Do not get me wrong, I love Irongate and refer all my friends here for the atmosphere and great dinner selection. The dinner options are always top-notch and the service is even better. I love love love an pasta options here because they are so fresh and you can taste it. Amazing Tuscan wine selection! Dinner plate and wine bottles are also extremely reasonable for the service and creativity of the plates! My one issue is their brunch service. I typically come for Dinner so maybe, brunch is a bit different. I had a peculiar experience where my initial server bailed on us for a bigger table - I have never had that experience before where we did not have a server for awhile until someone else came up to our table. Honestly, I am glad our initial server left because he was also condescending when I asked him about the descriptions on the menu. I get they are spelled out "two olive oil fried eggs" - I get it - but I also wanted a better description so I asked. He repeated the menu title so I felt that was a bit belittling and having service redundant. It left the beginning of brunch on a sour note, but then when our server changed on us without any introduction or notice, we did not want to be there. The manager did ask why we left so abruptly - however- I am not someone that likes to have confrontation when I am simply just trying to have brunch. All-in-all I love the food and the atmosphere so I would still come, but probably not for brunch service because of the lack of attention and rudeness I experienced. read more

We were really looking forward to the Iron Gate for a date night or brunch. Upon walking in we noted our reservation for 11:30 am but they could not find it. Oh well, it was through a third party so that may not be their fault. After asking if we could just grab a table without the reservation (place was EMPTY, not a single person), the hostess didn't say a word or look up for another solid 30 seconds. She then grabbed two menus to take us back and very quietly said "this way" I think - it was hushed and a bit annoyed. Not a big deal, but not very inviting. The ambiance is of course great, and perhaps the main reason for the three stars. The waiter was neither here nor there, seemed a bit tired or quiet. My larger issue is the food. I ordered spanakopita - you know - the phyllo dough with spinach and feta? What I got was nothing close. A deep fried ball of risotto with a bit of feta and no spinach to be found. I understand artistic license to interpret recipes but you can't call something what it is far from. We also got a tuna salad sandwich which was mostly the mayo/sauce mixture and bread. Finally, everything was doused in lemon. Lemon zest on the rubbery deviled eggs, lemon juice in everything else. It overpowered each bite. I may try to come back for a dinner service as the ambiance really is that great, but I don't have high hopes for the food. read more

This was probably one of the coolest restaurant locations I've ever been to in D.C.! It looks like someone converted an old alley way and turned it into a little bar/lounge area with slick yet rather rustic decor which was really neat. Then you go into the back courtyard where they had most of the seating and it was honestly such a cute little seating area. There were grapevines with lights covering most of it which provided really nice shading for when it was really hot during the summer. I ordered the pancakes with vanilla mascarpone which was to DIE for. They pancakes were so light and fluffy and even though there were only three they still filled me up! They also had more seating/another bar area in one of the brick miniature houses in the back which looked really neat as well so I definitely want to come back. read more

Iron Gate - Such cute decor! The grapevines were a nice touch to keeping us cool on a summers day :) - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Kind of rude service, which I find uncommon in DC. Among other instances where we were treated like an inconvenience, I dropped a slippery gnocchi on the floor and tried to stop a waitress before she stepped in it to warn her and to apologize for being a klutz. She acted like I was a moron, which maybe I was, but I thought it was a weird reaction. That said...the food is so good I would put up with it again. I have never particular cared about the bread course anywhere but here, possibly my favorite ever. Grapes in focaccia? Who knew! The oysters with goat milk butter might have changed my life. Never thought about that flavor pairing beforehand. Also, I really mourned that gnocchi I dropped. read more

The food was absolutely amazing. I would say the dessert menu was mediocre. Gnocchi and the Arancini balls were delicious and worth ordering twice. Would go there again on a payday! read more

