St. Anselm in Washington, DC was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. We dined al fresco,…read morewhich made for such a lovely setting, and our waitress, Ellie, was amazing. She was warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and really made the entire experience feel special. We started with the biscuits served with jam and butter, and they were such a treat. Warm, tender, and comforting, with the richness of the butter and sweetness of the jam making them hard to stop eating. The blue crab deviled eggs were another wonderful start, creamy and rich with the delicate sweetness of the crab and just the right amount of savory flavor. The rib eye was exceptional, beautifully cooked, incredibly tender, and full of that deep, beefy, slightly smoky flavor you want from a great steak. I also loved the grilled okra. The grilling gave it a wonderful char and smokiness while still keeping the freshness of the vegetable. The prawns were another standout, tender and succulent with a slightly sweet, briny flavor that paired beautifully with the rest of the meal. Everything felt thoughtfully prepared, and every dish brought something different to the table. Between the beautiful al fresco dining, the incredible food, and Ellie's outstanding service, this was one of those dining experiences you remember long after the meal is over. I would absolutely return to St. Anselm the next time I'm in Washington, DC.

I still find myself craving this place! It came highly recommended on TikTok, and it definitely…read morelived up to the hype. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take many photos because my phone was dying, but the hostess was incredibly kind and offered to charge my phone for me in their space. That small gesture made the experience even better. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. The biscuits were perfectly done--not dry at all, but buttery, soft, and even better with the pimento cheese spread. The combination was amazing! My steak was tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection, while the broccoli had the perfect crisp texture that added a nice balance to the meal. The restaurant itself has a beautiful rustic yet modern atmosphere. The dim lighting creates a cozy feel, with most of the brightness coming from the natural sunlight that fills the space. Between the incredible food, welcoming service, and inviting ambiance, this spot is definitely one I would return to again.

I went to CHLOE in DC and honestly, I've walked past this place so many times and had no idea there…read morewas a gym inside. I love that they have a whole fried fish because the presentation alone is spectacular. They also had a featured menu, I'm not sure if it changes weekly or monthly, and my date got the curry shrimp which was honestly a really good size portion. I was super tired that day so we were kind of in and out, but I'd definitely go back. The drinks were good too. Cute place and solid service - loved the bread as well

Casual neighborhood vibe - great outdoor atmosphere although the best seat is at the bar where you…read morecan see the kitchen prep the most delectable sharables. Friendly for dg owners, great service, and fresh, tasty food carefully curated. The spices are creatively woven into the Newell plated dishes. Great for groups, take out and for a local meal. Vegan options! My favs by far - the penne pasta with pork ragout, and the Flat iron Minute Steak with shiitakes and the caramelized Cauliflower.

Yep. If you're reading this, you should just make that reservation and go... and yes, I would…read morerecommend a reservation because this place is pop-u-lar, and I see why. The space itself is bright and airy and a bit on the noisy side. But the service was very good, and the food was served quite quickly. I've been on a shakshuka kick lately, so I opted for the the Sweet Potato Shakshuka, which is described as: Sweet Potato Curry, with Chickpeas and Sunny Eggs with a the chicken add-on - gotta get that protein in, after all. This was one of the most unique shakshukas I'd ever had... It literally tasted like a curry dish you might get at your local Indian restaurant, with a bit of a brunch flair to it. The curry itself had a wee bit of spice and was a bit sweet - but that could have been from the sweet potatoes. The chicken was served in a bowl on the side, which felt a bit... odd... I would've expected it to be incorporated into the main dish. It was kind of bland and a bit lukewarm, so I don't know that I'd order that again... but I would definitely order this again!

True to its name, Unconventional Diner is not your average brunch spot - it delivers on fun and…read moreunique dishes (available until 3:45pm). The Tikka dish with fried egg was tasty, but wish paneer or larger protein option was built-in (not an upcharge)! The creamy red Tikka curry sauce, caramelized onions, crispy brussel sprouts, and fried ere tasty and paired well, the dish felt incomplete and something was missing, maybe some paneer or naan? I paid $5 for a side of zesty naan topped with different spices and really wish it came with the dish just came with it. While I was tempted to order the falafel, I couldn't justify shelling out another $5 for another upcharge and spend $10 on them for a total of $26 for just an entree - when these 2 upcharges should have been included in the entree by default. Wish there were more fun vegetarian dishes on the menu. Might come back for drinks and to explore the menu!

High energy- bright vibe with modern ambience. Exceptional service everywhere you turn. Good food,…read morefun atmosphere for some good time with friends and family. Venue: Ginormous - and yet it was packed. Huge bar downstairs and there's one in the rooftop as well. Modern- I just loved all the furniture there and lounge area by the waiting area is so chic and very smart idea. Food: we just ordered pizza and large charcuterie board. Margarita Pizza was good- simple yet full of flavor with almost perfect dough (and good priced.) Charcuterie board was simple yet well prepared. Loved the honey comb that complimented the soft cheese we ordered. Had some wine flights and went very well with what we ordered. Service: the manager helped us in the beginning - and came back to check up on us -just said everything how this place is under a great management. The servers from the lounge to the table were all exceptional and very helpful. You guys rock! Price: very fair price for what it delivers Yes- I'm coming back again for more but with more people now!

