodate us at the bar. We had several rounds of drinks - all pretty good for the price. We also got several appetizers to share. MUST HAVE: cauliflower buffalo dip, spinach dip, and tater tots! The staff are genuinely happy to serve and are super friendly. read more

My friends planned a little get together here to celebrate my move. If you can get a seat in the little flower garden house area, definitely do!! It's SO cute and feels very VIP. This is a great HH spot with a lot of small plate options. The Buffalo Cauliflower Dip, Deviled Eggs, Loaded Tots and pizzas were all good. The juice boxes are a fun option and they have different frozen cocktails. The one they had when we went was a mango one, which was good! Overall, really great experience here :) read more

Overall cool vibe but the drinks were a bit on the smaller side for the cost. The drinks weren't bad but not too memorable either. I wish they had more cocktail options to choose from. The venue is beautiful and has some nice outdoor lighting while the inside is a bit on the louder side. It's a very backyard, relaxing vibe. I haven't tried the food yet but next time I'll check it out. read more

Calico has such a cute space that's very unique. Their food selection left a lot to be desired--only a few dishes that made me think the menu was more of a bar food selection than a full dinner menu. I had the pepperoni pizza and it was huge, something you could definitely share with another person. But it didn't taste great and my stomach hurt for the rest of the night, so I won't be coming back for that. But it did look like a nice place for drinks and they had a cute separate outdoor area for group dinners. read more

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You should probably run away from an establishment when your friend's excuse for going is, "yeah but they have adult juice boxes alongside cheap rosé and an outdoor patio!" Everything about Calico screams cheese. From the crowded outdoor patio to the poorly designed juice boxes, the restaurant is not the first place I would take a date or even a good friend. The only positive here is the location since it's located in the ever-popular Blagden Alley. The juice box prices are fine, but they taste a bit off and are too sour for my liking. They are also premixed, so $12 for something made who-knows-when is a bit much to ask. The staff are fine but don't add to the "this isn't a frat party" vibe. The whole place "feels" strange, and it is certainly not helped by the clientele who peruse the establishment. I observed someone feeling super unwell when I came, which only added to the weirdness. Oh, and a parent of a baby came in to get a drink carrying the child in his arms. I don't think my jaw left the floor for the rest of the night. Point your finger in another direction, and go to a bar wherever that finger leads. There are plenty of options around that are not as awkward as Calico. And if you really want a juice box, head to Colada Shop instead where the $12 will go farther for a much better drink. read more

Calico - Juice box for $12 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fun bar! Great for a big group (in my case, a group of coworkers at happy hour). Located in a fun alleyway of bougie shops like La Colombe. Bartenders were fast, friendly, and great at juggling many orders and cards. Everyone in my group loved their drinks, especially the Lavender Lemonade and the Pimm's Cup. We also loved the loaded tater tots, which were great for a group. The tomato pie was also a good deal at happy hour prices. The happy hour deals are only for select wines and beers and the tomato pie. Great mix of fun indoor seating open to the air and decorated with cool drawings, paired with outdoor seating on different levels with a cool garden feel secluded from the street. read more

Decently cute place with a nice patio but their drinks are absurdly expensive for very little actual alcohol. I paid $11 for an adult juice box which had basically no booze in it. I am a lightweight so it doesn't take me too long to get a buzz but these drinks were disappointing. I spent around $40 and then went to Tiger Fork where the drinks were way better. I honestly don't think I'd come back here. read more

After having been to Calico three times now, 3.5 stars is exactly on point. It's hidden away in the back of Blagden Alley so it took me a bit of work to find it initially. They have a big outdoor patio area which is great in the warm weather and have heaters for the colder days. The indoor area is small and can get pretty crowded. The bar wraps all the way around but the tables surrounding there are pretty limited, probably not best for a big party on a Friday or Saturday night. The bar service has been hit or miss. Sometimes it can take awhile to get served but the bartenders are always nice. Their "Capri sun" style drinks are tasty but slightly pricey, especially for the alcohol content. I would get one to try but stick with beer or wine for the next drinks if you want more bang for your buck. Their drinks are worth trying mainly for the fun of it so if you're in Blagden alley waiting for your reservation at the dabney, stop by and give it a try. read more

