Was excited to come here because my friend had been raving about their brunch menu but I guess I showed up too late because I was given a lunch menu. Still excited to see that the Shrimp and Grits was also offered for lunch, I thought I might as well stay but when it came time to order the waiter explained that they were actually not able to do the Shrimp and Grits. Quickly looking over the rest of the menu, non of which really sounded that exciting I ended up settling on the mussels and fries and my friend got the pork tacos. We also ordered the jalapeño cornbread. They also gave us some delicious rolls, like low key the rolls were the best part of the meal. The mussels had no flavor and were covered in this bright yellow gross tasting sauce, and the broth that they were in tasted bitter. The pork tacos were about average, nothing amazing and our cornbread that we ordered never showed up, which was fine because they didn't charge us for it and honestly after tasting the other dishes I couldn't image would have been that good. Overall won't be back, but maybe their brunch is better than their lunch menu? read more

I want to start off by saying that the waitstaff was impeccable, and that the duck was fantastic. The wine was also a great selection with unbeatable flavor, especially when paired with the dishes. The ambiance was rustic and tasteful, but the food... Entirely different story. They should really hire a new chef. or Sous. Whoever was in charge of checking quality tonight. I first ordered the fois gras with brioche and huckleberry jam, and the unoaked chardonnay. It was hard to tell that the brioche was the large round puck while the fois gras was a 1/2oz piece of sauteed genius hiding under the greens, but overall was great, despite the $14 price tag for so little protein. The second course was intended to be the "butter poached lobster tail with lobster bisque risotto foie gras butter, meyer lemon". What I received instead was underdone (not even al dente) rice with enough cilantro to kill a great dane and not even half of an over-cooked lobster tail on top, sliced in such a way to fool the average consumer into thinking it was acceptable. Send back number 1 for undercooked risotto. For $40 a plate you can cook my rice a little longer, even if the protein to rice ratio wasn't... let's just say appealing, and no mention of cilantro on the menu at all. Send back number 2 came after they put even less lobster on top, spread even further, some watery substance on top, and EVEN MORE cilantro added. Again, no mention of said herbage on menu. After this failed, I figured, ok. Not every restaurant can afford the time and effort to make a decent risotto, so I changed the order to the filet mignon. I mean seriously, how hard is it to mess up filet mignon? Apparently I was wrong. It was so difficult to get a medium steak, I eventually gave up and got the same dish my fiance got (the duck) but it took 3 MORE SENDBACKS to even get that. First try on the filet was rare. And I mean RARE. Cold in the middle rare. Not even attempting to get anywhere near medium. Second try they put the same exact filet back on the grill (an acceptable practice in most restaurants) until it was well done. No pink, at all, anywhere in my steak. When I pointed out that not only was it the same steak I cut thoroughly in half, but that it was well beyond medium, they took it back, put it on the grill A THIRD TIME and cooked it further, before returning it to me yet again. Let's take a step back. I get not doing risotto the right way in a high-volume restaurant. I get wanting to cook a steak on the fly to get it to a hungry guest, but this was the FIFTH TIME I had returned a dish for improper cooking. At this point, the cook offered us the deviled eggs (a nice gesture, but who in their right mind is going to accept three deviled eggs for dinner) and the staff was offering free wine, comped meal, and dessert, to make up for it. The manager, seeking to rectify the situation, asked me how the eggs were (are you serious??) and then asked, "What would make you happy at this point in the evening?" How about a meal cooked properly? By far, this is the worst food experience while dining out I have ever even heard of. If you're looking for good wait staff and atmosphere, definitely give this place a try. Just don't count on good food. We were sincerely debating leaving at the 2 hour mark to go to Taco Bell, because at least the food is consistent. UPDATE: Apparently the GM was so appalled at the performance of his kitchen last night, that he is now seeking to make amends for the terrible experience. Any restaurant willing to go the extra distance to prove our experience was a one-time fluke deserves at least one more star. I mean, the great reviews were why we picked it for Valentines Day dinner in the first place. Will definitely give them a second chance. read more

I came here last night for dinner with my husband. Ambiance is nice - dim lighting and we sat next to a fake tree. We were somewhat disappointed with the options for vegan/vegetarian food, which is why I'm giving a 3-star rating. My husband had A Soup from a Farm, which was bland and had way too much oil in it - we could see the oil floating on top. I had the Achiote Roasted Chickpeas without the chevre cheese; my dish was good so I gave some to my husband. The bill came in a mason jar with a fake candle illuminating the inside of the jar, which resembles catching a firefly. read more

