I went to Isla for the first time and celebrated a friend's birthday and here's my take…read more..... Food Every single thing we ordered and ate was delicious (in my opinion). Here's a list of what we ordered: Starter - Plantain Chips and Scallion Bread Appetizers: - Oyster (hibiscus granita, scotch bonnet mignonette) - Wagyu Oxtail (wagyu oxtail, spiced ground beef, fermented mango) - Crab (panang curry, sweet potato, west african American) - Curry Goat (pomme puree, scallion) Entree - Bone In Pork Chop (kuchela jus, crab butter, grilled mango) - Smoked Chargrilled Chicken (jerk jus, pickled pimento, fried curry leaf) - Fire Grilled Branzino (citrus mojo, chive blossom) - Fried Snapper (fish spice, escovitch vegetables) ADDITIONS - Fried Brussels Sprouts (pimento pepper aioli, plantain furikak) - BBQ Greens (pot liquor, chicken skin chicharron) - Cook Up Rice (coconut tea, pigeon peas) Service The service is great. All the crew were attentive. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu. He also was able to recommend his personal favorite which helps with making decision of what to order. Ambiance The restaurant is very cozy and modern. The big chandelier is definitely an attraction. It's very beautiful.

Decent meal overall. For our drinks, my friend enjoyed the capital oasis cocktail. Although it is a…read morerum punch, it's light in color and light on the pallete. I started with the fancy pants cocktail. The house jerk syrup gives it a slight edge with the bitters. We decided to try two different patties, the first being the Wagyu oxtail, and the second the crab. The Wagyu oxtail patties came with a mango scotch bonnet pepper sauce. This sauce instantly bought the heat. The crab patties came with a mild or sauce that still brings heat, but not as sharp. The red snapper has a delicious, airy batter. The branzino is cooked to perfection. The cook up rice has a lovely lingering flavor of coconut milk. The rice had a bit of a salty flavor that felt accidental. The barbecue greens are flavorful. The service we received was very friendly and welcoming. Our server was attentive and gave us helpful insight to the meals. I'm so happy we tried a variety of dishes and would come back to try other items on the menu.

This Club is sandwiched between the White House and George Washington University. It is a…read moreprivate club but open to the public during certain hours. The historic building is worth the visit and you can visit certain rooms that have art hanging on the walls. You can also use the facilities for events. If you enjoy art and a quiet atmosphere this is a very nice venue.

The Arts Club may be one of the many places in DC that has both a rich history and current…read moreactivities in its favor, but this place is special. This non-profit organization resides in the former home of President Monroe, who lived here when he was Secretary of State and again when he was President when the White House was undergoing renovations. The main purpose of the Arts Club is to support the arts in DC and surrounding areas. In fact, this club is the oldest nonprofit in the US. There are exhibits in the house by local artists as well as free events. It is a popular place for weddings, also. The courtyard here is magnificent. Check it out in the spring and summer time.

This review is long overdue. I was invited to dinner here and this has to go in the Top Ten places…read moreI've ever dined at. Of course my friend is a member and if I'm lucky, someday I will be too. It started off as I walked up the sidewalk and approached the club, the doorman was standing on the sidewalk. As I got closer, the doorman greeted me by name! I was taken a back for a minute wondering how could he possibly know my name! I was escorted in and asked to wait in the main reception while they went to get my friend. I went into what they refer to as the "Correspondence Lounge" which is sort of a small library with some incredibly old literary works. They have very strict rules and one of surprise is no use of cell phones... period. How refreshing! You can go into the Correspondence Lounge if you need to use your phone but otherwise you cannot use while in the dining room or other public areas. So make sure you "check-in" on Yelp when you are outside. Naturally they have a dress code, but really, if you have to ask what the dress code is, you probably aren't going to this place. Another rule I was surprised is they try to keep business limited so you cannot bring out a bunch of papers, laptop, etc... The only papers you can hold would have to be a newspaper or a book. Once seated, the service is impeccable. Extremely polite and not overbearing. They knew when we were engrossed in conversation and didn't interrupt. I had the lump crab cake for dinner and it was without a doubt the BEST! I lived in Virginia for five years and went to college at George Washington so I'm quite familiar with East Coast seafood and I can honestly say the lump crab at the Metropolitan Club is the BEST! I could go on about this place but simply put, if you have the opportunity to go, don't pass that opportunity up for what will end up being one of the greatest dining experiences of your life.

