While on my hot girl summer tour looking for my Prince Charming, one of my suitors invited me out to Central Michel Richard. He flew in town to do date night and stayed at the Waldorf Astoria which is directly across the street so this made perfect sense. I never come this way and was happy to check off a few bookmarks I had for years. This area is where you'll find lots of suits so ladies dress all the way up, it's either business attire or dress to impress. Can't go wrong with either! Ambiance: it's giving elegant not too fancy but enough fancy where picking this place for date night is solid. Service: Great service all the way around. From hosts, to waiter, to management five stars all the way Let's get into it! Apps: Risotto Croquettes - Delicious! Gougères (cheese puffs) - Great! Entrees: Special of the Day - Halibut - I didn't leave a bite! "Michel's" Fried Chicken - He loved! Dessert: THE BEST BANANA SPLIT in the world! Yeah, I said it! Thank me later! Drinks: Decent pours! I'd definitely come back! Cheers to good eats and the funnest hot girl summer! #PGP read more

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Elegant setting. We enjoyed lunch. Menu had great options, but I feel the food was just ok. The WINE LIST was extensive if buying by the bottle. They have one option of each style if ordering by the glass. I enjoyed the ONION SOUP, paired with a glass of SANCERRE WINE. It was not the best onion soup that I have enjoyed. It tasted a little bland and the cheese on top was very chewy and hard to separate into pieces to eat. You really need a knife to cut this soup cheese. I also found the cheese has a slight earth flavor that wasn't to my preference. My daughter is gluten intolerant and ordered a burger without a bun. They asked how she wanted it cooked, and she replied medium-rare. It was cooked much more so than requested. They warned is that the fries are cooked in oil with gluten and thus are cross contaminated. My daughter can tolerate this but not all gluten intolerant people can. read more

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Our large group took up a nice spot by a window. We had a preset menu. It was choices of all their favorites from apps, to main, to desert. Gang service for the group worked well. They did a nice job. The chicken dish was superb and presented well. I would certainly return when in the area. read more

Central Michel Richard - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We loved the ambiance of the restaurant and how you can see the kitchen. The restaurant week special here was a great deal and allowed us to try many different items on the menu. We really enjoyed the salmon tartare, bok choy red curry, and fried chicken. We liked how the vegetables in the curry had a bit of a bite to them and there was a lot of spice in the dish. We also like the creaminess of the mashed potatoes as well as the spice in the breading on the chicken. The chicken dish was very heavy so would definitely recommend splitting that one. We also loved the lava cake and flavorful fruit sorbets. The servers were attentive and kind. We had a great time trying a new place! read more

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I'm really disappointed in my recent meal at Central. I visited for brunch and got the Prime Burger ($27) which comes with "brioche bun, cheddar, caramelized onions, confit tomato, lettuce, potato crisp, chipotle aioli" plus fries. The burger looked great, but tasted terrible. It was the most dry, lifeless burger I've had the misfortune of eating recently. Despite all the toppings, it was flavorless. A disgrace to burgers everywhere. The fries, too, looked attractive. They had a nice golden color. But they were not crispy enough or seasoned enough. They relied on the provided ketchup like a crutch. Central used to be a top restaurant in the city (on the Washingtonian Top 100 list in 2014, 2017, and 2018) and I had some good meals there in the past. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it anymore due to the bad, expensive burger. Service was fine. Sitting on the outdoor patio was nice. read more

Central Michel Richard - Prime Burger ($27) looked great, tasted terrible - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here for HH before going to the IMAX. Everything was nice and hh prices are really nice considering you're in tourist area. The bartender was lovely and really liked him. We got the green beans, fried chicken, French onion soup and the cheese puffs . Everything was good the fried chicken was definitely the stand out. Really enjoyed it and the sauce around it. Sauce was a bit salty but soaking things in it I thought was perfect. I would say the cheese puffs were a pass full stop. But once again loved service and everything else was solidly good. I think if you are in this area and it's hh this is a solid pick for sure read more

