My wife and I met up with my best friend during restaurant week. When my best friend said hat this was a Mediterranean place, I was down. He talked so much about the ambiance and he was right; Iron Gate is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I ordered the drink with the flower and fruity mix (hard to spell and hard to remember). It was recommended by a person who was uber pooling with us, and the drinks didn't disappoint! It was the perfect balance of alcohol and sweet (not too sweet!) For small plates, we ordered the charred octopus as well as the devil crab. AMAZING. We also ordered the family style of all meat. (I'm butchering all the names and I can't seem to find the menu we had that night.) Anyway, in the meat plate ($35/person) were bison steak, lamb burger, sausage, pork belly...and I feel like I'm missing one more meat. Anyway, some of the meet were a bit too salty, but pretty awesome nonetheless. Will definitely be back! read more

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I've heard great things about this place and I need to go back for a proper sit down for dinner or brunch. I stopped by for a quick snack before going to another dinner, I had some wine from Greece red wine it was pretty good. I also tried their signature bread Focaccia. It was good I like the atmosphere I agree that it's a very romantic restaurant, good for a date so check it out when you can. It's in a pretty convenient location DuPont. read more

Iron Gate - With meyer lemon, feta, olives, and kalamata. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It is a beautifullll restaurant!!! Especially the outdoor area - it is such an oasis of calm and reminiscent of an old country courtyard in the middle of DuPont. We went there on a beautiful early summer evening, and enjoyed a dinner of small plates. Everything was so delicious but oh my goodness you could taste the calories in each bite. I think I gained five pounds by just smelling the food. It is definitely not the cuisine for someone on a diet! I loved their mushroom dish... the gnocchi and the cheese bread were both just ok. The Burrata was AMAZING - they use only the best Castelvetrano olives and you can taste how much detail and effort went into this dish. The only thing knocking off some stars is the pretentiousness of the people who dine here (as an example, we saw Newt Gingrich and his wife) - there were a few Suburbans idling in the front of the restaurant - and the price is really high for what you get. As we were walking out, we saw a table that had ordered the meat plate and the grilled fish - next time we are definitely coming back for the fish - but it might be a while. read more

Iron Gate - The burrata dish with the most delicious castelvetrano olives, exquisite olive oil, fresh navel oranges, and herbs. Perfection. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Iron Gate I've heard such good things but I was disappointed! I recommend: Come here for romantic drinks and share a dish for an appetizer. Then go somewhere else for dinner. Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambience: 3/5 Food: Fancy/expensive/small menu but not worth it in my opinion. We started with the Crispy Zucchini Blossoms (2/5). This dish was very very salty and small. We had to get two orders (7$ each?!) just to feed 4 of us. Then we got the Feta & Roasted chili dip(1/5). Also very very salty and paired with equally salty chips. For entrees to share we got the Blue Crab & Shrimp Youvetsi (5/5) it was fantastic and flavorful - I loved the orzo and sauce. Then we also got the Caramelized Ricotta Gnocchi (5/5). This dish was also delicious and so flavorful but both the blue crab and gnocchi were smaller plates. Service: This restaurant is beautiful looking but also felt like a maze for a first timer. The Hostesses need to be trained better - while I was greeted at the door, I told them my party reservation name, and they just pointed back and said "oh, go that way". I even confirmed with them and asked "ok so just go out that door?" And they just responded vaguely again and said "yeah just back there". I walked out of the first building into the patio and was immediately LOST. Thankfully a waiter noticed my confusion and led me into the other building. The waiters are busy and they shouldn't be the ones helping me find my table?! One of the hostesses (There were 2, one could've left the front for a second) should have led me or provided better instruction. Do better. Our waiter was awesome. He was very passionate and informed on the menu. He had great recommendations and was very attentive! He even brought out a cute dish for my friends birthday. Thank you for the great service from the wait staff! Ambience: VERY HOTT AND MUGGY. I JUST WANTED AC SO BAD AND WE SAT INSIDE?! WHAT?! This restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and I can see why it's rated as one of the most romantic restaurants in DC. However, it was not pleasant on a hott muggy day. The second building didn't have good air ventilation or AC?! The attached restroom also didn't seem to have AC. My entire group of friends was very uncomfortable. We spent dinner talking about going home and showering. Iron gate, I really wanted to love you and some parts I did: The beautiful buildings/patio and wonderful wait staff. However, at the prices your charging I expect every dish to be wonderful and I'd like to be comfortable when eating with AC/fans/some relief. read more

