Jardenea, tucked away inside the Melrose Hotel, is a restaurant serving New American cuisine. This is a great place if you're looking to impress for a great date. The restaurant is modern, upscale and quite trendy. However, when we came on New Year's Eve, I thought the food was okay, nothing spectacular. Maybe the fact that it was a 6 course $90 price fixe menu had something to do with it. Generally, for a restaurant that doesn't normally offer a price fixe menu, this could be the issue. I thought that the food, although well presented, was not very well seasoned. I thought the duck was quite bland and other courses. Also, the steak received varied among each one of us (I went with 5 others). Everyone asked for Med-Rare and people received steaks Rare to Well Done. This is what I thought was a serious flaw for a restaurant with so much potential. I thought the experience was great and I would definitely come back. We'll just try on a normal night and see if the food is more up to par. read more

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For various reasons, we decided to do thanksgiving out this year versus at home. That was actually tough because so many restaurants were closed for thanksgiving. I ran across this place and was pleasantly surprised that for a restaurant inside a hotel, it was farm to table with great options for everyone in the family. (We were eight, with some vegetarians, some gluten free, some vegan, some didn't care) For thanksgiving they had a traditional turkey plate, but we all ordered off their special menu for the day. I had the crab bisque and the lemon risotto. Others had the salmon, crab cakes, sea bass, and pork tenderloins. So we pretty much covered everything on the menu. The bisque was a little salty, but everyone seemed to enjoy everything on the menu. The staff was attentive (we made reservations, but when we got there we seated ourselves as there does not seem to be a host to receive and sit you) and very nice. They had some very nice cocktails as well. All in all I would say this is a worthwhile place and given that they were open on thanksgiving deserves some credit. I am not sure that this was the A team cooking or serving, given the day, so will need to go back to see how different it is on a regular day. BTW - the hotel was not too shabby. read more

Jardenea - a man sitting at a table in a restaurant - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My husband and I went during DC Restaurant Week and dinner was beyond my expectations. We did have some trouble finding it originally because the restaurant entrance was not well marked. But we had a great meal and our waiter was really attentive. We both got mixed drinks, that was ok. I could take it or leave it. For the food though, I would definitely return. I got a soft shell crab appetizer and a steak for my main. My husband got crab bisque, steak and we split a chocolate cake dessert. Not going to lie the appetizers were too salty. My husband agrees that someone went too heavy on the salt. But our main entrees (steaks with brussel sprouts and truffle mashed potatoes) was so good. The steak was cooked exactly at the temperature we ordered with delicious flavor throughout and with a light char. The sides were also equally delightful. We were both really happy with our food. Also the portions were huge, hence why I didn't end up getting dessert. read more

I subtracted one star due to ambiance. While the restaurant decor looked great, I could barely hear my bf speaking from across the table because they were having this huge company happy hour in the bar area. After an hour, most of the people had left and then we could finally hear that there was music playing in the restaurant! The food was impressive. I had the pappardelle carbonara (not exactly the name but basically) which was phenomenal. Probably the creamiest (and most caloric...) pasta dish I've ever had. But so good! My boyfriend had the cider marinated pork, which was also delicious but not quite as delicious as mine. We shared the ice cream trio, which was great. Cocktails were very alcoholic. Too strong for me. And I chose the one that sounded the sweetest and least alcoholic... Pretty expensive but worth it. I would consider it again for a celebratory dinner of some kind. read more

Jardenea - Pretty decor - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Surprisingly great! We went for a Sunday dinner, and the place was essentially empty. Not to worry, just meant we got great service! Pros: - Food was delicious, barring one exception. - Theater Prix Fix is a good deal- 44 dollars for a three course meal. - Bread was excellent - Lobster BLT salad was very good - Smoked duck w/savory pancake entree was excellent! Cons - A la carte menu seems a bit overpriced, and prix fix options are only about 66% of the full menu. - Sole stuffed with lobster was not good at all- texture was way off. Avoid! Context matters, here. All in all, I'd say this is a perfect theater dinner spot, and it's an excellent spot if you have a group with some picky eaters- most of the food is well-crafted but "normal." (Man, there is no way to say that without sounding snobby). Just... don't get the sole. read more

Great service (the British accent waiter :)), great food and awesome hotel! This places located inside Melrose hotel. I'm staying here again next time when I'm in town read more