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Service-amazing. Food-pretty good! The fried chicken is definitely worth a try. Ambiance-noise level is high and the bench seat was weird. read more

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Had been wanting to eat here for a couple of year's but it never worked out. Finally came here for dinner prior to a show at the Warner. Everything was wonderful. We tried a couple of specialty drinks, Central's Cosmo as well as a Fig Old Fashion and a All Spice Old Fashioned. We loved the cheese puffs and the chicken nuggets. The Faux Gras was rich and creamy. The Steak Tartare was perfectly seasoned, chopped and chilled. We basically, chowed through a bunch of apps and loved every minute of it. Great service as well. read more

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Modern decor restaurant that serve good French cuisine. Located near Warner and National Theater so great place to have dinner before your show (they also offer pre- theater menu). We enjoyed our meal before our show. The French Onion soup was very good. Lot written about their Prime Burger and it delivered. Hangar steak was good but I had better. read more

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I've walked past Central Michel Richard countless times over the years -- my office was actually right across the street when I was an intern, so it's been on my "must-try" list for ages. I finally made it in for a late birthday dinner with a couple of friends, and it did not disappoint! The restaurant is quite large but was surprisingly calm for an 8 p.m. dinner, which actually made it a nice, relaxed atmosphere to catch up. We started with the Risotto Croquettes and Crab Cake -- both were flavorful and perfectly cooked. For drinks, two of us went with Espresso Martinis (rich and smooth ) and the other had a Lemon Drop, which was bright and refreshing. For our entrées, two of us ordered the restaurant's famous Michel Fried Chicken and the other got the Chicken Schnitzel. Everything came out hot, crispy, and well-seasoned. I swapped my Watercress for a Garden Salad, and one friend got Broccolini instead -- both great options if you're not a fan of the standard side. Our server was amazing -- friendly, attentive, and stylish (seriously, her nails were so cute ). She gave thoughtful recommendations that hit the mark every time. I don't usually consider myself a big fan of French cuisine , but Central Michel Richard definitely won me over. Great food, great service, and a lovely spot for a celebratory dinner or night out in downtown DC. I'll definitely be back! read more

Central Michel Richard - Macaroni & Cheese - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So the wife and I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington DC. It is a great weekend to get away and still be close to home. On our first night, it was raining, so we decided to go across the street to Central by Michael Richard. There were not many Patrrons, and Service was good. The fair there is very eclectic, but freshly made and nicely served. I actually had the fried chicken dinner which was there special that evening. It was outstanding. This place is located on Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of Washington DC, and his little sterile on the inside, it takes on more of a kitchen / diner feel than a fine dining restaurant, but the food is outstanding. I would recommend this place based on the food and service, the atmosphere is contingent based on the location and environment that it's situated in. read more

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I came for restaurant week and was so glad I finally got to try the famous fried chicken. It was amazing, as were the mashed potatoes - so smooth and flavorful. Appetizers of tuna tartare and wedge salad were both good, and while lava cake is simple, it was also perfect. My dining companion had the whimsical, but less delicious, egg-styled dessert. The meal was a great value, and we were both really happy with our lunches. -1 star for the Newsmax playing in the background - really ruined the ambiance. read more

Central Michel Richard - Fried Chicken - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Love going to Central for happy hour before a night at National Theater. It is mine and my best friend's tradition. The happy hour menu has many options for discounted food and drinks. We love the trip of burgers and the fries (pictured). The bar staff is often super busy (happy hour is popular!) but I never felt ignored. Cute space and good happy hour options! read more

