Yesterday was my 4th time dining at EGR. I made a reservation for 4 and we ended up being a party of three. Out of curtesy to the restaurant I let the server know that i would take an additional raw six course meal to go since they probably had portioned out ingredients for us and one of my friends canceled last minute. What I didn't appreciate is how I was strong armed to take home the cooked meal instead. One of the servers or manager came to me and said the chef could not prepare the raw meal to go BUT after eating the same meal in delight I started getting full fast. I then found myself asking the server to box the rest of my courses up and realized they could of completely complied with my request which was no different than having the food in front of me boxed up. The food quality, presentation and taste at EGR is consistently supreme including both appetizers we ordered on the menu. When I got home with two bags full of food, I realized my main raw entree was left out. It was so good that I called the restaurant and asked them to hold it for me for the next day. After picking it up today, all the avocado was brown and it did not taste as good. After spending over $700+ on a meal one would think they would of at least changed a $2.00 avocado to look fresh. read more

Best meal I've ever had and wonderful service! Each course had such unique flavors and I was impressed with every single one. I would 10/10 recommend for vegans and non-vegans. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in DC!! I wish more places like this were around here. I've been here several times, always with such a pleasant experience. The owner I've had the pleasure of meeting once as well, and she is so sweet! I wish this place could be opened everyday and maybe with a standard menu instead of a course meal, but either way I still love this place! Just wish I could get more of it. All of the food is fresh, local, and raw of course. It's mind blowing that nothing is cooked, and there are so many amazing flavors in each dish. It's always a nice surprise to see what will be on the menu when I go. Everything is very unique and you can tell a lot of work goes into it all. read more

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I was excited to try Elizabeth's Gone Raw since it's gotten such great reviews here and elsewhere, and had heard it was fantastic. I was accepting of the high price point because I've eaten at other very pricey places and know it can be worth it for a special occasion. However, I left Elizabeth's feeling taken. The food was decent, not amazing, and a couple of the dishes were fairly unenjoyable because of texture and weird tastes. Since there are only 4 total dishes, having two of them be unenjoyable is pretty bad. We got the wine pairing as a splurge, and at $50/person (in addition to the $75/person for the food, as well as 10% tax, 20% tip), there is no way this place is worth the money. Even without the wine pairing, I can't see how it is worth the money. And I'm not anywhere near a cheapskate. If you want a vegan place that IS worth the money, try Vedge in Philly. Sadly, DC is lacking in amazing vegetarian restaurants. Overall, for food, I'd give it a 3 1/2, for value a 1, for service a 3. If it was half the price, I might go back, but at this price, no way. read more

4.25 stars. By now, everyone has probably heard of DC's high-end raw food establishment, Elizabeth's Gone Raw (EGR). However, recently, EGR started a raw food happy hour where you can at least sample some of their cuisine and determine for yourself whether it is worth the full experience. Based on last night's selections, I would argue that EGR isn't just for raw food advocates. If you can appreciate culinary inventiveness, then EGR is for you. We started with the kale chips which are covered most aptly in Heather G's review. To be honest, I've never liked kale chips that I haven't made myself. Over here, however, they border on a subliminal experience. The kale is perfectly crunchy with subtle acidic and spicy notes to balance the flavor. I imagine they are the best ones I have ever eaten. The grape leaves with tzatziki enveloped a walnut paste within the leaves and were served under a gorgeous and refreshing cucumber and cashew sauce. A "BLT" salad substituted coconut for bacon, and added sunflower sprouts for additional flavor. Both dishes were excellent with a slight nod to the tzatziki dish. My friend convinced me to share dessert with her, and I'm quite happy she did so. The strawberry white chocolate cake incorporated strawberry, coconut, and bananas in a delightfully refreshing manner. We gobbled each bite, careful to try and leave enough of the dessert for the other so that each person could thoroughly enjoy this well-crafted morsel. Our total bill was incredibly low (barely over $20/per person) given the quality of the items we ordered. I really hope that EGR happy hours become more of a regular occurrence. The payoff from my piqued curiosity was immense, and for non-raw food eaters, I'd strongly suggest coming here with an open mind. This isn't your typical vegetarian/vegan place where homages to meat inevitably result in some gross soy product; this is a place where flavors are fully thought out and you can appreciate a well-prepared meal and leave your pre-conceived notions about the limitations of raw food forever behind. read more