Iron Gate - Greek doughnuts and carrot cake! - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My girlfriend and I first visited Iron Gate in late March (I'm late to post the review, but I wrote my thoughts down immediately after) to celebrate her birthday. With its slightly hidden entrance and seasonal menu piquing my interest for a romantic date spot, I had high hopes. Iron Gate did not disappoint for this occasion. The dining room is cozy, with a wood fireplace adding to its ambiance. The tables were placed in a smart way that allowed for a feeling of privacy despite a fairly open dining area. The server was friendly and gave spot-on wine recommendations to my girlfriend, while I explored the cocktail menu. I thoroughly enjoyed both drinks I chose, the second being the specialty Cherry Blossom celebration cocktail. We each chose two different dishes and shared the four. The dishes were brought out in a perfectly timed manner that made sense to the palate and our pace. The highlight of our meal was the burrata and the gnocchi (like pillows!), although each dish was delicious with substantial depth. The meal was surprisingly affordable and filling. We decided we will have to make it back some day soon to explore the dessert menu. read more

Always wanted to have sensual dinner in an Orangery... Est Voila!... enter the Iron Gate A lovely place for an intimate meal with your best girlfriends, with your man or a date... As you enter there is comfortable outdoor seating for spillover on a sunny day..a great place to stop by for a drink. Enter a beautiful wrought iron and glass door into a barrel ceiling room... which further expands into a trellis filed room... Floors are the sort in a conservatory which adds to the charm. It can get loud... I like going there later in evening if you like to dine continental fashion which I adore. Reminds me of India with my Grandmother refusing to serve dinner before 9pm. Atmosphere aside, the food and service is perfect. Clearly the chef is trained and creative. The alcohol selection is excellent and broad allowing for a good pairing or not... I love the Gnocchi, meatballs, Scallops, Octopus, and more. Menu is great and every dish worth ordering. I have been here twice only because it's a schlepp from Capitol Hill, but when in the area, it's a great place!!! Worth a planned trip as well even in this day of high-end overworked restaurant scene in DC. Iron Gate is authentic and true to itself. Love it!!! read more

Visited Iron Gate for brunch on a gloomy Saturday on a whim. When we arrived, we requested to sit outside because photo op, obviously but due to the pending rain our request was declined. Ambiance- Iron Gate was so dreamy! Between the tall ceiling, white washed bricks on the walls, fantastic light fixtures, and paved ground inside I could have stayed all day. Staff- I had no issues with my interaction with the staff with the exception of the host, he was a little snobby for my preference at 11am! However, I forgot about him once I started chatting with the bartender who was very knowledgeable about their entire menu and the hilarious food runner. Drinks- Our server suggested their French 75 (gin, champagne, lemon)! It was fantastic and ended up be 60% of our tab after ordering a few! Food- WOW is pretty much the only thing I have to say about the food. Simple, delicious, and surprisingly affordable. We ordered the Olive oil fried eggs, baked hen eggs, brioche pinwheel and the sheep-goat yogurt!! The olive oil fried eggs where two eggs sunny side up served on a green salsa-ish with a salad and crispy potatoes. The baked hen eggs where a modified shashuska but the real star was the brioche pinwheel! Think Cinnabon but with blackberry compote instead of cinnamon and an amazing reduction sauce and pistachio ! Everything was fantastic. Would love to go back to try the dinner menu! read more

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Beautiful venue, romantic ambiance. Definitely sit on the outside patio if the weather permits. The food was good but I wasn't overly impressed. The service is great though it took a while for someone to come over and greet us. read more

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Cute place. Vibey and trendy. Nice selection ow wine that you typically would not select, otherwise. Def worth a visit. read more

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

It's really 4.5 stars for me. They're so close to perfect, but our servers attempts at upselling a $75 dish with five meats (?) and then "working our way back through the rest of the menu, and a few glasses of wine and then dessert", was a little much.. particularly for a Monday.. and there were two of us. The ambiance in the courtyard could not have been better! It was not too cold for this mid-December evening, but the fire pits scattered throughout with overhead strung lighting and nearby space heaters was too perfect. The wine that I had and the food was also wonderful. My friend and I split the feta dip and two pasta dishes followed by the affogato for each. Perfect amount of food. They do add a little spice some of their dishes, but it is just a warm comfort spice than one that kills your taste-buds. It was a place I enjoyed so thoroughly and I cannot wait to come back. read more

A reservation really doesn't mean a reservation with their dining room. Made it weeks ago for a special occasion and they tried to put us outside - it was 37'. Might be nice in the Spring but don't go in the winter or when it's raining (they handed us a blanket and the heaters were very weak - especially when someone is wearing a dress). They almost managed to destroy our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Luckily a restaurant around the corner saved the night. I would avoid. read more