Jardenea - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Jardenea is located in the Melrose Georgetown Hotel, off of Pennsylvania Avenue. The restaurant takes pride in offering a menu using ingredients from sustainable farms, fisheries, foragers, and artisans, maintaining a good relationship with local farms. A breakfast/lunch/dinner/lounge/dessert menus are offered, and a group of us came here to try out their dinner options. I really liked how they broke down the menu, labeling each plates as being 'Kettle to Table,' 'Garden to Table,' 'Sea to Table,' etc. We ordered: Kettle Seared Duroc Pork Belly (Chapel's creamery bue cheese, date puree, baby arugula, and aged balsamic glaze; the pork belly had the right amount of fat, making it juicy and flavorful, and the date puree and the balsamic glaze gave it a nice sweet note); Cherry Glen Farms Goat Cheese Salad (shaved beets, baby arugula, marcona almonds, and dressed in an orange blossom honey vinaigrette; I love orange blossom, so having this to dress the greens made it nice and refreshing); Maine Lobster Pappardelle (fresh English peas, cipollini onions, roasted fennel, blistered tomato and tarragon; while the lobster chunks were fresh, the tarragon seemed to be slightly overpowering); Citrus Brined Duroc Pork Chop (roasted garnet yams, cipollini puree, wilted mustard greens, and a pomegranate demi; the pork was a medium well, but make sure you request the specific temperature you would like - I personally like my meats cooked all the way through, especially pork and poultry!); and, the Grass Fed Filet of Beef (with white truffle dauphinoise potatoes, haricot vert beans, and a shallot demi-glaze; I love haricot vert, and these had a nice little snap; the white truffle potatoes were decadent and would be pleasing for any truffle lover). For dessert, we shared a Caramel Creme Brulee (topped with fresh berries) and a Chocolate Mousse Profiteroles (with crusted candied pecans and bitter caramel - this just made it a sweet tooth-satisfying ending to the meal). I liked the hotel interior, as it was modern and chic, with tufted sofas, glossy flooring, and a quiet vibe. +located inside the Melrose +reservations accepted +farm-to-table-oriented menus read more

Excellent, excellent, excellent. 1st. Waiter was on point! Very knowledgeable of menu and combinations of foods. Incredible recommendations. Very timely and efficient. Food. Amazing. Every dish! All 3 courses. Crab cake. Flavors on this dish were a roller coaster! Cherry Beet arugula goat cheese salad. - perfect and refreshing. Filet. Presentation amazing, cooked to perfection. We will definitely be back. 1st time in a long time my wife raved about every dish! Check pics. . read more

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The restaurant is in the front of the Melrose Hotel. When you enter go immediately to your right toward the dining tables. The mood was quiet and classy and the staff was attentive. We went for breakfast with our two boys. The menu was great. Traditional breakfast favorites with some add IBS to make a little more special. Kids had pancakes and waffles. Perfect. I had eggs Benedict with salmon. It was done very well with home fries like potato chips. My wife had an omelette to order. Food came out in good time and seemed fresh. All in all the food was great and just what we were looking for, for our first day in the city. Only downside is price. For the four of us it was a hundred bucks with tip. Won't be doing that every day but we did expect it to be expensive for being in DC and in a hotel. So I was not surprised. read more

Phenomenal!! Had a salad and crab bisque and both were miles above my expectations. A nice glass of Sauvignon blanc and I'm good to go. Did I mention their bread is also delicious? And my waiter was absolutely delightful. read more

Jardenea - Salad - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Made reservations for dinner before heading to see a show at nearby Kennedy center. The restaurant is tucked away into the hotel and hard to find. Menu is simple and leaves a bit to be desired. Service is painfully slow. So slow we couldn't finish our dinner because we were going to miss our show. Just imagine waiting 20 minutes to order drinks (we ended up ordering drinks and our meals at the same time). We would have easily had another round of drinks if the servers ever came around. When my steak finally arrived the plate was burning hot (an indication that it was been sitting in the window for a good while) and the steak has been more medium than the medium rare I ordered (probably due to sitting under a lamp). With that said, the food was tasty and on par with expectations. It's the lousy, slow servers that ruined this place. read more