Central Michel Richard - Mini burger French Fries - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We went to eat here for Valentine's Day. Their special menu was amazing! We got a shelved seafood platter! The oysters were amazingly fresh. I was not a fan of the clams but my husband had nothing to complain about it. The crispy fried chicken was mind blowingly good and that mashed potato is one of the best I have ever eaten. What I loved most was the heart-shaped chocolate cake. It had a thick chocolaty outer shell, and when you broke it open, it revealed an incredible berry-filled pastry inside. Our server was awesome! He made sure the orders arrived on time and we did not have to wait a ton. They allowed us to come in without a reservation, as long as we agreed to leave before the guests with reservations arrived. The place was nicely amped up for valentines :) read more

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You can really tell the impact layoffs have had innDC. This restaurant used to be packed on a Thursday night. Not tonight. The food was good, not great. My dining partner and I had oysters. The first dozen were terrific, second dozen, not as much. Odd to me they the flavor would be so different, but ok. I ordered the mussels, which were fresh, but the cooking sauce was too bland to impart any flavor. And my fries were stale. The middle portion size was enormous, no way I could eat more than half. And I have a big appetite. The star of the meal however, was the napoleon dessert. Holy cow that was the best napoleon of my life. The layers weee fresh, perfect and uniquely sized to make this a dramatic piece, with delicious crème. It sat in a plate with ample crème anglaise. Perfection. I would come back just for the dessert. read more

The fried chicken is still among the best in the country.The kale salad, one of the best salads I've ever had.Finished with the banana split....Cant believe this place isn't packed .....An incredibly solid restaurant read more

9.26.2024. We had a 6:15 reservation. The bar area was so crowded the tables were invisible with all the bodies there having a great time decompressing after work. We checked in and was seated immediately in front of the open kitchen. Once seated, I noticed how attractive the restaurant is with copper detailing throughout. We both decided on the Express Pre-Theater menu ($58/pp) as we prepared to enjoy Lalah Hathaway later that evening. For apps, the French onion soup was a little sweeter than most. I suspect the miso broth contributed to that. I had the goat cheese Caesar, the textures were satisfying. For entrées, we ordered the fried chicken w/ mashed potatoes and the Atlantic salmon with colorful vegetables. Finally, the desserts were truly delicious. He ordered the Chocolate bar which was heavy on hazelnut and the Crème Brûlée was divine. I enjoyed the experience and will definitely return, maybe for HH. read more

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Nice place to dine in.. outdoor seating is amazing for summer.. serves was fast and the drinks are good.. Emily took a good care of us and the manger Ebony stop by to check with us several times which make us feel home.. we definitely coming back soon to try the food read more

Central Michel Richard - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We dined here before seeing a show at the National Theater. At just a five-minute walk away, it's a great pre-theater dining location. The ambiance is nothing special. It's almost like someone took an old sports bar or chain restaurant and then tried to make it upscale. It ended up feeling like the world's fanciest Applebee's. I had seen on their Google profile a picture of these delicious-looking chicken bites. I asked the waitress which item was in the picture and I was surprised to learn that it was the chicken fingers appetizer! But I was already set on ordering it, so I did--and I wasn't disappointed. They looked exactly like the photo on Google and were really good. It was essentially--I think six---small pieces of white meat chicken breast in panko bread crumbs, nice and crispy, with a hot honey and mustard potato topping. At $14, I would definitely order them again. Everything else on the menu was extremely overpriced. I ended up getting a cauliflower side, but it was just as much as the chicken, and cocktails were $16-22. Desserts were equally expensive. I guess it is downtown DC, near the White House, but this place just didn't seem nice enough to be charging that much for cocktails and things. I'd generally day it wasn't worth the price, but I would consider going back if I needed to specifically eat in that area. read more

Central Michel Richard - chicken tenders and side of cauliflower - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Maybe the best burger in town, but the risotto accompanying the scallops was *so* bad - so salty, way too cheesy/creamy, no texture at all to the rice - that we've gotta mention it here so that management hopefully takes a look. Great service from the staff! read more