Oh Elizabeth, I don't know how you continue to improve upon your amazing restaurant. But, you do. Elizabeth Petty is the owner of Elizabeth's Gone Raw, DC's premier upscale raw vegan establishment, which has now been in business for five years. As an outgrowth of The Catering Company of Washington, this restaurant is only open one night a week. During the day, they operate the catering business, then on Friday night, it is transformed into a vegan culinary experience you will never forget. Over time, they have gone through a few raw vegan chefs and the kitchen is currently occupied by Jonathan Seningen, Executive Chef. Best known for his stints at Hook and SAX in DC, he joined Elizabeth in 2012 to learn an entirely different way of thinking about food preparation. As his first position preparing raw foods, I'd say what he is doing here is extremely impressive. And for my first visit in over a year, I'd say he continues to improve his craft. On this Friday night, as me and my date awaited the arrival of another couple we were meeting, we started with the Spice Quest cocktail -- one of my favorites. Soon, we were seated, then greeted by the Sommelier, Philip Heyser. As an eccentric, enthusiastic service director, Phillip Heyser brings an air of confidence as he promptly introduced the wine pairings of the evening. Phil really knows his stuff and is happy to take the time to discuss the different wines they offer and how they would best fit each person's palate as well as the menu for the evening. After hearing his spiel, Chris and I chose the full wine pairing with dinner. At Elizabeth's Gone Raw, the drinks are the only choice you'll need to make. After that, it is smooth sailing as the prix fixe menu is presented course by course. This evening started off their famous kale chips at which point I was reminded that I hadn't purchased a bag of these in a really long time. I still think these are the best kale chips in the city. The first course, the amuse, was a small bite of Black Truffle "Fried" Cauliflower served with a sun-dried tomato sauce, marjoram, and cashew cream. Who would have thought that black truffles and cauliflower could be so good? Wine pairing: NV Celine & Laurent Tripoz, Cremant de Bourgogne (2010). Next up was a Sweet Potato Vichyssoise -- a cold potato soup made with sweet potatoes, carrots, carrot juice, avocados, and maple syrup with parsnip cappuchino foam on top. The entire table was raving about this one. There was a sweetness to it that was tempered by the parsnip foam in a way that is almost indescribably good. Wine pairing: Bedell Cellars "Taste White," Long Island, NY (2010). Next was the Beet Tartare. This was shredded beets with sweet onions, capers, and cucumber atop a zucchini crackers made with flaxseed and a cashew cream with nutritional yeast. Excellent. Wine pairing: Clos Cibonne "Tibouren" Rose, Provence, France (2012). The intermezzo was a sweet lemon and rosemary sorbet with sel gris and olive oil. The entree was culinary art at its best. We are talking a Coq Au Vin -- traditionally a chicken dish in wine, but this one was made with wild mushrooms and red peppers with a coconut bacon served with a rutabaga sauce. This dish had so many different flavors that it just about blew our minds. What's amazing is that one can even envision something this creative, then make the flavors work together. Wine Pairing: Rex Hill Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon (2011). Lastly was dessert -- a White Chocolate Parsnip Cheesecake made with parsnip juice, coconut, lemon, and cinnamon. The crust was made of macadamia nuts and parsnip juice. And it was topped with a parsnip juice foam. It was amazingly rich and satisfying. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven by that point. Wine Pairing: Okanogan Estate "Orchard Hill Vineyard" Chardonnay Ice Wine, Okanogan Valley, Washington (2006). Chef Seningen has certainly taken his training with Mattthew Kenney to great heights and is commanding respect in his kitchen. I feel like this restaurant is on par with that of Pure Food & Wine in NYC and I only say that as a complement as I have always regarded Pure Food & Wine as the best raw vegan restaurant in the country. The food at Elizabeth's is phenomenal and one can only leave there thinking about how complicated it must be to craft such extraordinary dishes. The wine selection is the best it has ever been as each wine not only complements the dishes perfectly, but is also just fantastic wine. For $75 per person and a $50 wine pairing, this is a more expensive experience, but it is one that everyone in DC should have at least once in their life. If you haven't been to Elizabeth's Gone Raw yet, now is the time to go. read more

I'll start off by saying I have no dietary restrictions. Yes, I thoroughly enjoy meat, but it doesn't prevent me from trying different cuisines. I had not heard of Elizabeth's Gone Raw, but it sounded like something that was worth trying. I'll sum it up for people who are like me: If you're not interested or practicing veganism/raw(ism?) you're not going to appreciate what's being served. I just kept think about how real scallops and risotto would've tasted 100xs better. On top of that the food is expensive. Just so you know the service was spectacular, the drinks was creative, and the kale chips I could eat by the truckload. read more

I was so excited. Even did the wine pairing. But it wasn't the innovative, delicious food that I know raw and vegan food can be. I thought it would be, reasonably, as it cost nearly $400 for 2 people. But it was expected, unimaginative, and sometimes just weird. It was plain. The martini I had downstairs was amazing, though! read more

My first raw dining experience, and it took me 2 plates and a serving of the kale chips to remember that I was eating all raw foods. Elizabeth herself was present and pleased to hear that it was soo good I forgot all about the raw part. I ordered the "L Street Cocktail" - agave nectar, vodka, ginger and lemon. DELICIOUS. we both liked it more than the featured cocktail that my fiance ordered, "the jaime" which had a little kick to it with peach bitters and chipotle vodka and some jabanero. If you're on a budget, don't forget to save enough for the meal, but also the drinks, tax and tip. It gets expensive quick, but worth it for a special treat for a special occasion. Only annoying staff experience is that the lady refilling our water glasses commented on how much water we were drinking. Um, its like 90 degrees outside and we walked about 10 blocks to get here. Shut up and pour the water. read more