While staying at The Melrose hotel I decided to take advantage of eating at lobby bar that is part of the restaurant. And I must say I am very pleased with the food, and while everyone around me t small plates I decided to satisfy my burger craving ... the burger was simple, but very good. All was very fresh, and tasted like a back yard bbq burger. Didn't love the fries but maybe for the better... saved some calories and got a glass of red wine. read more

After having eaten my way through DC the past five years, I was surprised to find myself surprised at the quality of Jardenea. Promoted as a "farm-to-fork" restaurant serving American cuisine that's also located inside a hotel, I definitely has some doubts at first. But the few reviews convinced me to give it a try and the food/service convinced me to come back. My girlfriend and I came by on Valentine's Day, where they served up a succulent five-course pre-fixe meal. And by no means were they small courses either. The first course offered up three perfectly fried oysters over polenta that provided a perfect opener. That was followed by an extremely generous and buttery slice of foie gras over a piece of french toast, using the sweetness to cut through the richness of fancy duck livers. After throwing in a very simple palate cleanser, the main course was a surf and turf combination of butter poached lobster and filet medallion that still has me drooling over my keyboard. Dessert may have been the only dish where I didn't lick my plate clean before reluctantly handing it off to the server, but it was a very Valentine's Day appropriate plate of strawberries and chocolate mousse. Granted our experience was on the most Hallmark of holidays, but I imagine that the quality of the food and the attentiveness of the service (when our server realized that they skipped our third-course palate cleanser, he immediately offered up a complimentary glass of wine to make up for the oversight) holds up on an everyday occasion. If there was one complaint, it would be that the restaurant is located right in the lobby of the Melrose Hotel, which means that depending on where you sit, you can definitely hear the foot traffic and the conversations of those enjoying the hallway lounge/couches. But overall, a very small price to pay. read more

Let me say this before starting the main portion of this review: the food was exquisite overall and presented beautifully at every turn. The flatware sparkled and the napkins were elegantly folded - although strangely enough there were two of them for each person present at the table. All of the food on the menu is locally sourced, coming from nearby Virginia and Maryland for the most part. Some notable exceptions to this rule (on my visit) were the Hawaiian Sea Bass and Alaskan Salmon. This is fantastic, although they will serve you $7 per bottle Norwegian bottled water if you ask for water. For an American restaurant this is immensely strange. Try asking for tap water if you don't want to pay for it. Also of note: the restaurant itself is difficult to find as it is located in the lobby of the Melrose Hotel and is completely unmarked from the outside. The hostess standing at a blank glass table outside is the only clue that a restaurant can be found somewhere within. Jardenea gets four stars because the entire restaurant must have been powered by awkwardness. The light fixtures and I am sure every appliance in the kitchen run on the tangible uneasiness felt by diners here. Within 10 minutes of sitting down, the waitstaff had come to our table perhaps half a dozen times to accomplish such difficult feats as helping us get our napkins in our laps and pouring the absurdly expensive water. Dessert took quite an effort to order as there are no menus for it and the hostess had to serve as emissary between us and our waitress (who by this point was AWOL). We ordered a chocolate souffle which was also delicious, but took 25+ minutes to emerge from the ghostly depths of the kitchen. During this time, the manager apologized twice (without need) and offered us free champagne - which we declined the first time... and which then arrived without our asking. He said it made him feel better. This effort would have ended the night at 5 stars on flavor alone had our check come within thirty minutes of our finishing the meal. Throughout the evening, our waitress, another waiter, the hostess, and the manager approached us multiple times - and while eating our entrees (a delicious duck duo with Asian pears) the manager and our waitress watched us eat from the corner of the front dining area. As disconcerting as this was, there was no weirder point in the evening than when the ultra-ultra-attentive waitstaff completely abandoned us after we had finished eating. The food is probably worth the trip - but do bring your patience and dine a little later in the evening if you don't want to be alone with the watchful waitstaff while you eat. read more

A hidden gem? We were having a terrible time finding a highly rated place for dinner, we were on foot and calling ahead to restaurants all along the way back to our hotel. When we called Jardenea, they said they would have a table waiting and they did! Waiter was extra helpful running to the bar to inquire whether they stocked or could make our fave drink. I am gluten free and they brought out a basket of very edible gluten free bread, a nice, rare touch! I ordered the Brussels sprouts as my main- excellent and my man ordered the scallops an reports that they were perfectly done. Dessert was warmed Frangelico. We would come back and we would recommend! read more

