Everything about this restaurant was outstanding! We ordered one of each appetizer and all of them…read morewere great!

I've forgiven them for the brunch experience. This spot remains one of my fave Mediterranean in DC!…read moreThe food and flavors are amazing and it's a great spot for a date or happy hour with friends. The labneh is always a must!

Going to Barcelona Wine Bar has been the most fantastic exhilarating nights I have enjoyed in my…read morepast 52 years of life. My husband Dave and I go almost every month and the food and drinks are fantastic! I will say this restaurant draws a very young audience, but nonetheless we are always down to boogie. My favorites have been the goats whipped cheese, flank steak, patatas bravas, and the empanadas! And the drinks to absolutely die for! I always start Dave and I off with a pitcher of sangria, red of course, but he's not too keen on the fruity drinks so he always gets a beer. Overall experience is a 10000/10 am definitely going back next month. Xoxo Kathy!

One of my favorite go-to spots whenever I'm in DC! Barcelona never disappoints. The food is always…read morefresh, flavorful, and phenomenal, and the ambiance is top-tier. Plus, you never know who you might see while you're there! They also have a great Happy Hour with a really nice selection of food and drinks. Now, I've never been a gimlet girl, but after trying their Richmond Gimlet, my palate was officially expanded! A gimlet is now one of my favorite cocktails. The unfortunate part is that everybody can't make a GOOD gimlet, even though it seems like such a simple cocktail. Barcelona definitely gets it right! If you're looking for good music, a great crowd, delicious food, and even better drinks, definitely check out Barcelona. It's always a vibe!

Retrobottega just happened to be a hop, skip, and a jump from our hotel…read more A friend recommended it, and as soon as we sat down I understood why-everyone is so friendly and accommodating. A gentleman who worked there offered to take a photo of us, after watching us struggle with a selfie, the staff quickly grabbed an extra chair when we had a 5th guest, and our waitress was attentive, knowledgeable and sweet. While waiting for the rest of our party I tried two drinks. I can recommend both- retro passion and bourbon ginger beer concoction. We followed that with arancini and fried artichoke. Yes and yes. For the main meals, they generously let us slip large portions. I tried the short rib parpadelle, and although a tad under seasoned, everything was prepared properly and my pasta was perfectly al dente. Out of the 5 who visited 3 did not care for their meal, but I think we could all agree that the drinks, apps, and portions were on point. *So, we ended up grabbing dinner here two days after our initial visit- I can't say I recommend the octopus, and the beef carpaccio was "take it or leave it", but the gnocchi was pillowy perfection...just know that this is a heavy dish!

Finally a restaurant in Adam's Morgan that I would actually want to come back to!…read more Food exceeded our expectations- I had the ossobuco w veal shank - melted off the bone and the only bad part about the risotto is that there wasn't enough of it! The complimentary bread was absolutely divine. One of us got the bruschetta and it was beautiful (and delicious). The space is small but doesn't feel cramped. What really stood out though was the service. We were a little early on our Resi before the restaurant opened. Rather than have us wait in the rain, the staff let us in. They don't split checks, but they did it for us anyway. It's those kinds of little gestures that really make a difference. Bonus- great leychee martini.

Legit HH and great food. Met up with my old college roommate before the wizards season opener and…read morethis place got us fed well. I ordered patatas bravas twice (crispy and filling), the beef sliders (tender but needed a bit more sauce), mushroom croquetas (tasty and small) , and the shishito margarita (refreshing). Everything was great and our server was on point, always checking to make sure we were good. The inside is pretty spacious and decorated well. Great place for date night honestly. I'm definitely bringing my wife here in the future.

This was...decent. My friend and I got the chef's seasonal tasting menu. This tasting menu started…read moreout carb-heavy: pan con tomate, flatbread with hummus, jamon serrano with toasted bread, dukkah-spiced sweet potato. The bread in both the pan con tomate and the jamon serrano was stale. Then came the grilled goat cheese salad (good) and the chicken skewers (also good). The shrimp with bacon was bland. The seafood paella was overcooked. The crema catalena was good, as were the churros. Best thing was probably the drink, the Adult Summer Camp was delightful and had a bit of a kick. Some good dishes but for the most part, the execution was uneven.