My wife and I visited Elizabeth's Gone Raw last night for her birthday. It was our first experience at a raw restaurant and the experience was fantastic. The meal is about $75 per person, prix fix menu which is provided on your table. I cannot recall exactly what each of the 7 or so courses were. They were flavorful and filling, but not overly filling. They had delicate flavors which impressed us. A few of the dishes were sufficiently complex that we couldn't really figure them out--we like this because our feeling is that we go to fancy restaurants to get something we cannot make at home, something that will challenge our views of food. I think Elizabeth's accomplished this. The service was superb and we were really impressed by the attentiveness, but not overly excessive attentiveness that can be overbearing at some restaurants. We really enjoyed the drinks a lot. They had a great selection of beers, mixed drinks, and wines. In fact, I would like to compliment the sommelier because he was extremely well informed, gave us the appropriate quantity of information, and was generally fun to talk to. We had an Oregon pinot noir, which is one of our favorite locations for a pinot noir. It was great and really made the evening for us. I'll add that we had just watched the movie Somm on Netflix and the sommelier apparently personally knows some of the people profiled in the movie. It made for a fun experience. And his knowledge of wines was impressive as well. We could find only one thing that bothered us both: Elizabeth's felt the need to equate flavors to meat dishes. I get it, lots of guests probably have no idea about a raw meal (us included) so it's helpful to give some sort of basis for a meal, by for instance saying it tastes like flank steak. We both felt the restaurant should be free to make up new flavors not tied to meat dishes or any dish whatsoever. It's a small thing and it may not bother everyone, but we didn't like it. How can a patron be adventurous enough to try a raw restaurant but not be open to new flavors? I don't know, maybe Elizabeth's other patrons don't feel the same way. It's kind of a dumb reason that doesn't warrant deduction of a star, but we left the restaurant kind of unhappy about this small part of what is otherwise a fantastic evening. I'd encourage everyone to try out Elizabeth's Gone Raw. I could see it not being for everyone, but for a night in which you are willing to step outside of the usual restaurant meal, it's an experience worth having. read more

Elizabeth's Gone Raw is a hidden gem, all the more precious because of it's once-a-week shimmer- catch it as often as you can! The hospitality was Truly, heart-warming and exceptional: The dinner was a present from my rather enthusiastic/hilarious parents, who had spoken to Elizabeth, herself- I felt welcomed, as if by old friends! Each and every staff person I encountered were charming, gracious, and passionate about the cuisine and the entire dining experience... they have, after all, built something special that they should be proud of. The front bar: I waited for my SO for a few minutes so had the opportunity to relax at the bar for a drink and to chat with the darling hostess (Melissa) and the lovely bartender (John). The bar itself is beautiful, huge fresh bouquet of beautiful flowers, and unique bar ingredients- like a sage liquor that is the base of the house cocktail "flash Forward". John, asked what kind of liquor i like and encouraged me to drink manhattans- they were very good. I did sip the sage cocktail.. mmm sage! I feel guilty by how many dishes of the dried kale i plowed through, waiting at the bar... but seriously, i couldn't stop- they are spicy-wonderful. The dinner: The dining area itself is gorgeous with a huge fire place (no fire) and antique paintings. It is the perfect intimate setting and definitely appropriate for friends but is also very romantic... i'd melt if i was taken here on a date. Our waitress was lovely, of course! The sommelier came by first, explained each wine pairing was selected early in the day, after he had tried each dish and knew what to serve. I so wish i had his job! He was very detailed about the reasons behind each pairing and even wrote up a detailed line-up for my boyfriend. The delicate flavours and textures of each course combined into powerful punches of delectable happiness. I am still dreaming of each course from the sunchoke gnocchi to the blood orange sorbet (i thought i didnt like sorbet!) in olive oil (!) to the soup that my boyfriend asked me to recreate (how could i?!) to the incredible carrot cake creme brûlée- where the carrots were somehow the texture and sweetness of the crispy brûlée top... i feel a soft sigh when i think of the flavours that played with my soul last night. I can not wait to go back... i think i'm addicted now! I really wish i could cook like this, I can only dream about it! read more

Amazing!!!!! Upscale, fine dining 7 course vegan/raw food. The food was delicious, creative, full or flavor and filling. The atmosphere was sophisticated and classy (but not stuffy). We had a fabulous time. Unfortunately the cost wouldn't allow this to be an every week experience but perfect for a special occasions while we were in town. (I only wish we had something like this in Denver) read more

Had a terrible time. Went for a friends going away party. $75 for the tasting menu that was worth about $20 at most. Most courses tasted like grass and/or dirt. Was not satiated after the meal and went and got another meal somewhere else afterwards. Avoid Unless you are hard core vegan. Also took 3 hours when nothing is cooked. Incomprehensible how much I disliked this meal. read more

I am writing this not because I have eaten here but rather because I have not eaten here. Strange, I know... I had reservations for Feb 24th but the restaurant called to cancel for that evening late last week. They were extremely apologetic and I told them that I simply wanted to try such an interesting concept especially in DC. I said that I would rebook without a problem and that I just needed to coordinate with my group. Today (Feb 22) I receive a package in the mail from Elizabeth's Gone Raw! They sent a kind handwritten note from Elizabeth with her apologies and a bag of their Kale Chips which are really fantastic (crispy, cheesy, spicy kale - I wasn't sold until I tried them). BIG KUDOS to Elizabeth and her staff for their impeccable l handling of the situation!!! If this is the high quality and personalized service you receive when you don't eat there, I can only imagine that the full experience is something quite special. I can't wait to try their food and share the experience with my group very soon! read more