Iron Gate sucks. I rarely write reviews but I need to warn DCists and the like to stay away from this place! Upon entering, we were not greeted. In fact, we were sneered at until we sat ourselves at the bar and made to feel like an inconvenience upon our arrival. While one bartender and a customer (who appeared to be their friend) stared down at us, another finally came along to first and foremost tell us that brunch was over and we could only order from a select menu. We sat down at 2:15 PM, which would've give n us plenty of time to order (orders for brunch had to be put in by 2:30 PM) - but again, we were not spoken to until we had been in the restaurant for 15 minutes. Most people would've left but it was so frigid and cold outside, we appreciated the heat at the least. We had to ask for a drink menu and a list of edible items to order at this weird time between lunch and dinner. By this time, their creepy (and I mean "Shining-esque" creepy) manager walked up and down the scale of the bar about ten times, without greeting us. To ensure he wasn't a psycho-killer and actually worked in the restaurant, we nodded and introduced ourselves. We ordered some really great wine that my friend picked out (no recommendations - this fatso bartender didn't really seem to have much of a discerning palate). The bartender loaded our glasses so that a swirl to aerate was impossible. We felt rushed - every time we took a sip of wine, he came by again to glug glug glug more wine into our glasses. When we finally ordered food, we went with stuffed figs (only 3 - for two people) that were incredibly dry, fried, stuffed olives (that were actually quite crisp and satisfying), and a plate of assorted meats and snacks (olives, parmesan crisps and some random, dried out wedge of cheese) that my dogs probably wouldn't have even looked at. After dissatisfaction and remaining hunger from our order, I asked if we could order a yogurt dish from the brunch menu. The bartender immediately said, "No. I'm not going to place an order for you guys for anything off of the brunch menu." The dish called for yogurt, assorted nuts/dried fruits and a honey glaze. No cooking required. I flagged down our creepster from earlier to ask him personally if he could request the kitchen to make the dish and he agreed. When the yogurt dish arrived, it was missing one of it's four main components - the drizzle of honey. Without it, it was unsweet. I told the bartender, who was unconditionally smug at this point since we went around his "authority," about the missing honey. He came up to our plate, stuck his nose over it - as if to question my ability to recognize whether or not honey was missing/I was lying about there not being any honey. Once we got his "approval," he came back with a bowl of honey. One final critique - It's really awful to have to walk outside of the restaurant to get to their restroom when it's freezing outside! I mean, what is that?! Again, Iron Gate Sucks read more

Wow is this place awesome. I started to write a really long review about my entire experience here, but you know what? You have to just go. JUST. GO. The food/drink is amazing and the ambiance is even better. read more

Iron gate made our night truly unforgettable. They were so careful around Covid protocols (which seems unfortunately rare) and the food was FANTASTIC. They went over the top when they found out it was our anniversary, and even ended the meal with a hand-written thank you note. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

This place is very busy so be sure to make a reservation in advance if you can. It's a very quaint spot in downtown DC. The service and food was very good. We ate at the bar and had the risotto, mixed chicory salad and our starter was grilled dates. read more

Soooo romantic. The ambience in the front bar area and in the back outdoor space is so pretty and cozy. Came here with a group of 4 on Wednesday night. Our waiter Dave was great - recommended a bottle of wine that we all loved, was attentive and kept the dinner paced well. The menu is pretty simple so he essentially helped us decide in ordering most things. My favorites were the Oysters & the risotto - so delicious. Definitely could have skipped the mixed veggies - included more citrus than vegetables and when there is grilled octopus and gnocchi to be enjoyed, we ended up ignoring them. Only hiccup was the hostess was strangely rude when we showed up late due to rain causing inevitable traffic - we apologized on arrival and a blonde woman was extremely kind and understanding, but then another woman took over and was very rude, acting like she couldn't find our reservation when the previous woman had already looked it up and then told us "Since we were late, they'll have to move some things around." Obviously we knew we were late and felt bad, but didn't find the sass necessary from an otherwise upscale place. And there were plenty of open tables. Past that, lovely experience. read more