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Iron Gate is just off the beaten path and what a lovely little gem of a restaurant. True to its name they have an iron gate in front of the restaurant which leads you back into a garden of sorts. I have no idea what they do when it rains, but my fiancé and I sat on the patio which is a covered trellis with great ambiance. We arrived about 15 minutes late (thanks, redline) and were sat immediately. I did find it a little odd the hostess told us they had another reservation at 9pm, so they must not seat many tables each day as it was only 7pm when we sat. On my patio you can order a la cart which is a combination of small shared plates and large family style dishes. My fiancé and I ordered five plates to share and with the addition of dessert it was just enough to fill us up but not leave us overly stuffed. I would say my favorite dishes of the night were the focaccia bread and the squid ink macaroni, although my aranchini ball was also delightful. The mussels were a bit of a miss just because I personally don't like mustard and it was sort of all over the dish. The donuts were warm but a bit too sweet for my liking. Our server was attentive and dishes came out quickly but were pretty well paced. Overall I enjoyed the meal, it certainly wasn't the best food I've had in the city but it was a lovely garden escape from urban life. Next time I would probably opt to try the tasting menu or go with a small group so I could enjoy the family style dishes. read more

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Came here for a late dinner on Friday. The back garden/porch is very nice. The fried Huloumi tastes amazing, a symphony that blends salty/savory/sour tastes with a stark contrast of crispy/cheesy textures. The lamb tefte are plenty flavorful. Do be forewarned that they are on the rare side, so the interior is a tad gooshy. The butcher's cut was a hanger steak this evening. It was very good, moist and bursting with meaty flavor. The accompanying bread was grilled and slightly doughy, it went well with the yoghurt they give you, a novel take on a basic staple. Service was polite and classy, but a tad slow. read more

Iron Gate - Butcher's cut. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had the best time here. We were celebrating my friends law school graduation. The focaccia bread was UNREAL. So amazing. The cocktails were fantastic. The service was unbeatable. They wrote us a personal thank you card and congrats to my friend for graduating and a free dessert. I'm obsessed! The vibe is so cozy and warm inside the dining room. Highly recommend!! Our server was Binyam and he was the sweetest soul. read more

Amazing food in a really intimate, cool setting. We did the Chefs family table and it was a wonderful, delicious experience. The food and service were both amazing, they don't rush you, they encourage you to sit with your friends and enjoy the food as a whole experience rather than just a meal. I left very happy and full! read more

Went here for dinner with my fiance last night and it was damn good. They have a great vino list. We are a lot; carrots, oysters (DELICIOUS), brushcetta, tortellini, lamb sausage, cheese... Didn't go with the tasting menu because it had fish stew as the main dish. Only downside was we had to sit outside and it was pretty cold read more

What a delicious brunch! The food was excellent and service was great. On top of that, it was a beautiful spring day in DC and we sat out on the patio to enjoy the weather. The combination of fresh local flavors plus the weather and patio made it feel like we were brunching in California or something. read more

Iron Gate - Deviled hen eggs - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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In DC for the weekend and we were looking for a lunch/brunch spot. We saw the Iron Gate From across the way and decided to stop in. It was a great surprise, we sat on their covered patio enjoying the fall day. The iron gate smells amazing-smoke from the wood grill permeates the air. It was a little crisp, they offered us blankets. The food was excellent. We started with the cauliflower soup, biscuits and sesame crusted feta. For entrees we got the panini and the Caesar salad. Both were excellent. Service was excellent as well. Our waiter was friendly and prompt. This was a great brunch spot! read more

Wonderful dining experience. My boyfriend made a reservation for my birthday, and everyone from the hostess, to our waiter, to the runners wished me a happy birthday. I really appreciated the fact that they paid attention and were all so sweet about it. We opted to get three small plates and the grill plate as our main course. All of our small plates were fantastic, but I especially loved the focaccia and squid ink rigatoni. Very well-balanced plates. Our grill plate was a huge dish with around five different meats, all bursting with flavor. The sausage with mint was fantastic, as was the fillet. Loved the potatoes that came with the dish too. Ended with their yeast donuts, which were fantastic as well. They have a Moscow mule (called "Kick the Mule," I believe), which I enjoyed, but I liked their bourbon and honey mixed drink even better. The ambiance of the whole restaurant is incredible. Secluded, beautiful, and classy. It feels like DC's secret, romantic, getaway restaurant. We would return in a heartbeat. read more