The question is: are you looking more for ambiance or food? At Jardenea it is all about the culinary experience. As soon as we sat down our server handed us menus and asked if we had been there before; we said no and thus she detailed their incredible farm to table and all organic menu making sure we knew the background of our meals and the M.O. of the restaurant. Before taking our drink orders our server asked us if we had any allergies so she would be able to alert the chefs ahead of time (much appreciated, as I do!) I ordered the crab cake and avocado tian followed by the Hawaiian sea bass and my companion ordered a glass of merlot and the hand rolled pappardelle. The crab cake and avocado tian was very good, it was refreshing and light, a little large for an appetizer but the kickers were really the entrees. The sea bass was exquisite, seared to golden mean really and sitting on a little bed of grits surrounded by haricorts verts and cherry tomatoes. The pappardelle was delicious too. The dish was sort of a play on classic carbonara with pappardelle noodles, thick bacon fat, fresh peas and a beautifully poached egg on top. I preferred the sea bass but my partner preferred the pappardelle so we chose well. Jardenea is not about the ambiance. I had a $28 entree and there was no tablecloth on the table nor was there a candle or any sort of decor. I'm not sure the chairs are real leather and there are terrifying hanging modern art pieces of chandeliers painted on glass that looked to me like they were done with blood. The music sounded like a cross between early 2000s techno and a Moby track I just couldn't put my finger on. It was not romantic. But, this is to my taste. I like a tablecloth at dinner, and the little bare rectangular tables just make me think of hotel breakfasts when I'm traveling. Perhaps it was that we went for dinner in the middle of week? They also happened to be out of sparkling water, but that's really no issue. The service is fantastic, and the food was truly exemplary. Something I thought interesting and positive was that after every course our server wanted our feedback on how we enjoyed our meal (both about presentation and taste). They really are all about the food. And it's damn good food. read more

Breakfast at Jardenea was perfection. From the service to the food. Omelet with spinach, bacon, tomato and Swiss was delish. We even ordered again the following day. The blueberry pancakes are the best we have ever had...forgot to get a picture...however, they were the freshest blueberries. Alem and Maria were attentive and courteous. We can't wait to come back. read more

Jardenea - a plate of breakfast food on a table - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ugh, here I go again with a less than positive review. I hate doing this! This was supposed to be a super-cool evening. If you want to go to the Kennedy Ctr by shuttle from the F/Bottom Metro, this place is super-convenient. You can get off the metro, walk here, get on the shuttle! EZ Piecy, nice and easy! I hope this will work out for you. I was there for the price fixe menu which was not cheap, especially if you tack on the wine pairing. Let me just say there was very few things that caused this demotion of stars, but let me focus on the good. I loved the first courses more than the fish. I loved the appetizer--type first courses more than the fish for sure, but the rack of lamb was way way way overkill for calories and just stomach space. We couldn't finish it. (A few days later I saw a menu for another restaurant that does the same thing, two types of meat (fish is a meat!) along with the other courses. The desserts were good, except for this spongey flan thing that was like eating a shoe. The service here was worth the 35% tip I put down, and the wine selections were on 3/5 times. Its not really worth it if you know wines. So....awesome service, good to very good food (not great, as in destination-great), and convenient. That's 3 to maybe 4 stars. But, I believe this place was set up as an after-thought within the hotel it resides. I believe this was either, or designed to be a bar or little cafe for the residents. This supposed to be a white linen-tablecloth, swanky fru-fru place. It's practically in the lobby of the place, so, people went in/out all the time, with rushes of frigid wind freezing people in the restaurant terrifically. It was super uncomfortable, so much so, I moved to the back of the restaurant, and it was still super-cold. Also, since this arctic air was blowing in like crazy, it dragged in the cigarette smoke from in front. Nothing ruins your taste buds faster (esp a $400 meal) than smoke. But, wait there's more. The music in the lobby of the restaurant was some tinny teeny-bopper music that was really really lo-Fi was the same music playing (almost blasting) in our ears in our swanky little over-priced restaurant. Uh, shouldn't it be like Spanish guitar or classical or jazz, or something??? It was incredibly inappropriate for this place. It was the same stupid music all night long. I couldn't wait to get out despite the wonderful service from the wait-staff. I'll never ever ever go again and never recommend this place. read more