Iron Gate's patio is the kind of place that dreams are made of. Their indoor space is really tiny, so I'm not sure what dining here is like when the weather is bad, but on a perfect, 75-degree, sunny-with-a-few-clouds, breezy day like when I came here for lunch, it was straight sun-dappled Heaven. I shared a bunch of dishes with my lunchmates, and was very pleased with the majority of what we tried! My absolute favorite was the burrata, hands down. My mouth is literally filling with saliva as I think about it. So heavenly. So creamy. So perfectly paired with the little pieces of sweet citrus that comes with. Mmmm. I also really enjoyed the pesto and clam pasta, as well the crispy potatoes with a lemony sour cream sauce. I was less a fan of the open-face pork gyro, and the sesame-crusted feta was beautiful presentation-wise, but I thought it might have been better if the feta pieces were smaller so there could have been a higher crust-to-cheese ratio. I liked the very shareable Greek donut dessert as well - they were super tiny (and I loooove tiny food, hehe), and were the perfect little sweet bite for all of us to partake in at the end of the meal, even though we were already stuffed. The rest of their desserts sounded absolutely divine, so I look forward to going back in the future and eating my way through the rest of the menu! read more

Perfect brunch spot. Food was great but only a few selections for brunch. We ordered a couple of entrees to share. They had a fire place and space heaters all around to keep people warm. Our server was great he anticipated our needs but also made sure our birthday celebration was a success. read more

Iron Gate - Ricotta pancakes, Two Olive Oil Fried Eggs, bifteki, shrimp salad - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This ambience is nice and romantic. The food tasted fine but nothing particularly stood out. All the dishes were pretty unoriginal. The drinks were great though! read more

The aesthetics at Iron Gate are second to none in DC. Seriously, the place is stunning all around: tucked away in one of the residential neighborhoods near Dupont Circle, Iron Gate occupies a narrow, row house-style structure and makes remarkably good use of its limited space. You'll find yourself in the bar area when you walk in, which has a sleek and stately old-world feel. I'm a sucker for details, and the combination of exposed brick, wooden shelving, and marble accents combine beautifully under what I think are the most attractively understated chandeliers I've ever seen. If the bar doesn't do it for you and the weather is nice, ask to be seated on the back patio, which has a lovely ivy-covered piece of latticework covering. Excellent spot for lunch during the day or for an evening happy hour. One of the few spots in the area where you can eat outside in relative quiet. Last but not least, the underground cellar room is exactly what you want from an underground cellar room: dark and moody with both a bar and a fireplace. Feels like a spot Poe might have enjoyed spending rainy afternoons while morbidly contemplating life. Count me in. I'd argue that the vibe alone is worth a trip to Iron Gate, but the changing menu of Mediterranean small plates seals the deal; I've never had a meal I didn't thoroughly enjoy. A few items on the current menu that shouldn't be missed: Arancini Spanakopita, Grilled Virginia Asparagus, Carmelized Ricotta Gnocchi, and Crispy Russet Potatoes. If you have enough self control to not completely gorge yourself by the time dessert time rolls around, reward yourself with the Crispy Greek Yeast Doughnuts (yes, I was skeptical about them the first time too, but you'll understand). The only bummer about the menu is also its biggest asset (see: revolving), so resist the urge to get attached to your favorites and try to go in with an open mind and palate. With regards to service, I've always found the staff to be timely, pleasant, helpful, and non-invasive. Iron Gate easily rates as a 5. A must-try if you're in the Dupont area. read more

this is one of my favorite DC restaurants of all time! I could not speak highly enough of the food and service here! I have been here multiple times and everything I have ever gotten has been out of this world! It is a great hidden gem of DC! read more

Visited Iron Gate for a birthday celebration. The restaurant was very intimate and romantic, especially the outdoor area. We ordered several plates to share, including the gnocchi, the pappardelle (with duck yolk!!!), the octopus and the buratta. The buratta was delicious! We wanted more. Papardelle was salty, but not bad - the duck yolk was almost shaved on top - not what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Gnocchi was ok. We asked to have this made without pork in the ragu, so maybe this was why it was missing flavor? But I probably wouldn't get this again - there are other places in the city with better gnocchi. Octopus was way too salty and very rubbery. I've had grilled octopus several times before, but I could tell it hasn't been sufficiently cooked before being grilled - leading to the rubbery like texture. We got the chocolate cake with grape sorbet for dessert - which was delicious! And they were super sweet and offered us an additional complimentary dessert! read more