Iron Gate - Gorgeous. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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OMG what a food orgasm. Such delicious cuisine! The dishes are small here but oh wow do they pack a punch. And they are filling. I cannot stop raving about the hearth-roasted dates. They are so good I could order them by the dozen. And the daily focaccia is to die-for-delicious. I would lush here at the bar any day just noshing on the dates and focaccia! MMMMMMMMM. And the risotto too. The risotto is so rich and creamy and full of flavor. Man, these folks know how to cook arborio rice like it ain't no thang. My only gripe was the chicken youvarlakia. I didn't care for it at all. (Is it supposed to taste so much like egg? I don't know if it's supposed to taste like that). Oh, but who cares? I can eat dates and risotto and focaccia and die happy. So happy. The staff here are great. We didn't have reservations and they luckily got us a table. Don't try that. Actually book a reservation and sit in the romantic outdoors if you possibly can. read more

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We had a large family dinner at the restaurant on July 8th and it was amazing! Every plate was unique and carefully flavored to perfection! Loved the service and the beautiful historical venue. One of the best meals I've ever had in DC! read more

The server was very good. The bus boy was a little pushy constantly trying to clear plates. I felt rushed. We ordered the chefs menu, but it was definitely overpriced. $75 and it was a lot of bread, pasta and salad. I felt pretty full by the time the entree course arrived. I also felt it was too much at once. 4 plates, then 4 more plates. I was really disappointed with the 22% service charge that is meant to cover wages but is not a tip. Am I still expected to leave a 20% tip on top of the service charge or is pocket change an acceptable tip like in Europe? read more

Went here for brunch and it was so romantic and lovely!!! Sit outside on the back patio underneath the vine-covered canopy, and relax in the shade. Service was great- they were attentive but not too in your face, and the food was absolutely delicious. We had to get a reservation i think at least two weeks in advance to make sure we got a good spot, but it was definitely worth it. Smaller, shareable plates in a lovely atmosphere but still pretty affordable! got 4 plates to share (both smaller and larger) between my boyfriend and I and only spent $46. highly recommend - definitely coming back!!! read more

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I can't say enough good things about Iron Gate. My boyfriend and I went to celebrate our anniversary and were not disappointed. Food: We splurged for the tasting menu and it was well worth it. We had more food than we were able to eat! Everything was amazing from the salad to the in-house baked bread, to delectable meats, and so many good desserts. Service: For our anniversary we got a complimentary glass of champagne and a free dessert. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable and helped us picked wine to our liking. Ambiance: Amazing arrival experience with the gate and bar seating with cool art piece, then the hostess lead us to our table through the patio area and seats us right next to a roaring fire all to ourselves. It was so refreshing to not be sitting on top of people (like we often have to in DC). overall: GO TO THIS PLACE! AND GET THE TASTING MENU! read more

Update - I returned to this restaurant last weekend. As with last time lovely experience and great food. Two big things that knocked down my review: 1. They were out of Lemon Ricotta Pancakes 2. They charged both me and my friend twice! The charge was removed once we got home and looked at our card statements. The Iron Gate manager explained that their computer processes charges in an unusual way - sometimes it just appears on your bill that you are charged twice, but it's actually just processing the tip. I've eaten at many restaurants in DC and have never heard of this "weird card processing" problem anywhere else.... Regardless lovely food and I will pay cash next time read more

This place is great! One of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in DC doesn't disappoint. The hidden courtyard is so inviting and intimate as is the main dining area. You really don't feel like you're right in the middle of the business district. The food menu is short but everything tastes outstanding - definitely a focus on quality v quantity. We had the gnocchi, cinnamon panna cotta, lamb kebab which were the best lamb kebabs I've ever had, and the spanakopita arancini which was great too! read more

Waitress great. Ambiance nice. Food: overwhelmingly salty. The meatballs were inedible. Wine list: quirky and questionable. With so much good food in DC, I'd go elsewhere. read more

