Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Iron Gate

    4.0 (824 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Iron Gate Takeout or Delivery

    Iron Gate Photos

    Business Info

    IRON GATE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Iron Gate

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Mushroom manitaropita
    Caroline R.

    This is an old time favorite, but after our visit this past week, it feels like it lost its magic! Have always been a fan of the focaccia, but I think they changed the recipe-it was not as good as it normally is. The beet salad was actually the stand out dish, could eat that every day. We also ordered the cuddlefish pasta and mushroom manitaropita--both delicious but overall felt like it lost its magic touch after being blown away in the past. Epecially disappointed in the focaccia

    Complimentary hummus
    Pamela F.

    After a long day of traveling across the country, I was thrilled to find that Iron Gate is quite literally across the street from my hotel. Score! I called ahead to inquire if I might be able to just drop in rather than make a reservation because I still had some lingering work to finish, and the lovely hostess was so accommodating. She greeted me with a big smile when I mentioned I had called, then proceeded to give me a full tour of the restaurant. First, the front bar area, which is dubbed the "Tunnel of Love" for the first part of February with fun and festive decor and a special menu. Next, a quick, brisk walk through the outside patio area, which looks like it would be incredible when it's slightly warmer than 27°F, what with its nice pergola with abundant vegetation above and multiple fire pits. Lastly, the carriage house, complete with partially open kitchen, cozy fireplace and dark paneling giving it an old world charm. I chose to sit here. Will provided friendly and prompt service without making anything feel rushed. I was offered a complimentary bowl of flavorful hummus with carrots, cucumber and crackers. I opted for the focaccia, winter citrus salad and beet ravioli. Everything was scrumptious. At one point in between dishes, I went over to the fireplace to warm myself up a bit. The sommelier came over to my table shortly thereafter and asked if I liked apple cider. He offered me some hot cider because he saw that I was chilly. Super warm touch on the cold winter night. Delightful.

    Imported Straciatella
    Annie F.

    Iron Gate is a beautiful restaurant tucked near Dupont Circle. The space is split between a dining room, an enclosed carriageway bar, and my favorite area, the wisteria-covered outdoor patio. It's the perfect setting for a special night out, especially when the weather is nice. The menu is modern American cuisine. I loved the tomato and watermelon salad to start, followed by the flank steak, which was perfectly cooked. The grilled scampi was also delicious, full of flavor and beautifully prepared. Iron Gate blends history, charm, and excellent food, making it a standout in Dupont. I can't wait to come back!

    App course
    Christine J.

    Hadn't been to iron gate in years but decided to check out their restaurant week brunch. It was fantastic. The French toast was amazing as an entree. The desserts were delicious and really filling. The first course was also great the table had gotten one of each option. I liked the yogurt the best.

    Ciao Napoleon ($19, left) and Tselepos, Blanc de Gris ($15)
    Calder S.

    Iron Gate was good but not great. They have room to improve some of the dishes, the service, and the dessert options. The restaurant is certainly one of the most beautiful in DC. It's constructed from an old carriage house, an outdoor area, and an enclosed alleyway. The interior spaces have rustic charm with dark wood and brick; the exterior space is a lovely, cozy patio with tree coverage. I visited for a special occasion dinner at 6 PM on a Thursday. The place was pretty empty but filled in by the time we left around 7:30 PM. Iron Gate offers a set menu ($95/person food + $75/person wine) or a la carte. The set menu includes all of the meze courses plus one from the pasta, entree, and dessert courses. This isn't one per person, but one per two people. The menu doesn't make this clear, but if you have more than two people you get to order two items from each course (we overheard this told to another table). We weren't interested in all of the meze options and wanted to get more than one entree, so we ordered a la carte. We also didn't think the set menu would be a good deal. You can get one pasta, entree, and dessert for about $95 by themselves, so the other $95 is just for the meze? Even if they make the dishes a little larger to accommodate two people, I'm skeptical. It seems like a better deal for the restaurant than the guest. Anyway, we got the Romanesco "Wedge" ($16), Squash Salad ($18), Hen "Diavolo" ($38), and "Chermoula" Swordfish ($37). The salads were good but I would have liked them to be a little more tender/softer. The romanesco, for example, said it was "charred" on the menu and it was mostly raw when I would have preferred it more roasted. The hen was a full chicken roasted with dry rub and served with a side of green beans, bacon, and onions. The chicken was nicely cooked and very tasty, although I wouldn't call it diavolo -- it was spiced but not spicy, and to me, diavolo suggests it will come with some spicy red sauce a la pasta diavolo. The swordfish was our favorite dish -- very tender and served with a delicious hash. We took about half the entrees home for leftovers. We had some cocktails and wine ($15-$19). I liked the Ciao Napoleon cocktail a lot. We skipped desserts. We weren't impressed by the two options: budino (pudding, $16) and "cheesecake" ($18). Those are very high prices for very basic desserts. Since there were only two options and both were basic, I suspect Iron Gate does not have a pastry chef, which it really should for a fine dining restaurant. Our service was very friendly and helpful at the beginning of the meal but then largely absent later on when the dining room got more crowded. We felt forgotten. We intended to get another drink, but by the time someone brought the drink menu again and then someone came back to take our order, it was too late in the meal so we skipped it. Our server gave us a few gratis items: a small hummus dip, a small spelt bread, and small glasses of lemoncello at the end. He did not acknowledge our special occasion; these seemed to be standard free items they throw in and we saw a few other tables get them. We had a nice two-top in front of the unlit fireplace, which was a nice spot, but also a bit cold and drafty.