Jardenea - Price fixe - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Brand spanking new farm to table concept restaurant in the Foggy Bottom area located in the renovated Melrose Hotel. We had the honor of being among the first crowd for the grand opening (not sure how we got on the list but glad we did). We got to try a bit of everthing that night and there were some notable standouts. There were some lamb shanks being served as apps that were delish (I think my mouth salivated thinking about them just now), the seasonal salad and both of the main courses were top notch. Of course, the interesting thing about a place like this is that their menu is fairly fluid, given the seasonal availability of different foods, but the chef did such a good job with the other items that I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

Jardenea - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I cannot believe this place has 4 stars. Lunch here with my coworkers was one of the worst experiences I have had in the area, especially considering the price. Problem 1: The service. From the moment we sat down to the moment I left, service was horrible. We were a table of about 10 on a Wednesday. The place was completely empty. The server came around no fewer than 4 separate times to take drink orders (which were filled once and then never again - not even waters). We were ready to order about 15 minutes in...5 minutes pass and no waiter...another 5 minutes pass and still no waiter. We actually had to get up and find him to see if he was coming. When we finally finish ordering it's 40 minutes in. Some people in our party had already left at this point. Problem 2: The pace. Let me reiterate that the restaurant was completely empty. It took 30 MINUTES before the first dish came out, and the rest arrived in waves over the next 15 minutes. The typical professional in DC doesn't generally take more than 90 minutes (including the 10-15 minutes walking to and from the office) for lunch, so the fact that we didn't have our meals until more than an hour in was crazy. In fact, one of my colleagues actually had the waiter box up his order to go (everyone else had received their meal and he didn't know how much longer it would take). Problem 3: The food. Two tiny bread baskets for the table. The smallest portions imaginable. I ordered a $16 shrimp "scampi" (made with spaghetti squash). While delicious, it was literally 6-7 bites. 5 pieces of shrimp and about half a cup of spaghetti squash. An appetizer at best. Definitely not worth an hour wait. The burger platter looked reasonably sized, but the salmon was similarly tiny. In summary, I was floored by how bad this experience was. I left hungry and late for my meeting, and had to get a second lunch an hour later. Not worth the price, not worth the time. read more

Disclaimer: we dined here for Valentine's Day I'd made a reservation at Jardenea based on the positive Yelp reviews and the fact that there didn't appear to be a prix fixe menu for V Day (my fault for not doing my homework better because there was one...) This is one of those restaurants that gets an A for concept but could use a lot of work on execution. The restaurant itself has a nice, clean, modern decor. It is not too loud and could be nice for a date if it were not for the fact that many tables have a bright florescent light shining on them. We were first brought to an enormous table for four with one of the aforementioned bright lights but, after I politely asked if there were any smaller, more romantic tables available, we were directed to a small booth table in the back corner of the restaurant with more natural lighting. Unfortunately, the couple seated next to us had one of the florescent spotlights shining on them throughout dinner and we overheard them comment on how it ruined what would have otherwise been a romantic ambiance. The food was all very good (probably at least 4 stars for most of the courses), however, the portions were huge, too large for a 6 course meal. Our neighbors asked for doggy bags. We're gluttons so we finished everything and just felt rather ill after... The service was...confused. Although we'd ordered drinks, our amuse-bouche was brought before our cocktails arrived. The couple next to us received their appetizers at the same time as their amuse-bouches, likely because their appetizers were meant for us (since we'd finished our amuse-bouches already). There were a number of servers working our table and we were asked the same thing multiple times. Finally, I'd ordered a kir royale as my cocktail but I am fairly certain that the liqeur was something in the Campari family which always makes me feel ill. It is fine if they did not have creme de cassis but it would have been nice if someone had mentioned it to make sure I was OK with the alternative. Jardenea does have potential but would require some serious work to the layout, service and portions. I don't know that I am willing to fork out that kind of money to see if these changes are made in the future which is a shame because the food is pretty good. read more

4.5 stars Main courses ranged from very good to fantastic and amazing. The very good was the salmon mignon over spaghetti squash. Fantastic was the duck and amazing was the chicken. The lamb meatballs were delicious and my friend really liked the salad. One of the best things about it was that there was no wait. There were a few other people there, but there were open tables. This place is a hidden gem. The service was great too. Attentive, but not intrusive. Note: It's currently being remodeled, so the seating space is in the lobby of the hotel and there are six tables there. read more