Came for lunch on a week day. No wait to be seated. Then,…read moreIt got really busy after we ordered our food. Beautiful ambiance, delicious food and came in good portions. The lady led us to the seats were not very friendly, no smile at all. Then our coffee drink was forgotten. But made up later and was on the house. Waiter service was great. He was efficient and knowledgeable of the menu. Prices for the quality of the food is reasonable. Loved the cocktails, was refreshing and not sweet. Foodies of @WineDinenVacay do recommend this place, & hope to see improvements in certain parts of the service.

Everything in this space is the greatest representation of hospitality I've ever experienced. It's…read moreall so carefully thought through. From the bread to the decorum to the cocktails to the warmth you feel as soon as you walk in. It's unmatched. The Mushroom Tart is perfection. The Foie Gra brings an actual tear to my eye. Pick an item on the menu and I would gladly order it as my last meal. As someone in the industry it's places like this that make me proud to be apart of it and the ENTIRE staff of Le Diplomate deserves a damn Nobel Peace Prize.

Le Diplomate... it doesn't need another review, but here's my 2 cents. It's a solid, approachable,…read morecrowd-pleasing mainstay of the DC dining scene. I've been a few times over the years, and here are some notes from my most recent visit. I got a last minute reservation for 4 people at 7 PM on a Sunday, thanks to Resy notifications. They sat us in the back, which is not the best seating area, but sometimes you take what you can get. The back area is not the most spacious or prettiest area. I sampled a carafe of red wine, a cheese plate, the delicious (free) bread basket, the black bass grenobloise, and trout amandine. The carafe was perfectly fine; I'm not into wine enough to judge. The cheese plate ($6.5 per piece) was an okay size and came with some honey, jam, marcona almonds, and four slices of bread -- the bread was different from the white and cranberry-walnut in the main bread basket; this one was a smaller loaf, sliced thin, with some grains and apricot (?) in it. There are apparently 11 different cheeses to pick from, which the waiter had to recite to us. A small, printed cheese menu would be welcome here. We only heard about 5 of the cheeses before we decided to just pick some, because who wants to listen -- and remember -- the spiels about 11 different cheeses? The Black Bass Grenobloise ($34) had pomme puree, capers, and lemon. It was ok but I preferred the trout. The Trout Amandine ($36) had toasted almonds (lots), haricots verts, lemon brown butter. It was a classic rendition and it was great. Service was friendly, if a little slow.

The Hamilton - Live…read more Being a fan of both the Grateful Dead and Steely Dan, I paid $40 for general seated admission to see Steeley Dead, performing at The Hamilton - Live. The music venue is located below the Hamilton, a storied dining experience in the 600 block of 14th Street in D.C. Doors would open at 6:30 p.m. for a performance that would begin, right on time, at 8 p.m. I travel alone, and prefer not to join tables, opting instead to sit where single seats are available. The Hamilton - Live offers both: most of the seating is in groups of 4- or 6-seat benches where groups gather, and there are rows of single seats on a slight rise above the forward seating, offering a great view of the stage and the screens above the stage. I arrived around 7 p.m. Within minutes Marie greeted me with a menu and instructions to post a card on a holder at my place, signaling her to stop by to take my order. The menu was eclectic, with sushi, pizza, tacos, salads, wings, cheeseburger sliders, and nachos. There are robust vegetarian and gluten-free selections, and a fully licensed bar. I placed the card in the holder at my seat and Marie returned to take my order: sushi - shrimp tempura ($14), with a can of Nutrl Pineapple ($8) and a double G&T ($23.18). The crowd was gathering, and the attending wait staff were moving with speed, filling orders. My meal arrived in great shape about 15 minutes after I placed the order. Nicely executed sushi! Sound quality in the venue is great, and the restroom was clean and well lit. And as the catalogues of both the Dead and Steely Dan inspire dancing, the dance floor was filled right from the start. The band's vibe was low key and spontaneous, with lots of smiling on the dance floor. Total with a 22% tip was $79 (which included a white Russian nightcap). Reasonable fare for the DMV. Taxi, Uber, and Lyft are readily available from the venue.

So happy I was finally able to check out the Hamilton!…read more Came here on a solo date and had a great experience. When I walked in, I was greeted by the wonderful staff. The time I came in was when they were getting ready for dinner so I promptly sat at the bar. The menu for the Hamilton is extensive and I was presently surprised at all the options I had. I loved that the sushi was half off and vowed to come back to try it. For this visit, I had the pork chop and the crab fried rice. For an appetizer, I had the crab soup. Everything was delicious and came out promptly. The flavoring of the food was amazing and I had leftovers to take home. I will definitely be back!