    Vibes
    Clara S.

    Ok-- this might make the top 5 best meals I've had in DC! First of all, the restaurant was beautiful. We sat in the outdoor patio and wowowoow the vibes were immaculate! Service was good but veryyyyyy slow-- our dinner lasted 4 hours!! We were a big group so we ordered the family table with dishes to share. It was A LOT of food-- we ended up boxing up leftovers to go because we were so stuffed! They also give you a lot of complementary "gifts", which means even more food!! Cocktail: - Grey skies: 10000/10 (omg this cocktail!!! Reminds of my fav cocktail from Silver Lyan. It's slightly citrusy, creamy, and aromatic) Appetizers: - Baby beet: 100000/10 (one of my fav bites of the day! The beet was super fresh and I adored the beet sauce on the bottom of the dish! Also the crunchy feta cheese was chefs kiss.) - Oak roasted dates: 100000/10 (another of my fav bites of the day! Hot dates filled to the brim with cheese... what not to like?) - Foccacia: 100/10 (cheesy, hot, and soooo good!! Literally had to have 2+ slices each.) - Grilled Chesapeake oysters: 100/10 (idk it just tasted very fresh and very special-- loveddd it! Perfect way to start off the meal.) - Wood roasted asparagus: 8/10 (yummy sauce but asparagus was a bit tough to chew on) Pasta: - Braised local rabbit gemelli: 100/10 (we were all a bit nervous to try rabbit, but this was fantastic. Pasta was cooked to perfection and the noodles held the sauce flavor very well.) - Fresh ricotta fagotini: 9/10 (solid but not groundbreaking) Mains: - Chicken breast: 9/10 (chicken was cooked well and seasoned well. Loved the sweet potato it comes with.) Dessert: - Chocolate budino: 10000/10 (as a dark chocolate lover, this was heavenly!!!! Not too sweet, slightly bitter, and veryyyyy thick in consistency.) - Buttermilk pana cotta: 10/10 (buttery and yummy)

    Jillian B.

    My partner and I chose Iron Gate to celebrate a special occasion while in town and had a lovely time. We went with the tasting menu, which was inclusive of so many delicious bites. We loved starting off with a bunch of small plates! Our favorite dish though was the bacon wrapped monkfish. The fish was cooked perfectly and we appreciated the uniqueness of the dish. Service was helpful and friendly!

    Ana H.

    This is an absolute gem. Walking into it it is a slim indoor dining area with a bar and then some outdoor seats near the entrance. I was a little taken aback because I had high expectations but then they walk you into the actual dining areas and it is a lovely surprise. The restaurant is beautiful! Every area we passed looked like the most romantic setting. Our table was the farthest away indoors and was very quiet and romantic. I did not get many pictures of the inside of the restaurant due to the complete awe. For dinner we did the four course menu and this includes all meze, an option for the next three courses. This was an anniversary dinner as we came to DC for our anniversary. This place was definitely a big highlight. All the food was pretty adventurous for us - but it was very delicious ! They also included some things on the house which was very kind - we had at least two items not on the menu. The hummus dip not included in that count was given to every table at the start before you order as well. Overall it was an amazing experience and I would most definitely love to go back. Note - we did spend at least 2 hours here but it is SO worth it. As you can see I didn't photograph as much as I liked due to the upmost enjoyment of my experience here.

    Courtyard
    Ally R.

    One of the best dining experiences. Our server Joe was absolutely phenomenal! He really made the experience even better! the food was delicious - we opted for à la carte instead of the family table. The portion sizes are perfect and the unique food menu was great. Do not skip on dessert! - their version of the cheesecake is too good to miss! Also you can't beat the ambiance of that courtyard ! The fire pits and blankets make it super cute and cozy during the colder nights. We will definitely be back and recommending this place to others

    Two Olive Oil Fried Eggs
    Christina N.