This is a wonderful spot nestled across from the White House. The building and members have more…read morehistory in Washington, than just about any place in the capitol, or the nation for that matter. I have been fortunate enough to dine, party, and converse with some of Washington's behind the scene's power players. You can learn a lot, if you ever get past the door man, or Lily.

Jodi officiated our wedding at The Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria. From the moment we met…read moreher, we knew she was who we wanted to have preside over our special day. In addition to being extremely professional, Jodi is warm, kind, and caring. She truly puts her heart and soul into making your wedding day special. Our friends and family also loved Jodi and we received so many compliments about her from our guests. We could not have asked for a better officiant! Cheers!

We had our wedding ceremony at the Carlyle House in Alexandria VA, our officiant was Jodi Johnson,…read moreshe is amazing from the start to the end! We recommend her anytime, if your planning your wedding and really want someone that can make your moment special, you need to have Jodi as your officiant, very responsive, always follow up, and at the ceremony make you feel so special, thank you Jodi, you will be part of this precious moment for us.

We told ourselves that the DJ was the one thing we wouldn't compromise on, and DJ Maz definitely…read moredidn't disappoint. My husband and I have a very specific, eclectic palette--everything from Latin and classic rock to high-energy underground EDM. We were honestly nervous that a wedding DJ wouldn't be able to "touch" our style or balance the transition between high-energy sets and the lower-energy moments, but Maz was a total god. It wasn't just a wedding playlist; it was a curated, professional set that felt exactly like "us." I am an extremely picky person when it comes to my dancing music, but Maz had me locked in. My main memory of the night is never being able to leave the dance floor; every time I tried to go grab a drink or take a breather, he would drop another absolute fire hit that forced me right back into the crowd. Beyond his technical skill as a mixer, Maz is just an incredible person to work with. He listened to our special requests--even the ones we thought were total long shots--and made them happen without hesitation. The highlight of the night, though, was his attention to detail. He had asked us for our "Top 5" must-play songs, but we ended up swapping one out at the very last minute. We assumed that song was just gone from the plan, but Maz was paying attention. He saved that "missing" favorite and surprised us by playing it as the very last track of the night. It was the perfect emotional payoff and created a memory Zac and I will have forever. If you want a DJ who actually knows music culture and can read a room perfectly, hire Maz. Truly the best investment of our entire wedding!

I couldn't recommend Exclusively Entertainment more! They are extremely professional,…read moreaccommodating, personal, and talented! The DJ for our wedding, Maz, executed my vision just perfectly. He was the perfect match for our fusion wedding!

DACOR Bacon is a sensational venue for hosting a party/wedding/school reunion/etc.. We have thrown…read morea cocktails and dance party there for the past three years, and can't say enough about the professionalism of the staff, the quality of the food, the service, and the price. Best of all, our guests love DACOR Bacon and come back each year. The house is an elegant Federal brick building (1801), home of John Marshall when he was on the Supreme Court. It is decorated with beautiful antiques and paintings. If you're having a large event, the garden AND the house are able to accommodate 180 people. When we wanted to rent a tent for dancing under outside, they helped us. When we wanted great DJs, they helped find them. For smaller events, the house is wonderful for a cocktail party, lunch or dinner. It retains its beautiful old world charm and is located just a stone's throw from the White House. Parking is fairly easy on weekends and in the evening We have also used DACOR Bacon for alumni cocktail parties. Guests tremendously enjoyed the elegant and comfortable setting. Washingtonians love to come to parties there -- it's the only still functioning grand historic house in Foggy Bottom. People walked by and say, 'What's that? I'd love to go in there." Out of towners are thrilled with its location, history and beauty. The staff is very experienced and helpful. They go out of their way to ensure the success of the events. Sylvia, who is the events coordinator, always goes above and beyond to make sure that we have a good experience. Alba and Jose make sure all the logistics are running smoothly, and they do a wonderful job. Meg wonderfully oversees it all.