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One hour after being seated, we received 1 small plate and 1 round of cocktails. Then 2 more dishes back to back. Both cold. After waiting for an hour???#HowSway Asked the waiter to re-make one of the 2 dishes, since I was starving and ate the other. He said he would send the manager out. Keep in mind - We did not ask for a manager. So when the manager appears at the table and asks "What can I do for you"? We were taken aback. So I had to repeat my original (and not unreasonable) request - that the dish we did not eat of the 2 cold dishes, be remade. About 7 minutes later, the remade dish followed by the last remaining dish we ordered came out. Service-wise; it sucked, even though we liked the waiter. The food - the warm food - that came...eventually. Like a Jamaican who says "soon come" was actually pretty good. Aside from the ambience, there would be nothing bringing me back to this place. DC has too many awesome restaurants for anyone to be held hostage by table candles, exposed wooden beams and Spanish tile flooring (In an Greek/Italian restaurant). read more

I went over to the tunnel of love pop up bar with a friend because of their tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. We tried four cocktails and I would highly recommend the "telltale heart" and the "you complete me". For me, the "stop and smell the cocktail" smelled really good(sort of like perfume) but I didn't enjoy the taste at all. We also had the death by chocolate. It was good but just a bit too heavy and creamy before a meal. Food wise, the oysters were fantastic and is definitely a must have. There was a smoky flavor to them that complimented the oyster taste. They had a bison tartare with beets shaped in a heart, which fit the theme perfectly and it tasted amazing. We also ordered the daily focaccia to go with it. They didn't think to cut it before serving and that made it hard to eat. We also ordered the chicken nevermore from their pop up menu. It's basically a chicken Parmesan but with a chicken foot hanging out of the plate. To be honest, I was a bit shocked when our waiter brought us the plate but it turned out to be pretty good, and the chicken foot didn't look that scary anymore. A word of advice: definitely go early! It seems that everybody heard about the bar and they are willing to wait for the next round of seats. So getting there a couple of minutes before opening would be a safe bet. We got there like half an hour after it opened and the bar was already full. Also, the event ends on February 15 so there's not that much time left. read more

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This has been on my list of places for a while and I'm glad I got to have a pre-Valentine's date here with my sweetheart. This place is hella popular, I made a reservation weeks in advance for a friday night and the earliest I could get was 9:15... The front bar was decorated beautifully for their Valentine's pop up, we decided to come a bit early to see if we could be seated earlier, but the dining room was still full. No one mentioned we could sit in any of the seats by the bar, and just told us we had to wait. We awkwardly stood around the bar, till someone got up and we got a round of valentine's drinks. I got the drink with vodka, st. germain, and cherry blossom and my boyfriend got the tinder negroni. My drink was pretty delightful with a scratch and sniff valentine attached. A little bit after our reservation time, a hostess approached us and said that the dining room was still full and THEN offered us to sit in the bar room...we decided we waited this long anyway (about 20 minutes) so why not wait a bit longer for the special dining room. About 15 minutes later, we got to be seated in the dining room, very dark, romantic, and COLD. We ordered the dates, bison tartare, focaccia, burrata, gnocchi, and chicken. I think the dishes that really stood out were the bison tartare and the gnocchi. The gnocchi was pretty amazing and I loved the spice. Most of the dishes were VERY lemon heavy. I love lemons but it was a lot. There was lemon zest in the dates, there was burnt lemons in the bread, there was a FRIED lemon slice in the chicken? I'm glad I didn't bite into that. Everything was pretty good, but the chicken was a disappointment. It was supposed to be chicken in some sort of hollandaise sauce, but when we got the dish we were surprised. The chicken came in bland meatballs with rice, the sauce was watery, and missed the mark for us. I think I'd come back in the summer for a night on the patio. The whole restaurant is gorgeous and historic. I think the Valentine's pop-up is very cute and I recommend it~ read more