    Cute hidden brunch place! There's outside seating underneath some sort of canopy and it's perfect for when it starts to warm up outside. Everyone working was nice, and attentive, and our server checked on us sparingly (a plus for me). I started with a Cappelletti spritz, which was sweet and refreshing. For my main, I got the olive oil-fried eggs, and this was such a balanced brunch. The eggs aren't traditionally fried (not crispy, no brown lacing), but the sauce on top of them was delicious. Everything was bright and citrusy, the potatoes were crispy, and the salad just rounded it out well.

    Amanda F.

    I was invited to a luncheon here and it was a good experience overall. We had a fixed menu so I can't say I was totally impressed with the options as a pescatarian but what I did have was really good, like the feta cheese and beet salad, yum!! The service felt a little overwhelmed working around a table of 12 women and kept dropping things around us, but I felt for them as the situation was a bit stressful. We happen to have gone on one of the hottest days this week in DC, so inside wasn't the coolest temperatures but it was better than eating outside!

    Two Olive Oil Fried Eggs
    Cynthia C.

    This place was such an unexpected but lovely surprise! I randomly stopped in with a friend for a late brunch whilst in Dupont. The patio is stunning. It feels cozy and I bet it'll be breathtaking once the wisteria blooms. The staff is lovely and attentive without being overbearing. I started off with the cappelletti spritz, and just as the menu described, it truly is like an aperol spritz but better. It was the perfect drink to start off spritz season. For my main, I got two olive oil fried eggs. It was simple yet fabulous. The salsa verde added a beautiful brightness to the dish, the salad was fresh, and the potatoes were perfectly crispy. Honestly, one of the best brunch meals I've had in a while. It was simple, light, but filling. I can't wait to go back once the wisteria is in bloom!

    Daily foccacia
    Matt R.

    The second venture of the chef from Vermillion in old town. IMO it's better than what Vermillion used to be in terms of quality, service, and creativity. The cocktails, wine pairings, and platings were well thought out. Pacing of the meal was perfect as well, not easily done with this many courses. It's a very well decorated and cool spot sort of hidden behind the iron gates at the entrance. Small bar and a few tables in the front narrow section, with outdoor covered seating in the back patio area, and indoor seating past the patio. No it's not cheap, but things that take effort and time to produce obviously demand a premium price. Worth a splurge for a night out.

    See all

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Blake S.

    Blake S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ally R.
    0
    50
    35

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Jonathan was great, very helpful, loved the food, rockfish and pasta were great. Will be back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sara L.
    170
    427
    1292

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alan S.
    593
    1026
    1592

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    The staff is spot on.from Joe to Gloria all the staff has been very attentive.the food is very well prepared.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amanda O.
    524
    16
    10

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Devin K.
    131
    30
    8

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kay
    19
    235
    877

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J C.
    3
    81
    136

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 21

    Iron Gate Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Iron Gate

    You might also consider

    St. Anselm

    St. Anselm

    (1.2k reviews)

    $$$

    We ordered the biscuits, oysters, pan fried mashed potatoes, and butcher's steak with a half bottle…read moreof their chateau de fleurie. Everything was delicious and I would order it again. We ordered the steak medium rare and it came closer to rare. Restaurant was busy at 7:30pm on a thursday. I recommend making a reservation. It was a bit loud. Service was amazing and so sweet!

    Man, places like this need to duplicate as much as they can. St. Anselm did not disappoint from…read morestart to finish! I was a solo diner for this experience and sat at the bar. The bartenders were friendly, filled waters promptly and were fast. I came in about 5pm on a Saturday and there were only 5-6 other people at the bar, but the dining area was pretty full. This place has an almost pioneer-ish vibe with all of the taxidermy on the walls mixed with like your Uncle's cabin in the woods in the 60s. I was digging it. I started with the buttermilk biscuits and pimento cheese. Wow. I could have eaten all of them. The bartender and I agreed that it wasn't a good idea. He said he did it once. I also had a mint julep, and while I normally like them, this one was a little different. The presentation was cool, but the drink was all ice, which was disappointing. For dinner I had the Butcher's Steak, medium well (should have gotten medium) and the Brussels sprouts. I'm thinking about the leftovers now. The folks next to me ordered my exact meal because it looked so good. I will indeed return! Thanks, St. Anselm!