LOVED this place! They accommodated gluten free very easily. Their drinks were great. The server was very friendly and had great recommendations from the menu. Highly recommend! read more

Absent the truffle fries this would have no stars. Service was mediocre at best and atmosphere a bit loud. Kale Caesar was overpriced and reminded me of a supermarket salad. Fish taco kept my wife up all night with nausea, cod a bad choice. Burger with bacon reminded me of mom's oscar meyer days. Too many good choices to eat in area, why both. read more

Where to start.... They have this great (and obviously undisclosed) rule that if you sit at a table, you're not part of the happy hour. So if you want to sit with your friends and have a few drinks, you have to pay the full price. If you want happy hour, please come and enjoy it alone or standing. Brilliant. By the time we complained about the "misunderstanding" and the manager agreed to let us get happy hour drinks, it was no longer happy hour. "Unfortunately the system does not allow happy hour prices after happy hour". So now drinks were the regular 15 dollars. Also, the waiter was very rude and unwilling to help. He looked at us as if we were asking him to give us drinks for free. I'm sorry if I'm not familiar with this venues' way to ripoff customers. After a lot of waiting, I ordered the chicken. After another excessive amount of time, the food came (at the same time as the couvert) and was mediocre, at best. 25 dollars for a chicken breast with croutons and very few chopped veggies. I decided against ordering a drink, as I was not willing to pay another 15 bucks for one more disappointing experience. Never coming back. read more

cute brunch spot in DuPont. the French toast and breakfast tacos were really good. the breakfast tacos came with potatoes that were really good. read more

the schtick is a little too much (tree trunk in the middle of the restaurant, bill delivered in a poked-hole mason jar resembling a - wait for it - caught firefly) but the food is good and fresh, and the servers quick and attentive. pleasant and convenient, especially if you're staying in the attached kimpton hotel. read more

I came to Firefly for lunch during the week. It definitely attracts a business set for lunch. The decor is really nice and makes the restaurant seem cozy. The place itself is not huge but can definitely seat a decent amount of people. The selections for lunch were very varied and tempting. I ordered the French dip, while others in my party got the fish tacos, shrimp mac and cheese and the risotto. Everyone loved their meal, including myself. This is easily one the best French dips I have ever had and hands down the best French fries I have ever had. I don't know what the flavoring for the fries they used, but they were incredible. Perfectly crispy shoestring fries, bursting with flavor. The only thing that was bad about my experience was how long it took for the food to come out. I mean, it took what felt like an eternity. At point, I almost forgot what I had even ordered because we were all sitting there for so long. I mean, it was lunch, during the week and not terribly crowed. There was no excuse for waiting about 45 minutes for our lunch to come out. For a restaurant that clearly serves the business set during the week, you think they would have this figured out a little more. read more

i'm really conflicted on how to review this restaurant, since so many factors go into a review. let's give this place a 3.5. i'll start with ambience and service, which were both definitely 5 stars. after making a reservation online for 1p, i had to change it to 12p (family get together), but that wasn't available online. after calling, they fit in my party of five for 12. awesome! then, they let us take our time and ask a billion questions ... we were at brunch for 3 hours on a sunday and they never once seemed annoyed or asked us to leave. that was awesome as well, as was their flexility with two of the five people being gluten free. those two people ate very well and raved about their food! the location is also great for out-of-DC visitors (dupont circle) and the decor is unique and gives off a great homey feel. in terms of food, i was very indifferent to what i had. that being said, two of the people i was with got the 1/2lb beef hamburger and called it "one of the best burgers" they had both ever had. my other family member had a salad - good, because how can you screw up a simple salad - and my other family member had the shrimp & grits, which she said was also good. i had the egg B.L.T (white toast with a fried egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo & home fries) which i very much enjoyed as the egg was done perfectly runny. but to me, and from looking around the table, the portions were crazy small! granted, my meal was one where if you can't walk away full, you have issues, and i certainly did, but i felt for a relatively expensive place, the portions could have been a bit more bigger/heartier. i realize now there's an "urban picnic" menu for sharing, but i feel like i shouldn't have to spend more and more money to get that crazy-full feeling that people go to brunch to get. alas, i know this place is known to be great, and i definitely will come back -- maybe i just need to taper my expectations in terms of portions. read more

A good collection of "off the beaten path" dishes (e.g portabello mushroom Ruben), although the menu is a bit thin (8-10 dishes at lunch.) Fun set of deserts, including seasonal specialties. Service was fast during late lunch hour (1:00 PM.) I'd probably go again, but not my favorite place in DC. I do recommend the special fries. read more