This is a private club. Went for a group dinner sponsored by a member. We had to preselect our…read moremenu, but there was a decent variety for a quiet evening. I had the arugula and heirloom tomato salad, spring pea soup (which was quite delicious, I think it had some mint?) ginger glazed salmon for my entree, and an orange cake. Had a decent merlot. Servers were very attentive and polite. The building itself was the draw for me; rich with character. It must be about 200 years old. It feels like a converted private house with how the rooms are carved out of the space. Very nice experience.

This bar is tiiinnyyyyyyy. Me and my homegirl were looking for a view and a drink. We hadn't…read morerealized that we had crashed a language exchange event and "new to town" mixer. Definitely a quiet spot despite the location and people present. We had a lotta guys coming up to us trying to get to know us or promoting other clubs in the area. We just wanted to see the fireworks for the cherry blossom festival. Unfortunately the surrounding buildings were a bit too tall, and we could only see a few fireworks. Out of everyone we chatted with, the bartenders were the most charming people there. Me and my homegirl were grateful for their heavy pour. The drinks themselves were priced fairly relative to the area.

I was looking something different for my coworkers last day celebration. And we wanted rooftop. And…read morethis was giving everything. The ambiance. The scene. The food. The service. I just picked this place and decided we would come here. The view is amazing. The bartender is awesome. We had a great time. I am so upset I didn't take any pics of the view so now I have to go back. They have heaters for when it gets cold. If you staying downtown or at the Hyatt place make sure you stop in. They do HH Monday to Saturday from 3-6!!!

I had a chance to visit the Spot yesterday for an event and left very impressed. The hostesses at…read morethe front were very polite, and they have a nice huge and clean bar area. The event space was a bit on the dark side but was also well decorated. They had mini chicken and waffles, sliders and crab cakes as passed appetizers and they were all tasty. I also had the chance to checkout their workspaces and they had ample space, about 4 conference rooms that each seated 12, and a few private offices available. It certainly has me thinking seriously about getting a membership!

I've heard about this space for a while and I finally made it. The space was beautiful!!!!!!…read more I came here for a nightlife event and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful minimalist aesthetic. I really liked the open kitchen on the second level opposite of the bar. But it was a bit crowded with the cocktail tables also back there. The restrooms were very clean and I appreciated the complimentary lotion and huge mirror in the hallway. The sound wasn't too good for most of my event, but I'm not sure if that was due to the event organizers or the venue. My favorite thing about that Gathering Spot is the location. Since there isn't much nightlife in the area, parking was not a hassle. There was an abundance of street parking (that could also be due to the time of day) I will definitely recommend The Gathering Spot for events

My daughter and I visited in 2015, 2019 and again last Spring 2023 took a tour of the downstairs…read moreonly. In 2019 a 200+ pound replica of the White House by former Executive WH pastry chef Roland Mesnier was on display. A photo of the Gingerbread house has been attached to this review. The unassuming brick home sets across from the WH. The house happens to be the oldest private residence in DC at almost 200 years young. I would not go out of your way, but we thought the cake was super cool inn2019. 3.5 rounding up.

Came here for a after-hours party so to be honest, this is more of a review about that party than…read moreit is about the house itself. The party occurred in what I assume to be the courtyard; it was covered (though the weather was nice out for March), with beautiful lighting. But crazily enough, the space was HUGE. Absolutely gorgeous. If you're looking to host a large party, I 100% recommend this location. The set-up was fantastic. I have NO clue where the food came from, but whoever catered was phenomenal (I had the best cheesecake bites I have EVER let my tastebuds experience). While waiting 45 min for this lyft to arrive, I decided to venture around the house (with the guide). The house itself is pretty bare, but I love it's simplicity. It was of course quiet, though you could hear the faint sounds of the party outside. I completely forgot that we were SO close to the white house, could have gone for a night stroll, but didn't. Overall, this was a fun experience and I am glad I got to enjoy it in such a way.

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I recently visited our DC office while in town for…read moreother reasons, and was duly impressed. In particular, Dominique was bright and smiling from the moment I opened the door. She was super friendly, helpful, and offered me coffee and snacks as soon as I told her that I was just stopping by. She also gave me a brief tour of the lovely building, and introduced me to Priscilla and Nia - also very cheerful and welcoming people. I am a fan!

The team at Intelligent Office is the best! I had two days of hosting a meeting with them and…read moreeveryone was super kind with every detail thought through. I would happily have a meeting here again.