Would not recommend. Food was fine. Service was extremely poor. Huge disappointment for a special occasion. Spend your money elsewhere. We were celebrating a birthday and requested to sit outside on the patio. Instead we were sat in the dining room. Not everybody can have what they request, so it wasn't a big deal. However, we would have appreciated the hostess communicating to us why our request was not met, and to have given us a nice cozy table inside. Instead we were sat at a table right in the middle of everything. Table preferences aside the service was terrible. Our waiter started off by giving us water right away but failed to offer to explain the menu or provide suggestions/ recommendations (6:30 PM). After seeing him initially he didn't return for another 15 minutes to take our drink order (6:45PM). It then took another 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive delivered by another server (7:00 PM). 30 minutes into our time, we had only seen our waiter twice, greeting and ordering drinks, and still had not placed our food order. We finally ordered our food (7:10PM), and proceeded to not see our waiter for the next hour. An hour after arriving we had only received our drinks and focaccia that we had ordered (7:37PM). As our plates slowly arrived over the next 30 minutes our waiter did not once come over to ask how we were enjoying our food. We both finished our drinks and it took the waiter 15 minutes to come over and ask if we'd like refills (8:00PM). At the end of the meal we asked for the check, 15 minutes later it arrived (8:15 PM). We immediately gave the waiter the card, ready to get out of there, but alas it took him another 15 minutes to even run the card. We finally left after 2 hours (8:30PM) extremely dissatisfied. Had we been enjoying ourselves we would have been happy to spend two hours dining. Instead we felt dismissed by the waiter's lack of communication and attentiveness. Two tables near us were sat after us and left before us. Other staff was rude as well. read more

I had been looking forward to coming to this place for YEARS! (I had this place mentally bookmarked before it closed down a few years ago, so I was very excited to see it open back up). Unfortunately, my experience was a bit underwhelming. The great: Location & Ambience were beautiful! I especially loved the courtyard. The good: Although the food was good, the menu was fairly limited, especially when it came to protein. I did love the gnocci and the risotto, but everything else was so-so. My cocktail was nicely made as well. The not so good: Service was very slow. Although we arrived on time for our reservation, it took several minutes for us to get seated. (This wouldn't have been so bad, had there not been a strong urine-like smell in the waiting area and around the bar. We ended up going back outside to wait. Very surprising for a restaurant of this caliber.) Once we were seated, it took another 5-10 minutes for someone to come to our table to even fill our water glasses. Throughout the night, we kept having to wait on the server, instead of it being the other way around. He never came to check on us after our food arrived, and by the time he asked us if we wanted a second round of drinks, we were finished and ready to leave. read more

I visited Iron Gate about a year ago, before the pandemic. My partner and I went for a special "treat" meal and it was the perfect place to go. It's a bit pricier than I would normally pay, but the food was absolutely worth it. It was a winter night, and we were seated in their back building, right next to a gorgeous roaring wood fire. One of the dishes we had, their ravioli, was truly one of the most incredible things I've ever tasted. I could have had three servings of it. It was the perfect place for a memorable evening. The ambiance is incredibly romantic :) A couple sitting nearby apparently got engaged there several years ago, and were back celebrating their anniversary. read more