I am by no means vegan, but I do like to try new things and when the BF and I were invited to dine with some friends who are Vegan we said, why not? Gregg M and I got there a little early so to start out with we had the watermelon margarita. It was quite refreshing. You could taste the tequila without it overpowering the watermelon. A very nice drink. Along with this were some kale chips. The cayenne on them with the salt - yummy. For the meal - we also decided to go with the tasting menu with wine pairings: The first course was a coconut wrap with cilantro and cauliflower served with a cucumber salad and green curry sauce. This was absolutely divine. I have no idea how she got the coconut so thin, but it makes me want to try. Call me silly, but there was also this non-cream that tasted just like sour cream. The green curry gave the whole dish a very nice zing. Next came the salad which was spring peas on butter lettuce with mint and citrus vinaigrette. I can honestly say I haven't had peas that fresh in a long time. The vinaigrette was a complement to the salad rather than trying to be a star. To cleanse the palate there was some pineapple sorbet. It was nice and the BF picked up on the ginger, but honestly I would have liked to have a little more pineapple taste in it. For the main dish there was a heirloom tomato stack with farmers cheese, basil oil and kale salad. The tomato stack was amazing. Farmers cheese made with macadamia nuts was absolutely one of my favorite things of the whole night. So much so in fact that I will try to make it. Don't get me wrong. It isn't cheese, BUT the texture and honestly the taste reminded me a lot of ricotta. Though the kale was a little bitter for me, I will say that with the pinot noir we had paired with the dish - the bitterness disappeared so this was probably my favorite dish of the whole night. For dessert we had two things to split between us. A chocolate bar and a blackberry tart. I liked the "cream" and the tiny blackerry's in the tart, but was not a fan of the crust. The chocolate bar on the other hand reminded me of a twix bar without the gooey center. All in all - this was a totally wonderful experience made better by the company and conversation. I would definitely go back here again and again. read more

I have been dying to try Elizabeth's for over a year, and finally had the opportunity to do so for Valentine's Day. Both my boyfriend and I are vegan, and I thought it would be nice to try something fancy and new. It was very fancy, and very tasty. First, as other reviewers have mentioned, their menu is prix fixe, and it is quite expensive, but if you want to celebrate something or splurge, this is definitely worth the money. If you are a member of Live Green, you can get a discount twice a year, which I think is absolutely amazing. Second, they have a pretty full bar, but they couldn't make me a Manhattan for lack of sweet vermouth. And don't expect the beers that you'd get at a regular bar - they have a gluten free beer, and some other very fancy beers, as well as a wonderful selection of wines and spirits. But it'll cost you. Nothing here is cheap. Again, if you want to splurge or celebrate, hopefully you're not thinking about the price. I got the specialty cocktail of the night, which was divine, even at $18. Third, they are usually only open for dinner on Friday evenings, but they sometimes open on other days and times for special events. Valentine's Day is one of them. Elizabeth's is in a gorgeous converted row house. It is a very elegant place to dine. On Valentine's Day, they even had a live jazz band to provide some music as we dined. It was a nice touch. Even though we had the first reservation of the evening, it took them awhile to get us seated, and I'm not sure why. Maybe they were just encouraging us to drink. It's not like they were waiting for a table to be cleared for us. I thought that was odd. And when we finally were seated, it took a while for the first course to come. Again, I'm not sure why that was, or whether it's the same regardless of when your reservation is. At least we had our drinks and kale chips to tide us over. Finally, the meal...I love that they start you off with Elizabeth's amazing kale chips. They are, hands down, the best kale chips I've ever had, and I've tried them all. You can purchase them at the restaurant, too. Each course of the four-course meal was delicious. The crackers in the first course (raw crackers? yes!) were one of my favorite things. I don't know how they do it, but those crackers are insanely good. There was a vegan pesto in the second course that made me fall in love, and their take on "ravioli" was both gorgeous and delicious. Imagine two thin slices of pear with divine "ricotta" in between. Little bits of heaven. I never even liked real ricotta, but the raw, vegan version was so good that I started eating off my boyfriend's plate, as well. Elizabeth's made our Valentine's Day wonderful. We will definitely go back to celebrate some other special occasion in the future, and recommend it to other people who want to do the same. read more

The best restaurant in my life! I'm not vegan, in fact the opposite, a carnivore. I went her on the request of an amazing friend. We were lucky to Book reservations earlier that week. The evening was amazing from the door opening. The place was amazing and the service Devine. The best proper 5 star service I've received. The food was amazing! Each course was an explosive experience of tastes I had never tried. The coconut soup was amazing then the radish salad with blood orange were orgasmic. Unfortunately, I was also fighting fever that night and didn't get to complete my meal. I told them and they offered medicine and tea etc. My beautiful companion was enjoyed the food more than I was and loved the dessert! Omg! I will go back just for myself! Anyone want to join me? Oh... the kicker... I was out of it and signed check with additional tip not knowing it was included. The Restraunt called to inform me and asked if that was my intent. I realize it wasn't, but told them to please keep the additional tip. It was more than deserved. Best place in my life! read more