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, after getting food from there last night, I woke up in the middle of the night with severe stomach issues. My stomach was in knots, and I ended up getting sick from both ends and what I tasted over and over again was the chicken. I've had virtually no appetite all day since. Food poisoning is no joke, and this was a pretty miserable experience. Based on this visit, I'll be thinking twice before returning. read more

So this is quite a step up to my usually Friday lunch which usually is a half crustable sandwich... (the other half may or may not have been my breakfast). But I digress... I got the hanger steak and it was perfectly medium rare and was quite peppery... even had full peppercorns. Like a good boy, I ate around it as I ate my meal... (On an unrelated note, my phone tried to auto correct that last sentence to "age around" and now I'm wondering if my phone is trying to make me look like an idiot... well jokes on you iPhone... I'm already of questionable intelligence... ahahahah) The Michel KitKat seemed like an interesting choice for dessert, cause I'm a kid at heart... and intelligence... I would fail miserable at Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader... NO... my kids stopped asking me to correct their homework cause they get better scores when they just do it themselves... oh... back to the KitKat.. it kinda was just a fancy take on a KitKat with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream and had small balls of chocolate like dipping dots and it reminded me of the peppercorn in my steak... but sweet. read more

Central Michel Richard - Hanger steak au poivre Look... there is peppercorns... - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was excellent but unfortunately the server was not. We ate at the bar and the single bar tender must have been overwhelmed. We had to flag him down multiple times to place our orders and request our check. During one of the orders, he walked away mid order before I had finished. There were several others that were having issues placing orders. Also when I was in the restroom, a hostess came out of a stall and left without washing her hands. read more

Still one of my favorites. Consistently great food and service. A great place to meet with friends for lunch or dinner, even alone.

The ambiance was very cold and boring Nothing like their last location Service was ok. We ordered mussels and was delicious but rather cold. We will give it one more chance but not for a special occasion anymore! read more

Central Michel Richard - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On a rainy winter Friday night, we entered a fairly empty restaurant for dinner. Though seated quickly and offered water upon seating, it took a couple of trips of our server coming by the table to ask about a bread basket. The oysters, though large, were a bit expensive (in my opinion). The French onion soup wasn't my "cup of tea": Couldn't put my finger on it, but something about its aftertaste threw me off. The Niçoise salad was delicious: Met expectations and was a perfect size for dinner. But, the star of the show was surprisingly the green beans. The marriage of the brown butter and garlic makes these (almost) too good to share. Overall a nice dining experience, but it wouldn't be a "must" to visit again. read more

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I visited Central Michel Richard on 8/6/25. It was my first time in DC. I had spent the afternoon walking around the city & wanted to find a restaurant near the Metro Central Station. I found Central MR on Google & arrived at about 4:30pm. Given the time it was fairly empty, but there were other patrons. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, comfortable seating, modern, & a good music mix. The host was friendly & sat me right away. The server was attentive, professional, & kind. There were also other staff that together with the server made sure my water was always filled & I had everything I needed. I was given the option of the happy hour menu or the dinner menu, I chose the dinner. I ordered the Hanger steak. Usually it comes with fries, but I opted to swap it for broccolini. It also includes a watercress salad. The steak I ordered medium rare & it was perfectly cooked. Very well seasoned and a beautiful sear. The peppercorn sauce was delicious & next time I might ask for even more on the side, though there was a decent portion given. I am not typically a watercress fan, but decided to try it. It came with a Dijon vinaigrette. I have to say I was impressed with how crisp the greens were even pre-dressed. The vinaigrette was light & tangy and though it's still not my preferred salad, I had several bites. The broccolini was perfectly cooked- al dente- and had a lovely garlic butter dressing that made it nicely seasoned. Though tasty alone, I also enjoyed dipping it in the peppercorn sauce, which is why I'd ask for an extra side of that sauce next time! Though I hadn't intended on dessert, I decided to get the chocolate mousse. The mousse is light & airy (as it should be), very chocolately without being overwhelming. At the bottom of the bowl (so you can't see it in the picture) there is a raspberry coulis which is the perfect acidic balance to the rich chocolate. The chocolate and caramel crispy pearls on top give a great texture contrast. Considering what I ordered & it being in Central DC I also found it very reasonably priced. Definitely a restaurant I would return to in future trips! read more