Fun spot to grab a drink on a nice day. The place gets busy and there are more dogs and kids than I like to have running around my feet, but that's what day drinking has come to in DC. Prices are typical (high) for this area, but the drinks are pretty good. We didn't have any food as we were pre-brunching. read more

This place is definitely unique. Make sure your phone battery is charged before you go - everything happens on your phone through a QR code. Our IDs were checked at the door so we could order as many drinks as we wanted sitting down, and they came out FAST. Like, I pushed "order" and 1 minute later it was in front of me. The same thing happened with our food. The spinach dip was cold, and I'm used to it being hot. The Buffalo cauliflower dip was amazing -- loved that it wasn't too hot. The tomato pie (pizza) was really good as well & I recommend you get it with pepperonis like we did. The adult caprisun was really good but smaller than I'd expect it to be (6oz). Overall, great vibes and REALLY fast service. Convinced I could be in and out of there in 20 min if I needed to. read more

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A friend's birthday gave me an excuse to come check this place out earlier this evening. I loved the space, and the food on the grill (ribs!) smelled awesome. The downside was the absence of happy hour specials and an adult juice box that was too light on the 'adult' portion (aka the vodka). That was true of my Blagden Rose, and another person in our group had the Sassy one and said the same. Super, super love their space, especially the open air green house! It seemed like a great place to come and hang out but expect to pay a premium. read more

Calico - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Thank you Calico for having a contact tracing protocol at the door and contactless ordering & payment. Patio was lovely too. Felt safe! read more

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I am a huge fan of the ambiance of Calico. They have it set up for a great hang out spot/ trendy bar. It is somewhere that you would want to just settle in and hang out for an afternoon or evening. I liked the indoor and out door options and can see how it would be the ideal day drinking/instagramable spot. I came at night for a quick drink on a Saturday night and got the Blagden Rose juice box. I thought it tasted great and was so fun. I'm not sure that I thought it was worth the $12 price tag though..but it was a unique treat. If I'm back in DC I would likely return to try out other items on their menu or hang out with friends. read more

Yikes! Came here with a girl friend last night and had such an awful experience that I made it a priority to write a Yelp review instead of dealing with this slight hangover... While Calico has a great backyard set-up that makes for a fun and chill atmosphere, much is left to be desired with their customer service. It was a Friday evening at 8pm, so the place was full, but not packed. My friend and I were able to snag seats at the bar easily. It was her first time here and I boasted about how cool of a vibe this place was, especially since it was above 20 degrees for once. Perfect for a girls night out. Unfortunately, Calico kicked off our GNO with a banging bad start. We sat and waited for 20+ minutes for a drink and weren't even acknowledged during that time. The bartender paid us no attention - taking the order of a newly seated pair, cleaning up old dishes, stapling receipts and whatever else. Meanwhile, we were right in front of her, made eye contact, did the appropriate hand gesture and even had our cards out. Nothing. It was SO BAD that another staff person came out and asked if we had been helped. When the bartender finally took our order, both $10 drinks, she upcharged us $11 to include the tip she knew she wasn't getting. We didn't even bother bringing that up because we wanted to chug our drinks and get out of there as quickly as we could. Again, very yikes. --- Hey Calico Management, not sure what your budget is for staff training, but I think you'd reallly benefit from workshops in customer service and ethics. And while you're there, how about some in culture & diversity as well? Looking forward to seeing how you take feedback to improve. read more

Calico - Adult Capri Suns because I am an adult #sassy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a great bar for a date or place to drink with friends! There are many seating areas and it's indoor/outdoor so you can go in all weather. read more

This place is adorable. I came here when the weather wasn't super friendly for sitting outside, but I definitely want to come back and enjoy the patio. The patio is cute, and you will definitely have lots of instagram-worthy shots. I sat at the bar for a little while waiting for my friend, and the bar stools are kind of uncomfortable. If you have a big booty, it might start to hurt to sit for a long period of time. They have delicious alcoholic juice packs that remind me of drinking Caprisun in middle school (without the straw sticking through the bag issue I know we all had). The draft and bottled beer list is decent, about 5-6 options for each. The food was hit or miss. I enjoyed the tomato pie a lot. I thought it was going to be a personal-sized pizza when I ordered it, but it was actually pretty large. I shared it with my friend. We also got the fried eggplant and hummus. I think it's just a personal preference that I enjoy hummus with pita bread and not pita chips. The eggplant was decent but could've had a little more something. read more