The food here is incredibly detailed in plating and marriage of flavors, with careful culinary thought applied from start to finish. The venue is beautiful, the staff is polished perfection and the courses are non-stop aesthetic and gastronomic delights. Caveat: the only reasons I award 4 instead of 5 stars are because of the limited hours (1 night a week; torturous!) and the lack of choice for the meal. Yes, I understand it's a prix fixe, but, some ingredients some people may not like, and with the cost, I would tip my hat off to the chef even more if they had at least 2 of the 6 courses as a choice between 2 dishes. I can't even imagine the prep time for their amazing courses, but, why not raise the bar further? However, if Friday is perfect for your schedule, and you love everything raw and vegan, then 5 stars, no questions about it. There are happy hours, but those are also limited, and I have never attended one, so this is just for the food. When you enter the building, it is as cute as can be. There is a small bar area to greet you and allow you to have an aperitif before your reservation and/or party is/ are ready. The decor is exquisite, boasting a style of an as expected wealthy DC row house with classic style attending to a theme that coordinates the chairs, flowers, stairs, carpeting, flooring, wall coverings, lighting, and everything else possible. It's a beautiful affair from the moment you enter. As you are invited upstairs and escorted to your table, you will notice the quiet, intimate setting. It is amazing that the staff rush around with such focused composure. The dress code of the staff reflects that of the customers - polished and semi-formal. Water is, as expected, always provided when needed so that your cup is never empty. The wine pairing is optional, but I have never partaken in it. The staff rotate around in bringing your dishes, so you will have several people helping you, explaining and identifying the dishes. If you are lucky, Elizabeth herself may bring you a course! Every meal has an amuse, start, appetizer, intermezzo, entree and sweet, along with kale chips of some sort. Since the meal is raw, the key is to go during a time of year when you appreciate the produce the most. Winter and fall, expect squashes, spring and summer, expect fruits and greens. Also, despite what you may believe, you will not leave hungry. Vegan raw food is filling, and when there are 6 courses plus kale chips, you will be quite full, possibly so full that you needn't eat breakfast as soon as you wake the next day. I love the size of the dishes, because that is what is most fun: trying as much as possible. That is my favorite part of this meal. When can you go somewhere and as an individual order 7 different dishes? You will only receive strange looks, and likely, you will end up with much to take home. Here, the portions are perfect. The themes vary, but there seems to always be some sort of soup and sorbet. These are impressive - they are not your standard soups and sorbets. The blend of ingredients is simple but balanced with fresh, vibrant ingredients and flavors - I would never place salt and olive oil as a garnish for sorbet, but it is perfectly executed here. The soups are not a chopped up mix of vegetables but a delightful blend of fruit and vegetable juices, with elegantly placed pieces of fruits and vegetables. This recent menu item of Yellow Watermelon Soup had a cherry tomato filled with a smoky cashew yogurt - brilliant. The menu also tends to have an item with an avant garde theme of some cracker, some foam and something else. This time, the item was a soft red wine nut-based cracker with kelp caviar and green apple foam - how they made the caviar from kelp is beyond me. A chef d'oeuvre for the vegan raw repertory, but for the culinary world in general. The entree and sweet courses were also stellar, though not nearly as earth-shatteringly creative as the caviar, the flavors were extraordinary blends with beautiful plating. Yes, you can eat "chocolate" as a raw diner, and yes, raw papaya can be used for more than just salad. Accolades and kudos to the chef and culinary team at Elizabeth's. This is the best high end raw vegan restaurant in the country, period. If you know of another one... message me. Can't wait to go again, but, I just have to be ready to justify the price. For 6 courses and kale chips, it is a steal at this magical venue, but if you are like me, you will likely only venture here for special celebrations in life. Cheers! read more

I wanted to love it. I read all of the reviews... and I not only WANTED to love it, I was EXPECTING to love it. I hated it. 3 hours. 7 courses. Including a soup that had less than a teaspoon of "broth." (it was more like mud.) You know it's not soup when no one provides you with a spoon. And I swear the dessert ice cream was flavored with penicillin. I think almost everything had Chile flakes sprinkled on it. The evening's most dominant texture was mush. It seemed that every dish had 14 different ingredients. But regardless of the quantity or combination, the result was the same -- blech! After we paid the tab we hopped in the car and drove straight to Checkers and ordered some really greasy "monsterella stix." Heaven. Now... as to Elizabeth's decor: Weird. All this old-word grandeur, and then about 12 rather large speakers bolted to the top of the walls -- just below a modern drop ceiling. I didn't get it. And there were fake flower arrangements everywhere. An organic, raw, all-natural "dining venue" with fake flowers. Maybe Elizabeth doesn't believe in killing plants unless they will be eaten? I dunno. One highlight -- the bathroom sink. It was copper and the deepest I've ever seen. I loved it. It could just be me. I'm a vegetarian. But maybe vegan and then raw is just too much. Perhaps Elizabeth's creates really inspired, amazing food. Maybe my palate lacks the sophistication necessary to understand and enjoy the complexities of raw vegan food (see Wawa reference above). What I know for sure is that we would never, ever go back for more. read more