I made reservations online and could only reserve outdoor seating. It was the middle of December but it looked like they had heaters so I was down to still try. I got there and I was the only one out there on the patio. They had heaters and gave me a blanket but I was still cold. The ambiance outside was lovely but it was just too cold. My friend came and she noticed that they did have indoor seating so we asked if we could move inside and they did. I wish they would have offered that in the beginning when I was freezing to death, but when I asked one of the staff said no seating inside. Oh well. The food itself was just okay. Nothing special. I didn't even finish it. Would I go back no. read more

Very impressed with the innovative food, ambiance, and service. We came here for our anniversary dinner. There was initially a mixup at the restaurant which had lost out reservation, but the maître di resolved the issue quickly and sent over sparkling Greek wine to start the meal. We had the four course tasting menu with wine pairings. The pairings were spot on--three of the four were perfectly paired, and the wines were unique and off the beaten path. Very few standard grapes and varietals. The first course selection of appetizers from the seasonal grape and olive focaccia which was delightfully crispy without being too oily, and the pickled veggies, and wild mushroom sauté with berry sauce and hazelnuts were fantastic. All the dishes were well composed and had interesting combinations of ingredients. The other standout dishes were the sea urchin, gnocchi (which was much more dense than I am used to) and seared scallop, paired with a very mineraly Greek white which was apparently stored underwater; and the Campari panna cotta with blood orange and other citrus. I'd recommend this place for a special occasion/romantic dinner. I do wish they offered a two or three dish tasting as four was a little too epic. Given how overpriced DC fine dining can be, Iron Gate struck me as reasonable. read more

The food was phenomenal, despite being delivered, which speaks volumes about the care and thoughtfulness that went into how to provide quality service despite the customer enjoying the food remotely. Major kudos to them for that. There is a more limited menu available for delivery, but still a lot of great choices (and changes over time). The caramelized ricotta gnocchi was the best gnocchi I've had to date! Usually I avoid gnocchi because after a while it just seems like too much dough. But this dish strikes the perfect balance and I felt like I could eat the whole thing in one sitting (but I didn't; it's still a lot of food!). The shrimp saganaki was less of a hit for me. Still really good but my favorite was the divine grilled sourdough focaccia that came with it (seriously, I would devour a basket of that). There was so much flavor packed into each bite and despite being delivery, felt almost like it just came off the grill. Finally, had the arancini. Despite being billed as an appetizer, each of the pieces was quite large and filling. Very crunchy exterior and more ingredients inside than normally expected for arancini. If you're looking for a fantastic restaurant for a special occasion or to treat yourself, highly recommend Iron Gate. read more

This place is awesome. I really did love the entire experience. I went with the hubs and we sat out on the patio. We had an outstanding server and we got the 3 course meal for $60 a person. Let me tell you..... fucking get it. It was so amazing. So much food, great presentation, tasted great. Thank you Iron gate for making us Nashvillians feel welcome. We will be back. read more

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I did not like Iron Gate. I have a dairy allergy and the waiter was incredibly rude. Most places that I go to are understanding and always help me find things on the menu that I can eat, no problem at all. The waiter literally said there was nothing i could eat. I pressed him and he eventually said there were things I could eat but it would sacrifice taste. He then proceeded to list about five or six things I could eat. So instead of right of the bat telling me the things i could eat, he was rude and made me feel uncomfortable for something I could not help. When we finally did get our food, the portions were so incredibly small, that even after six plates, my friend and I were still starving. We were so hungry afterwards we got takeout. This is an example of an over-priced restaurant with tiny portions and rude wait staff. Would not go back or recommend it. read more

This is, hands down, one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. It's a trip to the Mediterranean without the airfare. The food was a symphony for the taste buds, and Iron Gate is one of those rare restaurants (these days) where you don't ask your waiter, "what's good?" It all is. Just start at the top and work your way down. The service was superb, the staff was friendly, and really - we didn't want to leave. Michelin, don't give this place just one star. Make it more like ten. I'm plotting a return visit, this time for lunch. read more