This restaurant is located in the lobby of a beautiful hotel! We came here for lunch specifically because of the Yelp reviews. I am learning that some of y'all have no idea what you're talking about! The food was extremely overpriced. It was ok and I did enjoy my meal But the prices had me checking my bank account! The atmosphere is quite frou-frou which really isn't my taste. But if it's yours and you don't mind spending money on location, this is the place for you. I won't be returning. read more

My husband and I stopped in for happy hour last night and we thought this restaurant in the Melrose hotel, and we absolutely loved it! We ordered the crab bisque, the beet and goat cheese salad, the mussels, the chicken wings, and the crispy potato wedges with blue cheese and bacon. My husband also had two specialty cocktails off the happy hour menu. The restaurant is beautiful--elegant and intimate for a date night. And the service was great! We loved the food, and thought it was a great value. Probably our favorites were the crab bisque (which had chunks of sweet, very fresh crab in it), the salad, and the crispy potato wedges. These were super duper crispy, with a lovely blue cheese sauce and bacon crumbles. All in all, a wonderful experience and a hidden gem! Go before the word gets out! read more

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I worked remotely with Rudy to book a quiet table for a group of 16 on a Friday night for a family celebration. The quiet, semi-private back room was perfect for our group enabling easy conversation and toasts. The menu for our group agreed with Rudy before hand was perfect from the Starters, Entrees, Dessert. We chose to bring in our own wine and the $20 corkage fee was reasonable. The food was delicious! Everyone was happy with their meal. Also Joe was our primary server and he was very efficient, friendly and responsive. I'll definitely return there on future visits. read more

Service: Our waiter was also the bartender. Poor guy was busy but he never stopped to take a break. Sure made us feel like we were his only customers. Food: The food was delicious. Not too overly powerful on flavors and had its own unique taste that we definitely want to toy with when we get back home. read more

To start, this is truly a hidden gem. It's rare that my husband will frequent hotel restaurants, but we make the exception here. The ambiance, service (Joe is wonderful) and the food are all top notch. From the salmon which is always succulent to the filet with decadent truffled potatoes, there's literally nothing on the menu that won't delight. We had the pleasure of meeting Chef Nina last night, though technically the #2 chef there, you wouldn't know it by the passion with which she shared her ideas for upcoming spring menu options. And yes Nina, please do include the option you talked about! We are so happy this place is near us. If you have the option of going, take it. You will not be disappointed. read more

Jardenea - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Jardenea was our chose for our restaurant week dinner this time around. It's tucked away inside of an hotel, but it doesn't give you the cheesy hotel eatery vibe that so often happens. The decor is interesting with fairly dim lighting which offers the right ambiance for a date night with that special someone. Our waiter was Derek and let me just say that he deserves 5 stars and then some. It seemed like he was a one man show, busy as a server for several tables and being tasked with seating others at times throughout the service. He was extremely pleasant and had extensive knowledge of the menu. We all had been interested in getting the stuffed sole only to be told that they had ran out( insert major sad face). He quickly informed us of the sea bass as an option and we "settled" for that. I had the crab bisque as a starter which was packed with flavor and had two large crab fritters places in the middle of the soup. It was perfectly creamy and the crab tasted fresh. My entree was the sea bass served over blue grits and haricot vert beans and while I Hate I didn't try the sole...this was BANGING. The fish was cooked to perfection, filling, and the flavor was delightful. I don't normally like this style of beans, but they provided the perfect crisp. The underdog that rose to the top was the grits which I was unsure of at first due to the appearance. I'm glad they tasted better than they looked. My dessert was the lava cakes which was topped with ice cream and a few pieces of fruit to the side. I didn't need it, but I devoured every last bite. I'd highly recommend going and trying all the dishes I mentioned, but I look forward to trying the sole on my next visit ! read more

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A hotel feels it has to have a restaurant: it made this restaurant. Goal achieved. There's not really a reason to eat here. The food is bland but well-presented. The ambience is lacking due to its location essentially in a lobby, and lackluster decoration. (The presentation is good, but doesn't make up the decoration.) I can't think of a reason to eat here versus the many similarly generic business dinner places in town. One point I want to emphasize to management: advertising the name brand linens you use with logos on the napkins... ugh. read more