I am writing a review based on a few meals and a private event that I planned at Firefly. Having eaten there for both dinner and brunch I was confident when I chose this location for a private event on a Saturday morning. The event planner, Taylor, was nothing but helpful. She returned emails within hours and always was very kind. From the moment I began planning to the end of the event I was happy with the service I received. On the day of the event the wait staff and manager were so helpful - arranging for extra tables and bags to be brought to our room. Nothing seemed to bother them and they were always asking "can I help?"! The food came out hot and delicious - all 23 orders at once. I was very impressed! Overall I would recommend Firefly for anyone planning a private party - it was very reasonable price wise (especially when compared to the places that offer similar options in the DuPont area). read more

I took my parents for restaurant week and the food was great... service was mediocre. It's definitely an interesting atmosphere, we were in the back area and kept commenting about the decor. I think it would be a great date spot, has that kind of vibe, however that didn't make my family feel awkward. i def recommend. read more

I went here for a first date. The ambiance was very nice, cozy, and not too quiet, but not blaring. I loved the tree and wood theme. We had the Rutherford Ranch Cab Sav, which was wonderful. Our server, Mike, while seeming a bit rushed himself, didn't rush us, and was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. There were not many vegetarian entrees, which was disappointing, but the one I did have, butternut squash ravioli, was delicious (although a little pricey for a rather small portion). I wouldn't come here if I were paying, but it is a lovely place for a nice date. read more

Second time there. Both times disappointed. Had it not been for my dining partner's witty conversation and the Central Coast chardonnay, it would have been a one star experience. Noise level so bad! Can't hear yourself think. The waitstaff have no place to stand. They congregate nearby very visibly making jokes, laughing, making odd gestures, very distracting! Skimpy on bacon and blue cheese on the wedge. OK, don't say what an idiot to me, but I ordered the cheeseburger. I have this thing for sampling "high end" burgers. Though I always say I'm going for the fish, I order burger, veal or pasta. Broken record. Anyway, the burger was not delicious, juicy, savory or adequate. DRY overcooked beef. Bland. Needed salt. Tomatoes were not ripe. The fries were like cold hard sticks of fat. Hankered for some McD's. My friend had the fish and thought it was good. Small Tables. Dessert was good. Think it was a creme caramel cheesecake. My friend had a less delicious dessert, tart rhubarb pie. Too tart. Not coming back. read more

Firefly is fabulous! I went there twice in my one week stay because it was that great. I highly recommend Joe, he gave wonderful recommendations and was extremely accommodating. read more

Delicious food and good service. I sat at the bar before dinner, they have an excellent happy hour menu. Didn't realize it was connected to a hotel until I left, absolutely the best hotel restaurant I've ever been to. They have all the major meats covered with good vegetarian options. I could not stop looking at the stunning hostess (I hope my date didn't notice). read more

Firefly is a great restaurant with the best people working there! My server was Joe who I've had on multiple occasions and always keeps a smile on my face. Thank you for continuing to make my experience memorable! read more

Firefly has a great atmosphere. Love the tree in the middle of the restaurant. I went to Firefly for lunch it was great. The food was really good. Joe was my server and he made my day. Very good experience read more

Met up with family here last night...sooo delicious. I cook and I was very satisfied...yummy. Don't miss it

Great roast chicken, perfectly accompanied... and my dining companion loved the flight of rose wines, perfect for a sweltering summer day. No difficulty getting a same-day reservation. read more

How could one not love a restaurant that features a tree right in the middle of the dining room?! I went to Firefly on a date and it was a very cool option for a somewhat romantic evening. The bar is intimate and the restaurant in general is whimsical and unique. The menu is not super varied but features lots of favorites. We chose to go with the small dishes and share and found the charcuterie plate, beet salad and mussels to be excellent. My date didn't eat octopus so I didn't get to order that but it's supposed to be fantastic. Apart from the fact that I was on a date with someone who knows nothing about good food, I must say that the bartender made for a not great addition to the evening. She had a downright bitter disposition and was just plain rude. I asked her for a recommendation on a cocktail off the specialty cocktail list and she basically turned her nose up and told me that she only drinks vodka soda. Does she not serve cocktails all the time? Does she not know what people enjoy? Is there not a favorite or most popular cocktail? Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting her to rave about the cocktails and I appreciated her honesty but it was all in the delivery. At that point, I just wanted to go somewhere else but ironically ordered the Lemon Drop with some floral essence, which I could not taste. It was a fine lemon drop as lemon drops are concerned but the bartender left a much more sour taste in my mouth. I am looking forward to going back to Firefly with a foodie so I can try more of the menu. I think it's a great place to dine with friends or a love interest. I definitely recommend but beware the bitter bartender.. read more