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A group of us came in one rainy Saturday for my girlfriend's post birthday brunch that we had in the neighborhood. Located in the trendy and popular Blagden Alley. This bar has both an indoor and outdoor space with their own separate bars. They have a cute patio space that is great for hanging out. Unfortunately, the weather didn't permit us to utilize this great space! They have a fun cocktail and bar menu. I love the adult juice boxes! We didn't order any food, but the food menu looked good. Next time around, I will have to try the eggplant parmigiana sticks. Service is excellent. Comfortable and chill space. Prices are reasonable for what it is. read more

Calico - Tequila Shots! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The ambiance was cute with string lighting but the drinks and food were nothing to be desired. The juice boxes were mostly juice, and we ordered a brownie that came still wrapped in plastic wrap and on a paper plate - they didn't even give us a fork so that we didn't have to eat it with our hands. The plastic tables and chairs were also super sticky - as if they had never been cleaned. Sure, they wipe them with a sanitizer wipe, but nothing deeper considering how my shorts stuck to the bench as I tried sliding in. With so many other bars in the area, I would recommend others before stopping in here. read more

Super aesthetic bar that I love day-drinking at. They have outdoor seating so better to come hang out there on warmer days. Not a ton of room inside, but my crowd of 16 got lucky on a Saturday afternoon and stole two of those large tables. Service was kinda confusing- first they told us to order at the bar and then they told us to order at the table and then they gave us dirty looks. I think it's a little pricey but we enjoyed a side of mac & cheese (it was good and a little spicy!) as well as two growlers and some juice boxes. I love taking new friends here for the aesthetics and to take pictures with the murals outside. It's a little hard to find in the alley and cars have a hard time getting in. Not a lot of parking in the alley. read more

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I'd like to start by saying I really appreciate the precautions they have put in place for COVID. That being said, I think their execution on how they handle big tables was a miss and was purely based on how others may have acted in the past. We reserved two tables and followed all of the safety policies respectfully. I'm not sure what we did but I felt that the staff was passively aggressive towards us for no reason making it an uncomfortable experience. Maybe it's in my head but but whispering looking at us every other minute was not welcoming. I hope that in the future others don't have the same experience who respectful follow safety policies put in place at restaurant establishment to set the community up for success. read more

Great customer service and great food! Definitely go check them out... It's in the cut in an alley for location purposes!!! read more

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I was super excited to check out this new neighborhood addition to Blagden Alley ever since I heard about it coming through and I was not disappointed. I've already been multiple times and brought different groups with each visit. Perfect spot for an outdoor picnic and as my friends know, I'm a sucker for a picnic table. The gorgeous rusted and paneless greenhouse wasn't too shabby either (and quite the Instagrammable piece for all you photofreaks out there). Overall stupendously chill vibe going on here at Calico. Food choices here are limited, but actually pretty solid for a vegetarian like myself (and hopefully more and more of you) - the veggie burger is solid, but might come out a bit too "backyard burger" than the pricetag would make you believe. Solid choice, but I think the mac n cheese is where your money's at in terms of options. The au gratin that tops it is wonderfully crusted and the gooey, smokiness in the cheeses they use really leaves a to-die-for aftertaste in your now satiated palate. Drinks are what I came here for, and what you will too. Adult juice boxes, whowouldathunkit! The Sassy Kitty has a bit more bite to it than the other boxes, but they all are pretty much on the sweeter end of things. The Blagden Rose, though - that's just summer water in a pouch - and nobody can say no. I'm more of a bitters person, and really did enjoy the Fight Club cocktail with it's whisky-based flavors (hint of ginger perhaps too?). The big surprise for me came in the form of the Magic Carpet Ride: a gin based cocktail with a cayenne kick that will keep you ordering round after round! Highly recommend this bad booty to show you and your taste buds a whole new world. read more