Kelly and I were walked up to the area where Elizabeth's was, and before we could actually figure out where to go a very elegantly dressed gentleman opened the door to a brownstone walkup and held the door open--"I could see you two looked lost. I'm guessing you were looking for us." We walked up the steps and in to the ante-room of a converted row house--very elegant. We gave him our name and he led us upstairs to a beautifully converted restaurant space that had a loft-like feeling to it. It was filled with an elegant mix of diners and waitstaff. My sister, her husband, and my mother were waiting for us upstairs. We had just had cocktails at Lima (Shout out to the bartender, Stephan)--so we were already feeling good when our drinks (my sister had ordered for us) came out--fantastic. Dinner all around was wonderful. It's a set menu--so make sure you check the menu before making reservations--but I think you go for it--the Raw Tasting Menu for August 5th, 2011 started with Crispy Kale Chips. I bit in to them was surprised at how substantive they were--it was kind of like eating fried basil (taste) and potato chips (consistency). I scarfed down the entire bowl. Our appetizer was a Cilantro Macadamia filled Squash Blossom with Curry Chayote. I'm not sure what was better--the look or the flavors. The squash blossoms were tender and cut easily with a knife. I am sorry to admit that I didn't take time to photograph the meal. The sommelier brought out the first of a few bottles of wine for us to drink with our meal. All were fantastic and all were perfect compliments to the meal. Our salad was a Watermelon and Avocado with Basil salad. There was both red and white watermelons in the salad, garnished with a large, paper-thin wedge of dehydrated watermelon. Again, I'm not sure if tasted better or looked better, but either way, beautiful. A little palet cleansing of cold Carrot Grapefruit Soup, and then on to the Main Course--an Heirloom Tomato and Corn Tartlet with Parsley Salad. Yum!!!!! For those of you who may wonder, this was an extremely filling meal, though not one that left you stuffed. We were so full by then that we declined the dessert, which that night was a Sweet Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Sorry! The service was perfect. The waitstaff were all appropriately friendly and attentive, from beginning to end we were treated wonderfully. I cannot over-recommend Elizabeth's. And remember, Elizabeths's is only open one night a week--visit it now before it become too popular! I talked to the host on the way out and he said they would probably go to a normal schedule this fall. read more

The absolute best restaurant in Washington DC for a vegan, and probably in the top 5 for non vegans. The main drawback is that it is open just 1 day a week. Well, I guess the other drawback is it is wicked expensive. I even go there and I make my wife handle everything related to money. I don't want to know. So it is expensive, but being great ain't cheap. So they gotta pay people, they only are open 1 day and the ambiance is great. So it is well worth it. Everytime you go the menu changes. They do things with food that I didn't think possible. Everything is a masterpiece. You eat here, not for taste, but for experience. It transends you. If you are considering it, I say take the plunge! read more

I am struggling with this review. This restaurant is a located inside a beautiful townhouse with marble, wood, and iron architectural features. It is furnished with fine early American style furniture, fine oil paintings, oriental rugs, beautiful china and crystal. The atmosphere is quiet, calm, candlelit and romantic. The service is very attentive and efficient. The food? Uh, um, ah... Labor-intensive Beautifully presented Interesting The eight courses were punctuated by a bottomless plate of kale chips that were fabulous, without which we would still be hungry. We didn't have anything we didn't like, just nothing we wanted more of. There were no parties in my mouth. We each had the only available menu item, the 8 course tasting menu. My friend had a vodka and soda. The bill was $231. They add a 20% gratuity to the check which would not be necessary if the food was brought to the table straight from the kitchen by one server. Instead, they walked the food upstairs from the kitchen, placed it somewhere out of sight of the dining room then one server carried one plate to each guest at the same time. Really pretentious. Not befitting the hip food or the patrons. We were glad for the experience. It was pleasant enough but would never go back. read more

This was one of the best meals we've ever had. My partner has been vegan for 7 years, myself for 3, and we have been looking for a vegan fine dining place for...well since becoming vegan, so this was really special. We were celebrating an anniversary and really appreciated the cozy table they gave us and the candle and card to take home to remember the evening by. The menu was incredibly creative and thought out and our wonderful server (Chaz, I think) explained everything to us and timed it comfortably. It was a good amount of food all beautifully plated. The wine pairing was super informative and all the choices seemed eco-conscious. I could go on and on about the incredible menu but the best part of the night was the incredible people and service. Thank you to the Saturday night bartender (I'm so sorry we didn't get your name, but you were right the "shrimp" was crazy), our server, and Dustin the sommelier, you are so lovely! Thank you for sharing your passion with us! We felt so welcomed and really enjoyed our night. read more

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Outstanding raw vegan epicurean multi-course meals. High cost for extreme quality food. Have dined in several times; and enjoyed pandemic-takeout--both experiences were worth the effort. Recommend for vegans, and those supporting their vegan loved-ones. read more

The most amazing restaurant! My fiancé and I went to Elizabeths Gone Raw to celebrate our engagement. He was going to propose there but decided he was too embarrassed to have people watch. Fortunately, we still went out after I said yes because we have been talking about going to Elizabeths gone Raw for almost a year. Anyways, the starter was beet tartar. Tiny portion on a spoon and fantastic. The second plate was green strawberry and tomato salad perfectly presented. After this, they gave us kale chips. So good! I think they must have put nutritional yeast and some other spices on top and it was phenomenal. I wish I had the time and skill to make these on the regular or they sold them by the bag. Third was avocado gazpacho. Literally the best soup I have ever had. I actually don't like soup at all but this might have been my favorite part. Intermezzo was something like a cucumber gelato. The main entree was artichoke ravioli. I think it had a salt foam and maybe some chocolate somewhere. I could be totally off because this dish was more complex than I could comprehend and amazing. Last was three ice creams. One chocolate, one apricot, and another vanilla bean. We also had wine, cocktails, etc. and the bill came to about $300. Totally worth it. If I won the lottery I would eat here every day (except they are only open on Fridays). My fiancé is a big italian guy who loves to eat and we were really concerned he would still be hungry afterwards but he was really full. Though the portions are somewhat small, there are six courses plus kale chips so you are not at all hungry after. The inside is beautiful and service is great. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone, vegan, vegetarian, or omni. read more