Amazing ambiance. Hostess, server and other staff were unexpectedly "chill", did not match the average 5 star experience but that was OK. Grilled Octopus & Sweet Potatoes - amazing even my friend who doesn't like octopus loved it. Gnocchi w/ Pork Sausage - good, but not as expected. 1 of us thought this would be ground bits, another thought braised pork, and I thought it would be sausage links based on the description but it ended up being meatballs and which were overpowering. Gnochetti w/ black garlic - al dente pasta was well done -A+, clams were a bit cold, and the bread crumbs were an unwanted crunch that I ate around. overall very good. carrot cake sundae - look no further, choose this. read more

I was really looking forward to this meal. I had never even heard of this restaurant in my 20 plus years in the district. The restaurant gets 5 stars for atmosphere-gorgeous place. One dines under a live canopy of grapevines and wisteria when dining outside. Sadly, the food couldn't keep pace. The menu is pre-fixe and premade-possibly made a long time in advance. The hummus tasted like a barrel of salt, yet the mushroom "ball" had no flavor. The escabeche was catfish-really-? Our shared main came as two quite small (but delicious) lamb meatballs (keftedes)-way too small and I am NOT a big eater. It was the smallest entree serving of meat I have ever seen. The pistachio "cake" was very good, but oddly accompanied by pineapple and coconut, which aren't Mediterranean flavorings at all? The wait staff seemed "edgy" and over eager to please. It was a weird vibe from start to finish and I just didn't feel like there was real attention to the quality of the flavors-the food seemed mass prepared and formulaic? read more

I feel as though Iron Gate is trying to be one of DC's top restaurants, but, isn't really willing to put in the effort to get there. My boyfriend and I had reservations at 5:45 on Friday. We got there about 10 minutes early, but, the host refused to seat us "until those with an earlier reservation got there." Had our reservation been at 7 or 8, I would have totally understood that. However, when we eventually did walk in, we were literally the first table seated, so it wasn't like we would have had to wait for someone else to finish, nor were we stealing anyone's table (since we had a reservation). To kill time, we ordered a drink at the bar. The second we ordered, another host told us we could be seated, and our drinks were later brought to our table. The boyfriend and I wondered if this was their way of funneling you to get extra drinks. Iron gate is as beautiful as everyone says. It's dark, with lots of fireplaces, and leather benches. Exactly the type of atmosphere you'd want for a date night. Our waiter seemed a bit grouchy when I asked him what was on the family dinner menu -- although I feel like that is information he should have volunteered. After that, he was nice enough, and checked on us frequently. One of my main issues with Iron Gate is the menu design. If you choose tapas (which I had to, because I'm not a fan of pasta), there aren't really any meat tapas. So, if you want meat, you have to order one of the expensive plates for two. In our case, it was a mixed grill for $75. The menu doesn't say what the mixed grill is, nor did our waiter, so we hoped for the best. When it was brought out a new waitress "reminded us" what was on the plate. It was basically ground beef, ground lamb, bison, and pork sausage, no meats fitting of the price tag. The bison was excellent, but the rest were REALLY over-salted, and I say that as someone who loves salt. The fried potatoes on the dish were dripping in grease. The flavors were good (except the sausages, which the boyfriend and I both didn't like), but it seemed like there were some rookie cooking technique mistakes that the kitchen didn't care enough to fix before sending out the food. In addition to the meat platter, we ordered small plates of tartare (fairly good) and deviled eggs (one of the high points of the meal -- we loved the lemon zest). Both are about two bites of food. Then we ordered the octopus, which was over-charred, and otherwise pretty flavorless (although the mustarda was good), as well as the oysters, which were phenomenal, and the one reason I would really come back to Iron gate. For dessert, we got thyme ice cream, which was very good. All of drinks, off a special valentine's day cocktail menu, were solid as well. The food all came out very quickly, and we felt rushed. At the end of dinner, the bill came to about $220 after tip. For those prices, and the inconsistent food, I'm not compelled to return or suggest this restaurant, despite how romantic it is. We also left smelling like smoke because of the fireplaces. That isn't necessarily a problem, just something to be aware of if you are sensitive to smells. read more