A few days back, I met up with my beautiful friend, Rose Collins, at Iron Gate DC for serious noms. Prior to our lunch date, I'd never dined there, but it's def. my new fave restaurant in the DMV. If you live in the area and haven't tried their food yet, go - like, drop what you're doing right now and drive over STAT. Their grub is straight up magical, and I'm not messing around when I say they got EVERYTHING going on - presentation, ambiance, decor, taste = all 10s. Soooo, let's get to it! I'm just gonna jump right into the food because I'm mad excited to tell you guys all about my meal. We started with a smoked cod bruschetta, and it came with horseradish mascarpone, dill, and winter radish. I don't eat fish so I didn't get to try this, but my bf told me it was incredible. Oh, and I forgot to mention that we sampled a BUNCH of fabulous drinks as well. We got the Athens to La Paz, Nonstop (two mini-cocktails) and the Good God, Lemon! drank made with housemade limoncello (!!!!), crushed ice, and toasted marshmallow foam. Then we got a whole wheat flatbread with pea tendril pesto, sundried tomato, and almond. Anddddd their Pikilia platter, which was, hands down, the best platter I've ever gotten at a restaurant! It came with SO many yumz: marinated olives, house made mortadella, pecorino foglie de noce, fennel seed crackers, parsley-marcona almond salad, lamb keftedes with yogurt sauce, dill turnip pickles, almond crusted kefalograviera cheese, and spicy carrot pickles. EVERYTHING was seriously on point. I remember trying all the different stuffs and thinking, "how is everything so damn good?" Then came the crispy wild oysters with celery-apple salad and hackleback caviar. They came on a bed of beautiful stones, and the celery-apple salad provided a wonderful crunch, which I loved. Rose, the bf, and I munched on chili roasted pistachios while we waited for more goodies. Tossed in lemon, local honey, and sea salt, these nuts were jam-packed with flavor. I seriously had no idea they could taste so good? If you're looking for a light snack to enjoy while having cocktails for happy hour, I highly recommend these. Now, onto my FAVE dish of the day: the savory gyro bombolono with shaved pork + killer yogurt sauce. These were just straight up ridiculous! I remember seeing them and thinking, "hm, I'm pretty stuffed at this point, I wonder if I'll be able to eat them?" Andddd I downed them BOTH in 2 minutes flat because they were THAT amazing. The bread was soft and chewy, the filling was to-die-for delicious, and the yogurt sauce elevated errthang. The photos seriously don't do them justice! Take my word for it, and get this dish (or 3) - I promise that you'll love 'em. No meal would be complete without dessert: a lemon tart with meringue 2 ways with candied almonds, and cardamom gelato + orange blossom loukoumades. I'm usually not a huge fan of lemony desserts, but this tart was on POINT! The bf finished it, while I cleaned up the magic honey balls. For those of you wondering, they're dough puffs that are deep-fried and drizzled with sauce. Conclusion? I've dined at some pretty bamf places in my lifetime, and Iron Gate is (without a doubt) the best of the best. Make sure you guys check out their new midday menu! Prices are SURPRISINGLY low for both food + drink so take full advantage of it. I'm DEFINITELY going back soon - I promised my mom I'd take her so maybe you guys will see me there. Happy eating, everyone! read more

Amazing experience. Nestled in a residential street is the magical Iron Gate. The food and the charm are what make this restaurant a memorable experience. I highly recommend sitting in the main patio area. It's such a romantic, intimate, whimsical vibe--perfect for a date night. We were charmed by the outside patio. The "ceiling" is a lattice covered with grape leaves, with lights strung underneath. Tables are close together, but there is still a sense of privacy. We came rather late (10pm) and grabbed a drink at the bar inside while waiting for our table. They have a fantastic beer selection. I ordered the Baklava cocktail, which was interesting and tasty, but a bit heavy to drink before dinner. Once outside, we tried the orange wine from Georgia--fabulous flavor and I haven't seen this type before! I also loved that they offered a choice of still or sparkling water. We enjoyed: - Cumin spiked tahini dip, sumac, spring veggies, fennel seed crackers - Maplebrook Farm burrata with spearmint and cherries (so good!) - Spiced lamb sausage, braised greens, vinegar, rhubarb mostarda - Charred Octopus, crispy potatoes, spring onions, calabrian chili aioli (our favorite!!) - Egg dough gemelli, braised Pennsylvania rabbit, tomato, olive, mustard Service was great and the food was amazing, but the ambience is what made this restaurant one of my top 5! read more

I came to Iron Gate after I gave up trying to find a bar in DuPont that wasn't insanely packed or one in which I didn't have to yell to talk to the person I'm with. Iron Gate fit the bill perfectly; you've got a long, narrow spot with a decently sized, quaint bar and a few tables on either end. The food is excellent-- it is pricey and portions are small but that's standard fare at this sort of establishment. The old fashioned that I had was very good and the wine selection is expansive. If you're looking for a place to take someone that's a bit more upscale and relaxed than your standard DC fare, Iron Gate is a solid bet (just be prepared to pay extra). read more

The restaurant food wise would have been 4 stars if not for our waitress. The restaurant itself is jaw dropping; the exterior is mesmerizing and you know you're in for a treat when the outside resembles almost like a mini castle. The hostess was very sweet and accommodating, and we sat in the downstairs dining room which was very romantic and intimate. Our waitress is truly what soured the night; she was very unattentive and borderline rude. We had to ask a couple of times for drinks and little things, and she wasn't as helpful as someone you would expect for a restaurant with this kind of ambiance and prices. Food wise was very good, although I would give the food 4, maybe 4.5 but not a perfect 5. The best dish was the halloumi cheese appetizer and the pesto pasta; we also ordered the radish salad which was OK and the meat grill platter. Some of the meats on there, like the rabbit and steak, were great while some was just OK. The potatoes on there were almost burnt and oily. It was good, but not the best. Overall, I would be back and try other dishes for another try. I also wish the restaurant offered valet parking because it is literally impossible to find parking in anywhere near DuPont. While I do appreciate we can us next door's parking, it would be great if it was connected to the restaurant. read more