Ambar-Capitol Hill…read more Overall Rating: (5/5 Stars) Very few restaurants make group dining and holiday celebrations as effortless as Ambar does. For $50, you get two hours of unlimited food, with the option to add five premium dishes for $20 and unlimited drinks for another $25. That's two hours of endless food, flowing libations, and a guaranteed good time. What I love most is how easy Ambar makes it to gather your favorite people around a table, explore Balkan flavors, and enjoy the experience without the headache of coordinating everyone's orders. Good food, good drinks, and even better company. Now THAT is my kind of celebration! Food: Premium +$20 * Tuna Tartare * Scallops * Branzino * NY Strip * Lamb Chops Beginning: For the Table * Kajmak * Ajvar * White Bean Hummus Soups & Salads * Balkan Salad Chef's Signatures * Fried Chicken * Lamb Lasagna Vegetables * Brussels Sprouts Meat & Poultry (Classic Slow Roasted) * Slow-Cooked Pork Seafood * Drunken Mussels * Grilled Shrimp Baked * Meat Pie Service: One of my favorite things about Ambar is how seamlessly the dining experience flows. Dishes arrive as they're ready, so the table becomes a revolving door of plates, flavors, and new things to try. There's no pressure to order everything at once or coordinate everyone's meals. You simply eat, enjoy, and request another round of whatever you loved. And when the drinks are flowing just as effortlessly as the food, you've got yourself a PARTY! It's the kind of relaxed, interactive dining experience that makes hosting a group feel less like work and more like an actual celebration.

When I walked into Ambar on a weeknight, with no reservations, I was read a rather extensive…read morelaundry list of things I needed to consider: Did I want, for $50 per person, an unlimited dinner where I could try as much as everything I wanted? Did I want to add to that, for an additional cost, the option of unlimited drinks? Did I understand that these offerings were for a 2-hour window only? Did I know that all bottles of wine were 50% off this night? Did I have reservations? As fun as the unlimited dining and drink options sounded, all I really desired was a good dinner and that's exactly what I got here. My dinner at Ambar proved to be my favorite of all those consumed during a recent 10 night string of dining out. Ambar features a dense menu filled with the tiniest of print, and a huge array of offerings. They're a small chain of restaurants serving what they refer to as Balkan cuisine which, as it turns out, covers quite a large swath of Earth. Whatever you do, don't miss the Spreads Tasting ($12) as it's a great introductory plate of tartness featuring nothing but delicious flavors. Ajvar, white bean hummus, beet tzatziki, marinated olives, pickles, and freshly baked pita could almost be a small meal for one. To follow the spreads we shared Lamb Lasagna ($19) (luscious and rich with a both tomato sauce and a creamy Bechamel) and Brussels Sprouts with bacon, served in a bed of lemon-garlic yogurt. Everything was a perfect explosion of flavors, all savored along with a great bottle of Serbian wine (Radovanovic Cabernet, $63 but priced at half that for the evening special). Seating is upstairs, in a bar area at the back of the ground floor entry, at a couple of tables just inside the front door, and at outside tables in front of the restaurant. The upstairs seating looked particularly attractive; make reservations in advance to secure it. Ambar is a restaurant I'd not just happily return to but one I'd actually seek out wherever I might again find it.

Came to Boqueria during DC's Winter Restaurant Week and had a great time! It was a good deal too,…read moreand I left so full. Started off with the "Taste of Spain" which included Pan con tomate, Aged manchego, Jamón Ibérico de bellota, and Boquerones con naranja. Since I couldn't eat the latter two, the server said they could double the first two, which was so appreciated. For my first course, I chose the Escalivada (fire-roasted eggplant, red pepper, labne yogurt, fresh herbs, olive oil, served with focaccia) and Croquetas de setas (creamy mushroom croquettes with truffle aioli). The Escalivada was tasty, but more on the tangy side; the bread was more crostini-like than focaccia. The Croquetas were so good: creamy, savory, umami inside and crunchy outside. Next, I got the Zanahorias (spiced baby carrots, sweet and sour reduction, orange honey yogurt, mojo verde, Marcona almonds) and Patatas bravas (crispy potatoes, salsa brava, pimentón, garlic aioli). When I tell you those carrots had me dreaming about them later, I'm not kidding- all of the different flavor combos paired with the perfectly cooked carrots were amazing. The Patatas bravas was pretty classic- crispy potatoes with creamy aioli and tangy tomato sauce. Finally, for dessert, I had the Tarta de naranja (orange olive oil cake, citrus-honey yogurt), and my friend had the Tarta vasca de chocolate (Basque chocolate cheesecake, macerated strawberries, chantilly cream). Both were tasty, but the Tarta de naranja was so good: perfectly dense cake, refreshing citrus, and great contrast with the yogurt. For my drink, I got the Forget-Me-Not refrescante (butterfly pea flower, thyme, honey, lime, ginger beer). Very interesting drink, not sure I'd order again but it was good. Service was great, super willing to accommodate my vegetarian dietary restrictions. Ambiance is really nice, very modern and elegant. Very accessible by metro, just a short walk from the station. 10/10 would recommend!