Great experience from the minute we walked in till you walk out of the restaurant. First of all, my friend and I were trying to get a reservation for a table of 4 on Friday evening about a week before, only had 6:30pm and 9:15pm slots so we decided to try 6:30pm dining reservation. With Friday night traffic along with holiday traffic, we knew that we were going to be very late for that reservation. So we made a call to them around 6:20pm concerning that we were going to loose our chance to eat there. A lady who was on the other line said no problem, we will make a note that you're running behind. Ended up there around 8pm, I was sure that we lost our table and opportunity to dine there. They managed to clear and moved things around for us so we can still have dining table after 10minutes or so! We sat at this great table and the ambiance of this place is amazing! They first showed us their drink menu. I had one of their cocktail called "Andiamo". And it was one of the best crafted cocktail I've ever had. Then moved on to the food menu. I decided to try their 6 course menu with beverage pairing (it was wine pairing). Before they brought up the first course, they brought a few small plates for us to try. They were all excellent! Since I was very pleased by their cocktail I asked them who their mixologist was, not only they told us that the name of the mixologist, the guy took his time to come to our table to meet with us. What a pleasant experience that was! Then the whole meal that we had through out the menu was so good. We were so impressed by how wonderful the wine was with each course. Even the timing of the server to come back to clean up the table, to bring the next course was well-timed that I can't remember the last time I've had this pleasant experience with service at the restaurant before. I highly recommend everyone to experience dining here at least once. I know I will be going back there for sure. It was so worth it for us even with that annoying 2hrs traffic to get there!! read more

Iron Gate - Andiamo was one of the best cocktail I've had in a long time. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here on a Sunday for brunch with my family, a delightful group of 9 all from out of town. The restaurant's vibe was great. We sat outside in the back on a gorgeous morning. The garden was beautiful and I've never seen such thick, winding tree branches. We started with the crispy Greek yeast doughnuts in orange blossom syrup. They were so incredible we asked for two more orders. I think over half of us ordered the fried eggs with Hen of the Woods mushrooms and it was a great decision. The eggs were fried perfectly and the crispy fingerling potatoes had a great seasoning. I'd never had a Hen of the Woods mushrooms before so I was a bit skeptical of the name. There was no need since they were great. The service was a bit slow, but expected on a Sunday morning in June. I'd definitely come back, especially to try the lamb sandwich. read more

Iron Gate - Giant tree branches on the patio. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Nice venue, pleasant staff and food was good not great....4 stars for service and attentive staff

My husband and I went to Iron Gate this past weekend to celebrate my birthday. I cannot say enough about the outstanding service we received! Our server, John, blew us away with his knowledge about wine. We learned so much over the course of our meal. The manager, Wes, included a complimentary glass of champagne for my birthday. He was also kind enough to give us a tour at the end of our meal as I had asked some questions about the history of the property. The food was outstanding as well. Thank you, Iron Gate, team for a memorable birthday celebration! read more

The food and service are outstanding, and the patio's ambiance wholly inviting. However, we were a bit surprised that the restaurant did not tell us in advance they were charging a 22% surcharge that did not act as the tip for servers. We, of course, would be happy to pay a "surcharge covid fee" to help cover the cost of masks, but it may make sense for the restaurant to consider having a flat fee per table and to notify patrons in advance. read more

Words cannot properly encompass the magic that is Iron Gate. A date and I stumbled in on a cold and dreary Friday night without a reservation and we were greeted with warmth and hospitality regardless. We were first seated at the bar where we enjoyed amazing, creative cocktails and delicious appetizers. The cocktails were crafted from Mediterranean liquors and the fried castelvetrano olives with fennel pork sausage were the most decadent finger foods I had ever consumed. Once we had settled in, the bartenders and host gave us a tour to the back of the restaurant, where there was a gorgeous patio space and a comfy indoors kitchen space with plenty of tables. Despite it being Friday, there were many tables and spaces available, which was quite curious given how incredible the ambiance and pre-dinner service was. We were seated a few moments later and we promptly ordered the family tasting menu, which, at $55 a person, would end up being my biggest steal of the century. Every course, every dish, would bring forth a smile on my face as my companion and I relished every bite. From the fresh octopus salad with crispy feta cheese to in-house made hummus paired with freshly baked focaccia bread, the first course whet our appetites for more. The second course included a perfectly seasoned, crispy pork belly paired with gnocchi in a lamb ragu. The final course was a dessert plate with mango semifreddo and different types of dark chocolate, a luscious finisher to the tasting menu. This is the absolute best culinary experience you can have in D.C., and I do not say that lightly. Every bite was a symphony and it was well worth every penny. Service is also superb, as when we got the check I informed the waitress that our tab from the bar (two cocktails and two appetizers) was mistakenly omitted from the overall cost. After an experience like that, I refused to withhold one penny from the establishment. The waitress brought back the revised check and let us know that for our integrity, the appetizers were complimentary. I was just so shocked by this above-and-beyond service. This experience at Iron Gate was and still is a phantasmagoria to me, as I cannot believe I just had the best meal of my life at a place tucked in N Street, far better than any set course meal in New York or London or anywhere in the world. I am still so curious as to why more people were not in that restaurant on a Friday night, but I attribute that mostly to the cold snap that afflicted the area. I will definitely be coming back again, with friends and/or family, to share in the magical experience that is Iron Gate. read more