Iron Gate - $75 meat platter. Really good, not sure $75 good - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Excellent service, food was superb and the atmosphere perfect for a relaxing evening out. Looking around a quiet residential feeling neighborhood area. Very rustic with an inside/open air courtyard dining area in addition to interior dining areas. Perfect location for beautiful Spring, summer or fall dining. You will not be disappointed, unless you think red lobster is a great place to eat. read more

What is it with the wait staff at this place? Snooty and abrupt. Just really bad. The food is great tho. And why rush people with 75 minute reservations? It's a terrible way to start a meal to be told you need to vacate the premises so soon. And I don't remember being told that when I made the rez. And this was not a prime time reservation. They just really need an attitude adjustment. Asked for a glass of grapefruit or cranberry juice as a side so I could make a mimosa, and was told no, the bar was closed and I could only order drinks from the cocktail menu. I know times are tough, but come on people. I want this place to succeed but there needs to be a culture shift. read more

What a great experience! The atmosphere is lovely. We were seated in the back room which was so cozy-even had a roaring fire! All the employees from the host to the kitchen staff were happy and smiling. Our server was excellent. The chef sent us out a complimentary dish of hummus as an appetizer. At the end of our meal our friendly sever brought us a little container of their house rub and a thank you note which was such a nice touch. In all my years I've never had that happen at a restaurant. AND the food was delicious. When I am in the DC area again I will definitely go again. Do yourself a favor and go eat at this fantastic place! read more

This place is beautiful and delicious, but the staff can be a little frustrating. The host was kind of snarky when explaining the reservation policy over the phone, and the server left us hanging multiple times (plus forgot the drink order). Otherwise the food is tasty. I highly recommend the sesame crusted feta. read more

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

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First Impressions- Set back from the main drag in Dupont, the approach to Iron Gate is quiet and lit by dim lamps. The Hostess was very nice, and as we were a bit early for our 9:15 reservation, offered us the choice of waiting for a table in the main dining room, or taking a table next to the bar. Ambiance: Each room in Iron Gate is warm and with its own charm. Would have enjoyed sitting at the patio, but it was raining. Our table in the first room next to the bar was perfect, and made for a quick cocktail delivery. Food: Excellent! We ordered several small plates, all of which we enjoyed. The only aspect of the meal which I felt was misplaced was the Focaccia bread, which i would not recommend, as there are so many other great options. The Bison Tartare and Oysters were phenomenal, and the cocktails were even better! Highly Recommended! read more

On a cold MLK weekend Saturday night, the Iron Gate Inn has the feel of an enclave of DC cognoscenti. I entered on the bar side, and headed though the patio area to the dining room, where an expertly made fire blazed. Deviled eggs, Brussels sprouts salad and an exquisite Greek wine set the stage for the sweet potato lasagna, a sheep in wolf's clothing. Like a lactinated triceratops, the lasagna had a moussaka filling top layer capped with oozing melted cheese and decadent spikes of fried cheese crisps. Within this seeming monument to the dairy arts, al dente sweet potato slices trade places with soft lasagna noodles. The serving was enough for four. From the setting to the service to the menu, this was a great experience, but I've taken a star off for the lack of a fresh salad on the menu. With the lasagna as our centerpiece, I was hoping for a lighter side dish to balance. The Brussels sprouts were lighter than I expected, and the lemon zest really perked up the deviled eggs, but my palate craves something cleansing with rich food. read more

This place is a gem! Found it online and the hotel concierge said it was really good when I asked him about it. Food was outstanding. Started with feta & roasted chili dip and roasted dates with ricotta. Ended with roasted Cremini mushrooms, hazelnut, and fried rosemary risotto. This place is small and tucked in between brownstones but so worth the wait. read more

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