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4.5 We had the theater menu prior to a concert. Service was fast and good solid. Nice clean and classy but not too stuffy. It was a tad too much food for us! Hubby had fried chicken and I had burger. Candy bar was ok I think I was just so full to enjoy. Loved the goat cheese salad appetizer very delicious. read more

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Years ago Central was "the place" to go. I recently revisited the restaurant. It had much of the same including the burger which was delicious. Less impressive was the service compared to past days. My place setting was missing a fork and eventually I had to find one myself as the server was not attentive. I do appreciate the rich design and tones of the restaurant. It was good to be back downtown. read more

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It has been several years since I visited Central, but it continues not to disappoint. The one thing I always associate with Central is consistent quality, and this consistently holds true ; - ) We had lunch outside on the spacious patio, which is a great feature on Pennsylvania Avenue, but Central is also a great pre-theater dining option. For this lunch, I had the grilled branzino nicoise. This is a great lunch option because it is generously sized with tasty grilled vegetables that complement the fish without the heaviness of a starch this early in the day. The fish was also extremely well prepared - moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. I also had a glass of wine and sorbet for dessert. Both were of good quality for the price and enjoyable. We actually ate the exact same thing, so the total bill for two was $180 with tax and tip. Considering service, quality, and location, I found this to be a good value. read more

Central Michel Richard - Beautiful Branzino with vegetables. The perfect lunch option IMHO - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dined here again and the food was again wonderful. This time for dinner, was told that they no longer do brunch. :( Best peartini ever. read more

Central Michel Richard - Peartini - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here with a couple of girlfriends. Service was excellent. They both had the fish, which they said was excellent, and it looked very good. I had the mussels and Frites, and I was quite disappointed. They were the smallest mussels I've seen in my entire life. Ate a whole bowl full and was still hungry. The Frites were a bit over cooked. Le diplomat is the place to go for mussels and frites. read more

Worst and lowest quality food. Great location. Average staff. Good Bar. Miserable, Horrible Food. Don't go here to eat. Salads only item on menu appears fresh. Protein tasted old and frozen. We had worst hamburger. Hamburger tasted as if it was an old frozen poor quality meat patty. Chicken snitzel which is usually made from a solid white meat chicken breast was some type of gelatinous ground meat mixed with filler and then breaded and deep fried. Worst poor quality meat preparation ever tasted. Inedible. Avoid eating here. read more

Loved this establishment! Such a great atmosphere and really good food. The fries were the best. They were great with my toddler as well. They catered to the entire family. Will be back on our next visit. read more

Central Michel Richard - Crab cakes and French fries. Amazing!! Great food and polite staff!! - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

For RW Winter 2023, my friend and I would give Central a 5/5. They had a menu curated specifically for this week which we both liked since it gives us an opportunity to try food that aren't normally offered on their normal menu. We loved the food we got for the most part and impressed that it was only $40 for a three-course dinner. Most RW menus I've seen are $55 for dinner and the value doesn't seem to be as good. APPETIZER: LOBSTER BISQUE Compared to the other two options (both which were salads), we thought the lobster bisque was the clear winner. For the most part, we enjoyed the bisque and would give it a 7.5/10. The lobster bisque was on the chunkier side (almost like a tomato soup) rather than the smooth, creamy texture I'm used to. There was a good amount of lobster chunks, which I liked. Overall, the soup was a bit too salty, but flavorful. They give you a dollop of cream on top that you can mix in! The croutons were a nice touch, but maybe having them on the side would be better. The "crunchy" life span was way too short since the croutons soaked up the bisque and got soggy/mushy super easily. MAIN COURSE: DUCK CONFIT You can get salmon almost anywhere, but duck confit? Wild boar leg? Definitely more interesting. My friend and I both decided to get the duck confit since we were craving that more and we definitely did not regret it. The porcini sauce was so rich and went well with the duck leg. The skin of the duck leg was perfectly crispy, fat, and rich. The duck meat itself was perfectly cooked and enjoyable with the greens and potatoes it came with. My friend and I both enjoyed the duck confit and don't have anything negative to say. We both highly recommend the duck confit here! DESSERT: COCONUT SUNDAE I love coconut and chocolate so this was the perfect dessert for me. The coconut ice cream scoop wasn't too strong with coconut, but the nuttiness from the silvered almonds made up for it. And I can't say no to the chocolate sauce. Overall, I'd recommend it if you are looking for a "lighter" dessert option as the other two are on the heavier side. Overall, great experience. I would highly recommend Central for RW (there's still a few days left, so definitely take advantage of the pricing here and give it a try). I would love to come back here in the future to try their normal menu. read more