    Sixty Vines

    Sixty Vines

    (218 reviews)

    $$$

    Foggy Bottom

    I love Sixty Vines! It's a fantastic location- great if you want to meet friends. Metro accessible…read moreto Foggy Bottom Station, close to the shuttle to the Kennedy Center for a pre-show meal as well. Very green and vibey, lively and smells incredible (they have their signature candle for sale), has lots of options that suit tons of dietary needs. I love all of their vegetable based share plates the most- cauliflower with the most scrumptious eggplant dip, the crisp little zucchini, tangy and crispy Brussels sprouts...I've brought two different groups here visiting town, as they're fantastic with groups because of the nice big tables. Love this spot!

    Sixty vines is a really fun experience. The space is beautiful, open, and has a great menu of both…read morefood and drinks. My most recent visit was for brunch and I ordered the rigatoni. It was good, but nothing amazing. I wouldn't order it again. I also found the presentation to be a bit wonky, like someone prepared it tilted. Our server was great, although give ln how large the space is, and how quickly it fills up, it was a bit difficult to grab his attention for our check. We were all siting with empty drinks and no plates ready to go for at least 20 minutes. Overall , the experience is good and continues to be good. I would say my preference is lunch or happy hour time frame. One note is that they just changed their menu so my beloved, favorite pizza pictured is gone. I would say their menu became more generic whereas prior there were a lot of different and unique options. My friend and I were both disappointed to find our faves missing (her a pasta).

    The Hamilton - District Wings

    The Hamilton

    (4k reviews)

    $$

    Sushi happy hour after 10 pm! $5 off rolls. They had a huge sushi/nigir selection, it took one page…read moreout of the two page menu. I ordered the spicy crab shrimp tempura roll and the spicy tuna/salmon roll (sorry I don't remember the names). The shrimp tempura one wasn't it, the shrimp tempura was skinny. The spicy tuna/salmon roll was good. I also had a lemon drop martini and it was waaaay too sweet. My fiancée had the fried chicken sandwich and fries, it was wonderful he says. They had a variety of different cocktails, beers, and wines. I was particularly impressed with the Asian beers and Japanese whiskey, you don't find that too often. I really liked the inside, a lot of mahogany wood panels. Old fashion boujie, with a lot of bird art. Service was slow because there was a very large party seated in my section. But to be fair, our waitress tried to be attentive. Once we got our order in though, the food came out pretty quickly. This place is great for romantic dates to huuuge parties of ppl. It's also a music venue, but didn't see that side. They have different musicians/bands playing Friday's and Sunday's.

    The place isn't bad, it's just that I'd expect more for the money. But I guess they are charging…read morefor the tourist hot spot they have. Quickly greeted and placed at a booth half a block from where we entered. The booth was rather a tight fit. I'm not the largest guy, if I were I'd either not fit at the booths or would need lube to get me to fit. Our server was quick to ask is we wanted drinks. He said the old fashioned was excellent. It wasn't. It was a borderline old fashioned. The food looked like it came from foodpro or another such provider. It wasn't made in house. The ravioli was too perfectly cut, I'd e or y house made for $26 but again it's tourist spot. The wife loved her short rib ragu with meatballs. Which was the same price as my brought in ravioli. Desserts were better than some smaller places we eat at. Not excellent but good enough. Far better places to eat at in DC, but sadly not close to where we were going to see our show. Not bad, but very pricey for what you get.

    Yardbird

    Yardbird

    (890 reviews)

    $$$

    Downtown

    Tried Yardbird for brunch for the first time and had a great experience! I was seated right away…read morewithout a reservation, which was a nice surprise. My waitress was super friendly, bubbly, and really knew the menu. She gave some great recommendations. I ordered the American breakfast and the biscuit French toast. Everything was good! The sunnyside eggs were especially great, and both the sausage and bacon were cooked really well. Even the arugula salad that came with the breakfast stood out. It had a light lemon vinaigrette that I really enjoyed. The hash browns with a fried block delight. I wasn't sure what to expect with the biscuit French toast, but it tasted exactly like it sounds. biscuits turned into French toast. It didn't have that classic French toast flavor, but it was still really good and worth trying. The atmosphere was nice, pretty packed, but the noise level was just right. My waitress checked on me often, which I appreciated. I'll definitely be coming back for brunch!

    We had a 7:30 PM reservation on April 25 at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar to celebrate my birthday…read more When we called to confirm--as requested--we were informed that the restaurant had been bought out for a private event. The response we received was, "Didn't we call you already?" Unfortunately, we had not been contacted, and this left us scrambling at the last minute with family, friends, and out-of-town guests already committed to the plans. It was a significant inconvenience, especially for what was meant to be a special occasion. On a positive note, we were able to pivot to another establishment that handled our group with professionalism and care. We truly appreciated their ambiance and service, which helped salvage the evening. I hope Yardbird Southern Table & Bar improves its communication and reservation management so other guests don't experience a similar disruption.

    Iron Gate - newamerican - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...