Penbrook delivered a genuinely impressive breakfast experience, starting with amazing service and…read moreconsistently great food. The standout of the morning was the breakfast side potatoes--crispy, seasoned perfectly, and easily something I'd come back for. The breadbasket came with three pastries, which felt a bit smaller than expected, but the almond croissant more than made up for it. On the heartier side, the chicken and waffles were extremely filling thanks to the dense waffles, so definitely a dish to tackle with an appetite. One of the biggest surprises was the brunch salad with salmon, which ended up being one of the best salads I've had in a long time--fresh, balanced, and satisfying. The breakfast sandwich was another highlight: so good that it's now the new standard I'll compare all other breakfast sandwiches to. The smoked salmon bagel was also a fun experience, served deconstructed so you can build each bite exactly how you like it. Not everything was a hit--the French toast wasn't my favorite--but the overall meal was strong enough that it barely detracted from the experience. Brunch offers a few additions beyond the regular breakfast menu, but overall it's very similar to their standard breakfast, just with a couple of extra options. It tends to get full on the weekends to make a reservation. Bottom line: Penbrook is a beautiful hotel restaurant that punches above its weight--excellent service, memorable dishes, and several items worth returning for.

Had brunch on a sunday morning with friends Ambience - 4…read morestars - very bright and vibrant atmosphere. We were seated at a corner both and had great views of dupont street scene Food - 3 stars - decent selection for a brunch. Had the pastry basket for the table which was as expected. I had the acai bowl, others had lemon ricotta pancake ( very sweet) , eggs benedict and breakfast sandwiches - we were all surprised at the portion size - larger than we expected - but I would say average in taste as nothing stood out to us. I also had a cappuccino which was also decent. service -5 star. excellent service and attention from the staff ! its a good spot for brunch and I would go here again.

This is a really fun, iconic basement speakeasy spot located right underneath a hotel, just steps…read moreaway from the White House. The food and drink here are both excellent and absolutely worth coming for. They serve up great, high-quality cocktails, and I also ordered the cheeseburger, which was really juicy and beautifully cooked. The space itself is famous for having political caricature artwork all over the restaurant, and they even give you fun caricature coasters that you can take home with you as a souvenir. Because it's a popular underground spot, it can definitely get incredibly busy and cramped in there. I've been multiple times, and almost every single time it is tough to find a spot to sit. However, I did come once during an off-peak time, right in the middle of the week around 1:00 PM for lunch--and it wasn't to busy, so we were easily able to just sit right at the bar.  I would definitely recommend checking this place out! While the tight crowds can make it a bit tough on a busy week day or weekend night, it is completely worth experiencing at least once for the great drinks, good food, and unique atmosphere.

This bar came highly recommended by so many people, but I feel like they've hit that point where…read morethey know tourist are coming and the prices reflect that. Four drinks and one meat and cheese board topped us over with tip at 200 bucks. We had gone for multiple dinners and lunches over several days in DC and did not spend that much on an actual meal..... Pros- -the meat and cheese board was massive, had plenty and was more than enough for two people and became somewhat of a meal. -The drinks were very good heavy pours. -The vibe is great - kind of loud but in a good way -The bathrooms are IMMACULATE Cons- -The table service was a bit touch and go; seemed like there was no rhyme or reason for which servers had which tables. -I sent back my first drink because it had very noticeably had hair in it, and the server gave me a hard time about it - there was clearly hair floating in the glass I'm not paying $25 for a drink with hair -service was also super slow and we felt forgotten at times at our table *if there is an event or wedding at the hotel that definitely can add to being overcrowded and slow *take the time to walk around and check out the cartoons - and make sure you take home a coaster or two!!!!

Very good service , visited from The Bahamas and Paul was absolutely phenomenal! 10/10 experience…read moreand even better food! Highway recommend the shrimp and grits , salmon and avocado toast , along with the butter biscuit and steak and eggs!

Food great! Service was great. Mary was great! I didn't get the front entrance hostess name. Thanks…read morefor accommodating us! Ambience was great!

Visited Proper Bar for a girls' dinner, and it was a nice experience overall. We were able to find…read moreparking easily, which was a great start to the evening. I didn't order any drinks, but we shared the Caesar salad and Brussels sprouts, and I had the Tiger Prawn Pasta for my entrée. The pasta was flavorful and topped with a crunchy nut garnish that added a nice texture and made the dish a little more unique. The ambiance was dark, cozy, and relaxing, making it a great spot to catch up with friends without feeling rushed. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. I'd definitely come back to try some of the other menu items.

So vibey! I stopped…read moreby for a Yelp Elite event but didn't check my email to see that it was postponed lol. Anywho one of the employed saw me struggling to open the door and helped me. So shoutout to him. I decided to get a bite to eat since I was already there. Excellent service (I believe their names were Conway and Ian) and food! They have a pretty good happy hour menu. One of the deals was a martini and a way smash burger (I mean you can't beat that). I didn't see that deal in time and ordered the watch burger and fries. It was SO good! The portion size was huge so I had to get it to go. The drinks were really good! I believe I had "The Cabo" and a lemon drop martini. I hope to return soon.