I was shocked to look up one of my favorite restaurants in DC and see that its yelp rating is only 3 and a half stars based on 322 reviews. I've been here numerous times, and I'm consistently made happy at Firefly. The prices are a bit high, but quite reasonable given the quality of the food and the beautiful surroundings of the main dining room. That tree in the center of the restaurant is genius. Chef Daniel Bortnick (30 seconds ago was probably the first time in my life I've ever looked up a chef's name online) is a comfort food genius. If I could afford it, I'd have him cater my wedding. After enough great experiences at Firefly, I just implicitly trust him. I've never ordered anything, or sampled anything, that wasn't at least pretty good for dinner from Firefly's kitchen. And what else, really, can we expect from a neighborhood restaurant? The quality is consistent, and for that reason it's a great place to take a date or a guest or a group. Their ever-changing cocktail menu is a fantastic way to start your evening. The southern bent to the menu ensures bourbon will always be a part of the proceedings, and thank Zeus for that. And I must mention that their restaurant week menu is always one of the best bets in DC. They offer nearly the entire menu, whereas many comparably joints only offer a few appetizers, a few entrees, and a couple desserts to choose from. I go here twice a year for restaurant week, for that reason alone. Finally, let me mention the eggplant parm dish. I'm an eggplant parm aficionado, and this is by far the best I've ever had. If you love eggplant parmesan, rush immediately to a table at Firefly. The gloriously crispy eggplant is generously topped with some of the most delicious mozzarella cheese you're likely to find melted on anything anywhere. It delicately treads in a sauce that is more like a light tomato bisque, surprisingly. And it is topped with garden fresh onions and peppers sauteed to perfection. My mouth waters at the thought of this dish. I struggle to order anything else when it is on the menu. Truly one of the best entrees in the district, in my opinion. read more

We went here with our two kids for Sunday brunch. The staff was very pleasant, and the place wasn't as cramped as I thought it would be based on other reviews I read. It was a comfortable, cozy restaurant. However - it was a long wait for our food. The hostess came over after about 35 minutes and explained there was a mix up in the kitchen, and our food would be out shortly. She then brought out fruit and bacon for our children and gave us a discount on brunch - so we were very happy with how it was handled. My husband and I had eggs benedict, which were excellent. My daughter ordered off the children's menu and was also happy with her food. My son was not. He ordered the French Toast with bananas and walnuts. The food must have been sitting with the syrup on it, because the bottom half of the bread was mush, and none of us liked the bananas, they had an odd taste. Overall though our meal was good enough we'd go back to give it another try. read more

This review is for the happy hour only. Came here on a busy Friday night but was lucky to get there early enough to grab seats at the bar. I know this happy hour got pretty good reviews on yelp and it lived up to the high expectations. The place is very cute inside with a big (albeit fake) tree trunk in the middle of the room and all the tree decorations scattered around. Perfect for a cold and blustery winter night. Now moving on to the name of the game, the drinks were cheap and there were a ton of options. A white, sparkling or red wine to choose from and a cocktail list all for $6. Also a decent array of appetizers for $5 of which the truffle fries is a must. The hours are long too, from 4 to 7, though meeting so early is tough on a regular basis. I think it would be more appreciated if they did it from 5 to 8 instead, but that is wishful thinking on my part. Will definitely be back again! read more

When traveling with a large family we always expect some sort of a wait. Then we cross our fingers that it's not too long of a wait. You know..expect the worst and hope for the best. We arrived (without reservations) and were seated within 5 minutes. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Everyone ordered different dishes and all of them were amazing! We ate here on our fourth night in DC and this was my first great gluten free dinner. read more

We arrived about 6:40 PM without a reservation and were able to get seated immediately. Both of our meals were very good. The salmon was perfectly done and the smoked lamb chops were unusual but excellent. The pickled vegetable starter was a great change of pace and refreshing. We're visiting in DC staying about 3 blocks away and would return to Fire Fly on another visit. read more

Food is good, atmosphere is good. A little pricey. This was my second time here and we didn't really have a waiter/waitress... someone poured us water but we had to go ask someone to take our order. When we wanted our check, we also had to ask someone, rather than someone waiting on us. Service could have been a lot better. read more