The surreal presentation of obscure and exotic flora made this amazing culinary experience that lasted over 3 hours akin to watching a science fiction space opera. The complex flavors and textures were expertly paired with heroic wines with over the top origin stories. The service was impeccable, with Elizabeth herself clearing plates, topping off water, and answering questions. My only complaint is with the choice of paintings on the walls: they are primarily pre-romantic styled portraits of women offering their poses to the male gaze. I feel It would be far more appropriate to present modernist styled works to match the innovative dishes. read more

Elizabeth's - Vegan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Beautiful, delicioso hidden gem! Discovered this on recommendation of a friend. Booked about 2 months in advance for my husbands birthday as it's only open on Fridays. The team was wonderful to work with from the start, sending out personal detailed notes and periodically checking in over phone and e-mail during that time frame. The 7 course meal was flavorful, innovative, and beautifully presented. Would certainly return again for another special occasion. And agreed with the other reviewers - some of the best kale chips I've ever had! read more

This restaurant is by far one of the best I've been to in the city. I went with a friend (both of us are meat eaters but prefer vegetarian meals). She was the only one of our group of about 12 who wanted to go - and I'm very glad she was willing to give it a try! I had asked many friends to go to this restaurant and the general answer I got back was "there is no way I'm spending that kind of money to eat lettuce." I can assure anyone who thinks that same way that it is not like that AT ALL. You leave full and the food is far from piles of raw vegetables on your plate. You'll forget about the fact that the food isn't cooked if that bothers you. From the moment we made reservations the service was impeccable. Ares, the man who helped make the reservations, nicely and promptly emailed me back the five annoying emails I sent him with changes to the number of our party, the date we were coming, etc. I'm sure I was very irritating, but he never let on that he thought I was :). When I arrived and met him at the door, he gave me a nice hello like we were old friends who hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere kinda felt like an old (city) country club - very traditional - not my style, but it was pretty. We were seated and had kale chips (best I've ever had, and I'm a kale fananatic) and water. My friend and I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. And they aren't cheap about their wine pairings - 4 big glasses of wine to go with each dish. The great service continued out through the entire meal. Everyone who came to our table, whether it was to pour water, describe the wines, etc. was super friendly. Elizabeth (the owner) came by during the end of the meal to ask how we liked it and what was our favorite dish. I had trouble picking one because they all were fantastic. The first course was a grape leave stuffed with hicama and mint (and some other things that I can't remember). Then we had huge salads with grapefruit and avacado. I know it was just a salad, but...maybe it was the dressing?....this salad was fantastic. The main course was amazing - tarts with cashew cream and fennel with microgreens salad. The palette cleanser I wish I could have had a carton of - peach sorbet with tarragon. And the final dish was some sort of molten chocolate cake with mint creme. I was so full by this point but could not stop eating it. It was sooooo good. They let you take home copies of the menu, whiich comes with a list of all the ingredients in each dish. Of course after my wine pairings, I forgot to do this and left it on the table, so I know I didn't do the dishes I had justice in my descriptions - but they all seriously were just so good. read more

As you may already know, you can only get reservations for Friday evenings. The rest of the week this spot is reserved for private events/catering business. The venue itself is really beautiful. The first floor entryway has a fantastic bar off to the side. I wish they seated us there for a cocktail before dinner to enjoy the space but definitely keep this in mind for an after dinner cocktail. We were shown to our table right away. The restaurant seemed really bright for an 8:00pm reservation but the place was so pretty it was nice. The menu is set and upon arrival you receive the outline of what you are about to enjoy. Don't let the descriptions full you - everything is really vegan and raw. Service seemed weak (even thought the place was swarming with servers) and the explanations of these amazingly concocted dishes were almost non-existent which was really a shame. Perhaps it was just our server? We met Elizabeth who was shaking hands with familiar faces throughout the evening and helping to clear tables too. This made the evening extra special to meet the visionary behind it all. The specialty cocktails were really unique and we ordered a bottle of wine with dinner but I would probably not drink with this meal if I had it to do over. The meal was excellent and filling but perhaps not substantial enough to drink a bottle of wine for 2 and a cocktail. I can't say enough good things about the dishes. The "goat cheese" stuffed "deep fried" squash blossoms was my favorite! The filling was made from cashews. The "basmati rice" which was actually green papya, or the butternut squash soup and the amazing chocolate mouse! Ahhh....divine. I highly recommend this unique dining experience I just wish they would spend more time explaining the craft behind preparing each dish. read more