Calico - Calico modeling DC's home distilled goodness! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Such a cute spot. The indoor/outdoor vibe is perfect on a cool night. If your looking for hiding in plain sight this is the jam read more

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So. I want to like this place more than I do after a few visits. It has a beautiful patio (gorgeous!), a big bar, and a great location. On my first visit, we tried the famous adult juice boxes - basically a pouch with a draft cocktail inside - which was good, but...not worth $12 in my opinion. I also had the totchos. As a totcho aficionado - I thought it was lacking - sour cream, cheese, scallions - all good, but it needed something spicy or something with bite (red onion? hot sauce?) to balance it out. Their Happy Hour beer deals are pretty decent for their lower-end local beers though! Before A second visit, while I was trying to pick a meetup spot for me and a friend, I saw a review that I just couldn't get out of my head - that there was no diversity in the clientele here. I have to say, they weren't wrong. While that isn't something I actively think of when choosing a restaurant or a bar - it is something I notice when i'm there. Just a thought to mull on - nothing that inherently reflects on the bar itself. Either way - a cute spot to meet up with friends or a date, but don't expect anything outstanding for the price to value ratio here. read more

I have come here a few times for happy hour for the big outdoor area. They have plenty of seats and it is a perfect setting to grab a drink on a nice day. I have had the blagden hoagie, which was average but very large, and the mac and cheese which was great. I have also tried both juice boxes and I enjoyed the blagden rose (you can't even taste the alcohol) and the one time I got the gin one mine was super strong so I was not a fan. My friend, however, got the same one and hers tasted fine, but you definitely have to like gin to enjoy it. Overall, a great location for happy hour / drinks on a nice day. I have also come in the wintertime and they provide blankets and snuggies to sit outdoors which is a great option. If you do come in the winter I would recommend coming early because the inside fills up relatively quick in the evening. read more

Located in Blagden Alley (minutes from La Colombe coffee and Tiger Fork restaurant), Calico is surrounded my murals and offers quite some space - both inside and outside. While it seems that a lot of my fellow reviewers enjoyed this place, it did not meet my expectations. It was simply a meh experience. The bar is huge allowing one to order while sitting inside or hanging out on their patio. Despite the cooler weather, the patio is still open with a few heaters around and I believe they give out blankets as well (bot 100% sure, but saw several people with the same type of blanket). My friend and I cozied up next to a heater outside and quickly perused the menu as we were both super hungry. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out on the menu so we went for the eggplant parmesan and fish sticks with tartar sauce. I also ordered an adult juice box, which I'm assuming is what brings most of their patrons in. Out of the 3 choices for the juice boxes, I went with the Sassy Kitty (Timber Wolf Sassafras Gin, Element Grapefruit, Vanilla Shrub, Green Tea, Honey) and it tasted weird. The green tea was super strong and it overpowered the rest of the drink. I would not order that again. The eggplant parmesan was tasty and cheesy - just what we needed. I can't say the same about the fish sticks though because they were too darn oily. I did love the tartar sauce they came with, it had a nice kick to it. The staff was friendly. Not that it was terrible or anything, but I don't see a need to go back. read more