We came here after a long an busy day sightseeing in DC. We read the reviews and sort of knew what to expect in finding seating. The service was excellent and the food was very good. The restaurant manager was friendly and came by to talk to us for a bit. I LOVED the music and the decor. Overall, a great experience. read more

This is a true diamond in the rough! The food, service, and atmosphere are all excellent! The restaurant is situated in the Melrose Hotel and there are no signs visible from the street, so those who don't know, will probably never know that there is a superb restaurant at this location. The seabass is to die for, the duck is also wonderful, lobster bisque is mouth watering. Service from Joe is outstanding. Wine is reasonably priced. Can't say enough good things about this place. This place is not cheap, but a very good value for what you get. Try and see for yourself. read more

Excellent menu selection , brunch well thought of combination of ingredients. Had the organic chicken club sandwich with avocado , large portion and the French fries were perfectly crispy and not a drop of grease! Kids shared a chocolate pancakes and Benny done just right, they loved it! Hubby devoured the kale salad and the steel cut oats with banana brûlée ! Will be back for dinner read more

Went in on a Friday night for date night. The restaurant is kind of hard to find; there is no host or real entrance. The doorman leads you to the bar where you just wander through until you attract the attention of a waiter who seats you. Awkward, but a nice little hidden gem. The restaurant was dead, which I didn't expect for a highly rated restaurant in DC. I appreciated how quiet and private it was though, and the service was top-notch. Great wine list if you love wine, however the selections by the glass were limited. So that means go with your fellow winos and buy a bottle (or two.) For appetizers, we ordered the crab bisque which had great flavor and complemented the bread. However, there were maybe three very tiny pieces of crab in the soup, and although I love mushrooms, they greatly outnumbered the crab. The goat cheese salad was delicious. The vinaigrette was amazing. A+. I ordered the diver scallops wrapped in bacon. Although the menu says bacon, they are actually wrapped in a thin prosciutto (the waiter explained that because the prosciutto cooks more quickly than bacon, the scallops are never overcooked.) The dish was so good I was sad I couldn't finish it. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and although the waiter said the plate only came with four, I somehow got six. It was so good my boyfriend agreed my dish was better than the duck confit he ordered. I only wish they had added a little more red curry around the plate. We ordered creme brulee for dessert which was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Not enough caramelized sugar on the top for my taste. I will get the s'mores next time! read more

Overall good experience. The waiter was awesome. We were running on a tight schedule to make the ballet performance on time. The staff really helped keep the dinner on schedule. I will say it's pricey. Probably not worth the quality of food overall. The 4-stars are really for the service we received! read more

Jardenea - Salmon was good! Didn't like the squash purée very much. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Took my boyfriend here for his birthday and LOVED it! Service was extremely attentive and super friendly in general. Food was really really good. We had the small plate of scallops, I had duck confit and he had the swordfish. All delicious. Molten lava cake was also good. We also had a cocktail and wine -- one thing interesting to note is the quality of their wine selection, that was still very reasonably priced! My only qualm that doesn't really affect my scoring is that we said we didn't want dessert, but because it was his birthday, they brought out two cakes, one for each of us. Which was great and I am very happy that they gave his to him for free. But they did charge us for the other cake that was unasked for...and we were so full we easily could have shared one. I didn't particularly enjoy paying for something I said I didn't need. But they did give us each a free cocktail and a small cake for his birthday so I can't complain too much. But overall would highly recommend! And it isn't that hard to find -- they're really attentive and try to help you if you look like you're going to get lost! read more

This place did not disappoint at all, and living in LA I know what good food is all about. Jardenea is located inside the Melrose Georgetown Hotel and, as another reviewer mentioned, has a bit of an awkward entrance. Upon entering the hotel you turn right to enter the restaurant area, but there isn't a host stand and we walked around looking for one until I noticed a tablet with the floor plan placed on a dining table right by the entrance and figured that's where we should wait. We were greeted promptly and escorted to our table. I had the mussels to start, which were cooked in a tomato broth that was flavorful but didn't overpower the mussels. Next came the lamb entree - it was cooked bone in and very very tender and juicy. The carrots were cooked to perfection and I suspect they may have been sous-vide. My evening was capped off perfectly by the rich, buttery creme brulee; I've had my fair share of creme brulee and this one is near the top of the list. It's also worth mentioning that I had a bite of my brother's Hawaiian sea bass and it melted in my mouth. The blue corn grits were a nice compliment to the dish as well. The service was prompt and friendly, and our server even took the time to come by and explain the special garnish on my brother's sea bass plate. He also answered my questions in depth and had good knowledge of cooking methods and wine tasting notes. The atmosphere is upscale-casual and definitely a great place to bring a date or simply dine out with friends and family. I will definitely be returning the next time I'm in town! read more