This place deserves all the praise it gets and I'm sad I can't eat here every Friday for dinner. Amazing experience. My boyfriend and I came to Elizabeth's to celebrate my birthday and it was such a special treat! The sommelier, Phil Heyser, is at the top of his game and did an exceptional job with the wine pairing. My favorite dishes served were the wild arugula & fig flat bread, the watermelon-hibiscus sorbet, and the caramel apple crisp. The fig flat bread had macadamia "cheese" and pickled fennel. It was phenomenal. The sorbet was the intermezzo and the only way I can describe it is soft and innocent. It had such a delicate, delicious flavor that my boyfriend had to reach across the table and stop me from licking the bowl it came in! The caramel crisp came with lemon whipped cream and was divine. The perfect ending to a perfect meal. Don't even get me started on those kale chips! They might as well be black tar heroin because they are addictive as all get out! We took a 4 oz. bag to go home with us. They are the best kale chips I have ever had, hands down. You'll pay serious money to eat here, but it's worth every. single. penny. read more

As DC locals and vegans for a couple years, I'm surprised that it took us so long to try Elizabeth's. So far, out of a handful of 'raw' restaurants this is the only one that we've really enjoyed... and it was quite exceptional. Though it is expensive and only open one day a week... Friday, it makes for a unique date-night meal, and is convenient to many theaters etc. Elizabeth's is a culinary experience worth trying, if only once (for the price tag?) and regardless of if you're vegan. They truly do a fantastic job elevating vegetables and creating complex tastes and textures that you just wouldn't expect from a 'raw' restaurant. For what it is - high end raw/vegan dining - I would imagine that Elizabeth's Gone Raw is the best in the country! read more

Fantastic. I've been to this place several times and every time I go it is a new and interesting experience. The service is excellent and the atmosphere is quite comfortable -- classy without being stuffy. You get the feeling that you're eating dinner at a friend's home (albeit a friend with impeccable taste). While the concept of a raw vegan restaurant may sound off-putting to some people, the food is really quite accessible. I'm not a raw vegan nor have any of my dining companions there ever been. No one I've gone with, though, has ever had any complaints once the food starts arriving -- the quality is just excellent. The most telling example of Elizabeth's quality happened when I took my father who would dine exclusively on cow parts if he had his druthers. He was extremely skeptical at first, but has since declared it one of the best dining experiences he has had in DC and has requested to go there next time he is in town. In sum, if you haven't tried this place, you should. You'll like it. read more

Overall, a great experience. The restaurant itself is beautiful. It is in a large old row house and the decor is classy. Oil paintings of sprawling nude women, warmly lit chandeliers, etc. The service is outstanding- almost comically so. Plates are served in synchronization. Food was pretty good and interesting but was not amazing tasting. It is worth a try but is definitely expensive. Expect at least $100/person with drinks. read more

Phenomenal dining experience! Inventive and flavorful dishes even for those who are not vegans. Top notch service. Worth every penny. The plates are small but surprisingly filling. You will leave feeling satisfied and good about yourself! I particularly enjoyed the sorbet and ice cream...basically anything with coconut milk. And the kale chips are so addictive. Sochu cocktail is also a standout. Am looking forward to going back another month to try some other creations. Highly recommend a night out at EGR to treat yourself! read more

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This downtown L St place has a wonderful atmosphere, friendly staff and kale chips to die for. Highly recommend. read more

Elizabeth's - Tucked in this quiet place along L St NW this place has a wonderful chill atmosphere, friendly staff and kale chips to die for. - Vegan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food that made you want to lick your plate, served up in a rarefied atmosphere where background music stayed in the background, with the bonus of attentive, good humored staff who had all the facts on what was on the plate. Below I've listed some of the dishes served up on the August evening I dined. My favorite had to be the "Green Heirloom Tomato Salad". Zucchini Tart olive brine, cashew crème, thai pepper, ginger marmalade White Gazpacho fermented almond milk, green grapes, chamomile tea, pickled celery, shishito pepper powder, cheese cracker Green Heirloom Tomato Salad fresh pressed corn, hazelnut crème, green pea espuma, lemon verbena oil Donut Peach Sorbet orange zest Ravioli Caprese luxardo & fennel, spinach & macadamia ricotta, cold pressed baby beets, red pepper jam, passion fruit pearls, green apple crème read more

Simply perfection. Get the paired flight of wine for an experience that is out of this world. I brought meat eaters here Who had never experienced Vegan and they were mightily impressed! read more

Update to my previous review, which was also 5 stars. I have been here four times now, and every single time is THE BEST. I love this place. Got to meet Elizabeth herself and she was the absolute sweetest. Sad to be moving away. I'll have to visit DC again just to visit Elizabeth's again. read more

Wonderful dinner with my son. This was a seven course raw meal. I was really satisfied and will try more raw meals in the future. Each dish was an art piece. read more

You don't need to be a vegetarian to love the food here! The dishes are spectacular, and even though I'm not one to take photos of my meals, I photographed every dish that came out. The wine pairings were all excellent too, so I took pictures of the bottles for future reference too. The restaurant was surprisingly elegant and classy, as was the service, including a visit at the table from Elizabeth herself. Truly a night to remember. I have also ordered takeout, which arrived very neatly and nicely packaged, with heating instructions for each dish. The "caviar and some sauces came labeled, in really nice glass jars that I kept and use for my own purposes. If you love Fancy Radish on H Street NE, this is a step or two up from there, and if you love the upscale restaurants in NW DC, this is one of the best. Highly recommended! read more