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Kind of stumbled across this place by accident on a last minute DC adventure. I will say, I really did like the place. The ambiance was really nice and promoted a relaxing and chill atmosphere where you and some friends could easily stop by for a few hours for a few drinks and conversation. Has that real cozy neighborhood feel that I can see a lot of the locals coming to in the evenings. They even have events throughout the week. Monday nights were "Drafts and Crafts" but don't quote me on that name. I'm reciting that from memory. I thought it was a good idea though. As for the food, they have HH ending at 6:30pm or 7:00pm when I came on a Monday evening after work so I go there in time to enjoy some of the happy hour specials. It was me and one other guest so we both ordered about 5 drinks total between the two of us. They have this drink called a juice box that was pretty much an adult Capri sun. Tasted strong but it was like $12 and I remember thinking that was a lot based on my first impression. Didn't seem like you got much from it.. but it was tasty. We also ordered the tomato pie (again recalling that name from memory here). It was pretty much a think crusted square pizza with really good tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and basil I think. We got two of these because they were $3 a slice on HH. We were still hungry so we ordered the brussels sprouts and the shrimp balls. One gripe that I had about this place is that we were given plastic forks and knives... let's put a pin there for a second. I'll get back to that point. It was time to get the check and we through nothing more of it. We went during HH and got "some" items on HH. When the check came, it basically came out to an even $100.00 and some change. I thought there was a mistake, but I read through the receipt and everything was right. Now I have been to plenty of restaurants for both HH, brunch, lunch, dinner, etc with my friend that came with me yesterday and on rare occasions, have we spent more than maybe $80. But once we hit the $100 mark, we know we've spent too much. Remember when I said we'll come back to the plastic forks and knives? Ok, that's my gripe about this place. The prices seem slightly too high to be serving people with forks and knives made with plastic. They weren't even the good plastic forks. I would give this place a 4 out of 5 which is something I do for every new place that I try that I think it's great but didn't blow me away. Sometimes I'll come back and that experience will change and I'll up the review. But starting at 4 stars as a baseline, I have to give this place a 3 out of 5. Don't get me wrong, this place was nice all around. I just can't get over the fact that prices were so high and being served with plastic utensils. If they were regular utensils, I'd probably give it a 4. All in all, I'll try to be reasonable though because its not their fault that our bill came out that high. But Personally, I think the utensils was a slap to the face just a bit. I encourage people to go check this place out for themselves. The place was otherwise clean, cool, and the staff was very friendly. read more

I love this spot! While I haven't had any of the food from here, the orange julius frozen drink ($12) they have is amazing and worth a trip here. The place is pretty "instagrammable" with a cool open cage that you can sit in. There is half outdoor seating and half indoor, with some large tables for big groups. It never seems to be too packed when I've been here and is a great spot to hang out! read more

Nice vibe but very limited menu. If you are looking for a place to have a drink and socialize, then this is it!!! Great looking exterior with warming fire outside and lights. Super original. Looks like a popular spot read more

Its a pretty cute place to have early lunch. Their adult juices were amazing! This location is taking extra precaution with social distancing. 2.5 to 2 hr limited seating read more

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Disclaimer: This review is only for drinks, as I did not order any food. Stopped into Calico on a Saturday afternoon for some drinks. I originally was drawn to Calico by the "adult juice box" trend. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the outdoor seating area was. You really did feel like you were in a backyard. The adult juice box did not disappoint. I also ordered the frozen special of the day which was "fruit punch". The service was very quick and attentive. Definitely recommend stopping by this place for drinks! read more

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This place is just ok. I'm sure it'll be better during the summer since there's a lot of outside seating. Their drink selection is pretty small. I had one of the juice boxes...it's like an adult caprisun lol. It was pretty good read more

Calico - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love coming to calico for their juice boxes and their cocktails! It's usually pretty crowded and can be a bit challenging to get one of the bartender's attention, but it's a great spot for hanging out with friends - especially in the garden area. The outside is so cute that it is also great to head over on a weekend during the day. I wouldn't necessarily recommend coming for food - it has always been fine, but seemingly overpriced - but the cocktails are great for a night out. read more

My experience at Calico this December was amazing. The service was incredibly safe (would never approach unless everyone was masked) and you can even stand in line for the bathroom "virtually." The food and drinks are the same high quality they have always been - and it was wonderful to have some delicious cocktails. There were plenty of heaters and I didn't even have to wear a jacket in 45 degree heat! They do have a strictly enforced 1.5 hour time limit, so just be aware of that! read more

Calico - Calico outdoor dining - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came in on a Saturday. It was pretty busy but we got drinks quickly. The outside area had heaters which made it so much more bare able in the cold. We also lucked out and got 2 seats at the bar. My friend and I both got one of their home made juice boxes. All the bad was Sassy Kitty and idk what was in it. I think maybe fireball? Something cinnamon flavor and so I wasn't so much of a fan. It was also like $20 bucks for the not so great juice box. Probably not return but interesting jaunt on a night out drinking. The up side is we got a side order of mac and cheese to split. It was phenomenal. It was Richard me flavorful but still bright and complex with some texture to the top of the mac and cheese but that part wasn't baked so it was a little odd but good. read more