Two stars for the ambiance. There's so much potential here! Why are all the seats and tables empty? Why is this place deserted on a Wednesday at 7pm? Why why why? I don't know the answer, but based on my one experience I won't be coming back either. I met a friend here at the bar to have a drink and see if we wanted to get food. Neither of us had been to Iron Gate before, so we were eager to check it out. Upon walking in, we were greeted by a very warm hostess and a somewhat gloomy older gentleman. The hostess was happy to see us, but the dour man seemed a little--what's the word--indifferent. Not the best first impression, but the hostess took us to the bar to have a seat. In the entire restaurant, there was one couple at a table, and three people seated at an otherwise empty bar. The bartender didn't bother to say hi, or make eye contact, despite the fact that he had nothing to do. He eventually came over and, without saying anything, dropped off a drink menu. I actually had to be like, "Hi how are you?," because otherwise he would have continued giving me the silent treatment. After a few more minutes of the bartender ignoring us, I informed him that we were ready to order (remember, there was no one in the restaurant, so it's not like he was busy). Rather than saying, "what can I get you?," this dude just looks at me. Duuuude, is your hipster flannel shirt on too tight? How hard is it to be friendly? I ordered an old fashioned, to which he replied, "Easy." What the hell does that even mean?! Is that code for something? Did I just order the drink you hate the most? It's fine if you're dropping shade on me, but saying something is "easy," after you've only said five words the entire night, is super weird. At least make sense with the limited words you choose to use with me. Anyway, the drinks came out and they were actually pretty good. But then my old fashioned needed replenishing, and after nearly 10 minutes of zero effort by the bartender to ask if I wanted another drink, we left. One drink each, and no food ordered. As we walked down the street to another restaurant, my friend and I commented on the weird vibe at Iron Gate. Was everyone upset about the lack of customers? Are you deliberately trying to prevent people from coming back? Is your restaurant actually just a shady money laundering operation? I have no idea, but I'll avoid this place from now on. Like I said, two stars for the ambiance (and for the nice hostess). But it's a real shame that this place sucks given that it has so much potential. read more

We went here for the thanksgiving pre-fix tasting menu, and even though the food was excellent it was overpriced and only a few of the dishes really shined. I would give iron gate a try, but bring your wallet read more

UPDATE: we came back here for our anniversary last night and had another absolutely incredible experience. We notified the restaurant on OpenTable that we were celebrating our anniversary and our server really took care of us! We were treated to complimentary glasses of bubbly upon arrival and ordered the focaccia, smoked cod bruschetta, Grayson en carrozza, squid ink gnochetti (still thinking about that this morning), charred octopus, and risotto. We also received a special dessert for our anniversary, their take on s'mores, with graham cracker ice cream and some kind of fudgy cake with torched marshmallow and meringue. Drinks were also incredible (I had the beets by yo yo ma and loved it). We love Iron Gate and will continue to return here for special occasions; next time, I am looking forward to sitting on the patio (too cold for that last night!). read more

I visited for a quick brunch after arriving to DC. Staying across the street so it's convenient, but I quickly found that it has a beautiful atmosphere with a lot of light and an equally beautiful menu and wine list. The warm pumpkin salad and wine from Macedonia paired nicely and both were delicious. I'll be back for more! read more

Iron Gate - Macedonian wine - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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It's unfortunate to give this place a one star rating as most of the dishes were fantastic. However, the pork entree was very bad.