The wait staff was excellent and I appreciated their attentive service. The food was good - not great. They do have a separate gluten free menu with some good choices. They even serve grilled gf bread that was quite good. In fact, if I could give them 3.5 stars I would but not 4. One reason was the rudeness of one person who appeared to be a manager. While the wait staff was very courteous, the manager person treated me as if I did not belong. I was dressed in business attire. Her body language and her insistent way of asking if I needed help - no smile, no kindness, just impatient to the point of eye rolling. It was very off putting - especially when I had to go back to retrace my steps to track a lost earring. While the wait person was super helpful, she was, again, rude and impatient- as if I hadn't just spent nearly $100 for my own meal. As a Black woman, I want to feel welcome where I spend my money. Unfortunately, I did not, thanks to this woman. I won't be back. read more

For brunch, about the only highlight is $2 mimosas. Other than that, the food and service is mediocre at best. If you are looking for a fast in and out experience with inexpensive drinks, its ok... read more

The service was attentive, but the food and atmosphere are lacking. I ordered the smoked lamb shoulder with feta and pappardelle and my wife ordered the goat cheese gnocchi. This is the first time I have eaten at a restaurant and could not eat the dish I ordered because of the high salt content. The waiter did offer to bring something else and then remove the dish from our bill. Also, the noise volume was atrocious, even in the back room. read more

One of my favorite restaurants because it's so reliable! The food and service is always great. The bartenders make delicious cocktails, and the ambiance is solid. read more

Came for Saturday brunch with two friends. We were visiting from NY. We called ahead to reserve and the hostess was very nice. Everything on the menu sounded delicious and it took us some time to decide what we wanted. They had $3 glass or $15 carafe mimosas which we thought was a bargain. We ordered the French toast, eggs Benedict, chilaquiles and jalapeño cornbread - all delicious. Also got coffee and a complementary bread basket. The service was just OK. Our waitress seemed annoyed with us (not sure why). It was about 15 - 20 minutes before our plates were cleared and we had to call the waitress over for the check. Regardless I enjoyed the food and would recommend to a friend. read more

Based on other reviews and Fodor we made a reservation. I had steak tartare (served with package potatoe chips) my companion had a hamburger. I never had a tartare that greasy. The hamburger, also very greasy, was supposed to be medium rare, but came well done. There was an interesting innovation on the pickle, it was coated in a heavy blanket of something doughy and deep fried. I ordered a glass of wine, which was $10 on the menu and $13 on the bill. The whole greasy adventure was ridiculously overpriced. It was so noisy one could not exchange two words. If you are looking for good food, do not go there, if you wish to have a conversartion with your companion, do not go there, if you want to be overcharged for a greasy spoon, low quality food, do not go there. read more

The drinks are a work of art! Brendon is a master of his trade. Creative and personable.

In all honesty, i did not understand half of the ingredients in most of the food options. Maybe because I'm not a foodie but still?? I had to google a lot of things that were just on the menu. Food was tasty but SUPER overpriced. Also, the "side" dishes were way bigger than the main entrees (at least in the case of the mac n cheese, it was HUGE serving). All in all, WAY over priced. read more

Meh. First of all, poor service. Plan to have to flag people down because nobody will ever come by. Small thing, but server also wouldn't let me order food and drinks at the same time; too much to remember apparently, and then I kept wondering when they'd be back for the food order. Anyway, as far as happy hour drinks and food, the firely and lightning bug drinks are good, Paloma not so much. Tacos tasty but small. Wings just alright. Deviled eggs totally not worth $5 for 3 halves of an egg that taste so-so. Again, service really sucks. You have better options nearby. read more

I'm making a Yelp account just to review Firely. My boyfriend & I were in DC for New Years, and wanted a nice but not too highbrow place to get dinner and made reservations here. We're so glad we did! Our waitress was super friendly and helpful and advised us to start with the shrimp & grits. I'm from the south, so I wasn't expecting much, but it was the best shrimp and grits I've ever had. I literally didn't put the fork down or let my date have any and was thinking about ordering it again for my entree, but went with the mussels. They were great but my boyfriend's burger was even better (I probably ate half of it), and his parmesan truffle fries were killer. He commented that he has never seen me eating so crazily. We also got a couple drinks that were yummy, but the food was definitely the reason we'll be coming back. The atmosphere was also really nice - the decorations are clean and cool (there's a tree in the middle!) and it wasn't too loud. It was a little expensive, but we felt like we've had worse for more, and we were expecting prices like that in DuPont. Super excited to return next time we are in DC! read more

Joe was an amazing waiter and accommodated us very well. For just being in DC for a week, I'm very happy I got to experience Firefly.

I was pleasantly surprised by Firefly. The food was excellent. The wine, delicious. What prevents me from giving 5 stars, is the service and the noise. The service was below average. Our waiter was unattentive and uncommunicative. The noise is out of control loud. This is not a place for a first day or business meeting. read more