First... man the chairs were UNCOMFY. Theres two types of stools and the padded one feels slightly…read moreslanted forward and small. But anyways Paella was delicious, the flavor profile was super fun. We got the short rib and seafood, and we all preferred seafood as the short rib was a bit heavy. The fish in it was crispy and so good, especially with the green sauce- nice herby and refreshing contrast. The figs were interesting and fun. But not that filling... I did not like the patatas... sauce was good but the potato itself had none of its own seasoning and was tough. Yes crispy but not pillowy inside. The octopus was delicious and super tender. Would come back for seafood paella and charcuterie.

This restaurant has a lovely ambiance being in the expansive lobby of a fancy hotel. The Denver…read moresteak was also delectable but really expensive. The oxtail croquettes were very good, with the bechamel sauce being lovely and good quality. The cocktails were interesting, especially the liquid nitrogen. The service was attentive and kind. The salmon though came in a su vide bag and they made a show of cutting it in front of us which I thought was weird. It's a lot of money to pay for food that isn't even fresh and cooked in plastic. I also didn't love the taste though my husband did. I thought it was kind of bland. I overall thought it was very good and enjoyable experience particularly the ambiance and steak, but very expensive for what it is. I don't think I'd come again.

Upscale Dining. The waiter was such a delight and personable!…read more We really enjoyed the oxtail croquetas and potato's bravas. We did the Chuleton Ribeye which was good but not mind blowing. The smoked oysters were great quality! The caipirinha was refreshing and the old fashioned was strong.

First time in Washington. Came here with a friend before a concert. We had an amazing time. We…read morechose to sit outside and the weather was wonderful. I expected it to be cooler considering it was late October, but it was just a wonderful time. Due to not thinking clearly, we ordered (2) 5 course tasting meals. So, for those of you counting at home, that means a total of 10 courses. Because we are rocket scientists, we figured out our mistake after course 6 or 7. We were there for almost two hours and we had a wonderful time. The deep fried eggplant with honey and lemon zest was incredible. A standout. A wonderful time was had by all.

We were lucky to get a parking spot out front on a Friday for lunch! Staff are a bit prickly given…read morethe location in the heart of DC and possibly the move along service is due to the majority business lunch traffic. Food was good but a bit pricy - probably due to location. Love their interpretation of a Paper Plane drink.

My friend made a happy hour reservation for us at Causa Amazonia on a Friday afternoon. When we…read morearrived, the place wasn't too crowded yet, though there were a handful of patrons at the bar. It filled up quickly after we arrived. The rooftop is beautiful and fun. The staff was phenomenal. In addition to providing great service, they were also personable and a pleasure to chat with. My friend and I ordered the following: Maracuya high ball Pisco sour Anticucheria Cebiche Scallops Both of the cocktails were excellent and well-balanced. Mine was the pisco sour, but I had a sip of my friend's maracuya high ball. We enjoyed them so much that we decided to order another round, especially since neither of us were driving that day. The food was equally delicious. The salmon anticucheria was incredibly tender and melted in my mouth. The cebiche tasted fresh and the scallops were cooked to perfection. Loved our visit at Amazonia and would happily return!

Beautiful restaurant, seemingly attentive staff and beautiful looking food, but you can't pay me to…read morego back. We decided to get a few nibbles while waiting for our friend to arrive. Ceviche Nikkei, beef heart, filet and mushroom skewers and their scallops. Also got a couple of cocktails which became a Herculean task to get a straw from anyone. I scored after the third request. Yay? The ceviche was tuna and had so much sinew that after two pieces I gave up. The skewers came out and were so sauced up that you couldn't taste anything, and they were luke warm at best. Lastly, the scallops had so much Parmesan that that is all you taste. Let's just say that I couldn't stay after that, we paid and decided to go to a good restaurant, maybe McDonald's?

I was in Washington D.C. for the weekend and tried this amazing Mediterranean place for lunch. My…read morefriend who recommended this place has been obsessed with the food here and I can totally see why. We ordered mushroom kapnista, Halloumi pide, zaatar pide, htipiti and everything was so delicious. I'm not sure if I enjoyed the combination of dates and mushrooms together but really loved the smoky mushroom by itself. I was also very impressed with the Zaatar pide, it was cheesy and delicious. For desert we ordered greek yogurt with apricot and it was probably the best thing we tried here. The ambience is classy and they have ample of seating space. The overall meal didn't cost us as much as I thought it was, the prices were fairly reasonable!

Came here on a Friday early evening with a friend, got the:…read more- soujouk pide: tasty soujouk sausage and a good amount of it, chewy pide crust - scallops: 3 scallops on the plate with yogurt, quite tasty! Scallops were cooked just right. - kebab platter with lamb, kofte, chicken and adana kebabs served with tomato, onion and garlic toum: super tasty meats, really enjoyed every single one of them. Juicy and flavorful! So much food too, and the toums were delicious too. The ongoing free hot, fresh pita was amazing as well. Great service, sat outside under heat lamps which was awesome. Really enjoyed the experience here! Quite pricey though.