Its a very nice dining room and the food is excellent and very fresh. The oysters were delicious. The Kale Salad is exceptional and the seafood cob salad very good. Not too pricey either and a very nice team. Lunch service was a bit slow but overall a good meal. Valet parking is only $5. Another plus. read more

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This place had a whole bunch of Eggs Benedict. Service was excellent! The décor was upscale hotel restaurant. We tried the Crab and the Steak Benedict... the crab was ok the steak was amazing. The meat was cooked perfectly and was amazingly tender. They had never ending orange juice so I did not feel ripped off with bad over priced juice... theirs was not only fair price but really good!!! I give five stars because if you like Benedict they will have something good and variety and you will be happy.... was not the best I ever had but it was more than I had expected. read more

FIVE STARS, PERIOD! The food was exceptionally fresh, from farm to table at every bite. First, the service: perfect! Our server, Derrick, was just a refreshing personality, supremely pleasant and unobtrusive. He is a fan of the restaurant and its food. He was our personal server too. I cannot say enough about his attitude, demeanor, attention to detail. We did not expect this kind of treatment, but he showed us the kind of care and concern a place with twice the prices would wish to offer. Food. Spectacular! We started with the Spinach salad, which was garnished and seasoned to perfection. Our next course was the crab cake. By far, the most amazing crab cake I've had in this region, fresher than the water it was plucked from and sitting atop a mound of veggies and corn, with seasonings that made me wish I had found it sooner. The main course of braised short ribs was so tender and moist, I couldn't find anyone's mama to slap. With all of this excellence, we just slowly ate and relished every single bite. Derrick was the perfect host, ensuring we knew the history of every bite yet staying out of the way as needed. We were not eating bread and he brought us nuts instead to munch on while we waited. The dessert was amazing chocolate lava cake. We are foodies and will not waste calories on bad meals. By far, we believe Jardenea is a HIDDEN GEM in the area and needs to be a known gem immediately. We sang its praises from the first bite and left on cloud 9, knowing our penny and mouths were treated with ultimate respect. Go here for a date, for an evening at the Kennedy Center or just drop in and get a great meal at a decent price (I would have paid more had they charged it). I'll be back and I hope to see you there! read more

Came here on February 15 for an 'observed' Valentines Day dinner. We walked up to the restaurant entrance inside the hotel, which isn't clearly marked except for some stacked menus. There was no one there to greet us, but it was 5:30 and I acknowledge that on a Friday, that's the beginning of the dinner hour. Someone was quick to appear and seat us at our table. The Restaurant Manager came up to greet us shortly after we sat down and offered me a rose, which was a nice touch. He also explained the concept of Farm to Fork since we hadn't dined at the restaurant before. We started with the Prince Edward Island Mussels, which were by far my favorite thing that was served. They were so delicious I could have licked the bowl clean. The boyfriend then ordered Crab Bisque and I got the Caesar salad. He was mixed on the bisque, as it wasn't typical 'New England' style, and he said it tasted fishy. I liked my salad, but while the presentation was wonderful, the taste was nothing special. We got the Duck and Filet for our main courses. Both were good, tasty, and cooked to order. Now for the 4 star rating. -.5 stars for the Restaurant Manager. He was VERY attentive. I appreciate a check in every now and then, but he came up for 5 minute conversations at least once a course. It could be such a nice touch, but for me it was overdone and had me avoiding eye contact with him in hopes he wouldn't come over. Another -.5 stars for the flow of the dinner. We ordered 4 courses (Starter, Salad, Main, and Dessert) and were in and out in an hour exactly. This was in part due to the fact that there were two other couples dining at the same time, but it was a special occasion and I wish I could have spent some more time talking instead of eating my food before it got cold. read more