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A great, solid choice for French-American cuisine. Close to government buildings and other private companies, this is a great, reasonably priced spot for lunch, dinner, or happy hour. It's not exactly cheap, but you can make it work, especially with happy hour. The menu has a good range of items from salads and soups to tartare, steak, fish, burgers, mussels, and awesome desserts. Wine and cocktails are about 9 bucks a piece at happy hour. Service is excellent. The bartenders and waiters are always on top of everything and it makes the experience more like a typical "fancy" restaurant (cleaning between courses), yet it feels low key and casual too. No stuffiness here. Their highlights are steak tartare, fried chicken with cheesy mashed potatoes, and a napoleon dessert (so rich, yet not too sweet). read more

Central Michel Richard - Napoleon dessert - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Omg. Trying to find a restaurant over Christmas with reservations was..fun. Managed to score one here and let me tell you. So. Worth. It. I'd hop on the train from NYC just to eat here. First off, ambiance is lovely, beautiful space. The service was OUTSTANDING. Not too rushed, no stuffiness, just a fun casual chat with a very knowledgeable friend. My partner and I split the lobster burger and a chicken burger (lobster was a special and holy goodness...melt in your mouth delicious.) and a side of mashed potatoes. I don't even LIKE mashed potatoes, but these had to be the best I've ever had. Creamy and delicious!! We got a dessert that was on special for the holidays and also stellar. I'd be back for potatoes and that dessert! All in all, fabulous experience and I'm glad we stopped in! read more

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My husband made a reservation here during our hotel stay at the Waldorf Astoria as the restaurant was right across the street. Upon entering, there was an impressive art piece of stacked dishes next to the hostess. She greeted us and we were seated for our reservation. We ordered the onion soup, steak tartare and pate de campagne to start. While the steak tartare was not overly impressive, we did thoroughly enjoy the onion soup and pate. We also shared the Michel's Fried Chicken and it was delicious! We managed to save room for dessert and my husband got the Lemon Eggceptional dessert which was fun to eat. I ordered the Michel's Classic Snowman, I enjoyed the handmade candy and meringue that was part of the dessert. Wonderful service as the staff were attentive and replaced our cutlery as well as ensure our tables were clean. read more

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We ordered the Fried Chicken, Onion Soup, Chicken Schnitzel, Bolognese, Chicken Nuggets, Risotto Croquettes, and Profiteroles. The food and elevated vibe was good but the customer service that we received from the server was mediocre especially for the price range. We asked for some recommendations on the menu and instead of providing us with recommendations, the server responded in a snarky manner, making remarks such as "a chicken is different than a fish" and rolling her eyes. read more

Central Michel Richard - A variety of menu items including Chicken Nuggets, Onion Soup, and Risotto Croquettes. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quite possibly the worst fried chicken I've ever had. Completely soulless. The french onion soup was delicious though. read more

Central Michel Richard - "Fried Chicken" - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia