This place has the most and authentic perfect croissants and pains au chocolat in DC. For that alone it gets five stars. High quality on all other food and drink. Atmosphere is not great for sitting indoors, although it's nice outside on a sunny day. Regardless, five stars for the only place in DC to get a perfectly baked and authentic French croissant. read more

I live in Columbia Heights and was vey excited to hear about the opening of a new bakery in the area. Since then I have been to Le Caprice a few times and my overall feeling is.....so-so. I'm a European and the thought of a proper, freshly baked croissant or pain au chocolat was hard to resist. Of course I didn't expect quite the same as a bakery in France, but I still had high hopes. When I've been to Le Caprice though, I've had a mixed experience. One time I bought croissants which were fresh and delicious, but another time my pain au chocolat was actually of quite poor quality - it had either been overbaked or was sitting for a long time before I bought it. As some others have mentioned, the service is sometimes rather slow. Personally I don't mind this too much - I'm used to a slower pace than is the norm in big American cities, but I can see how it would be a frustration to others. Overall, I'd say a mixed bag. They are still relatively new, so perhaps the service speed will improve. As for the quality of the pastries, I'd guess it's variable depending on your timing. read more

Their plain croissants are delicious, their chocolate croissants are even better. I can eat like 5 of them in one sitting. I did not like their macaroons, but it might be that I just don't like macaroons. It was my first time trying them, so I'm not sure if it's just me... they seemed TOO flavorful, if that's possible. They have a few tables inside and plenty of seating outside. If the weather was nicer in DC, I would love to just sit outside and enjoy a croissant and coffee. read more

I pick up a baguette every so often and walking up with a great latte is a bonus. The service is always quick and very polite.

The croissants are heavenly and the coffee is pretty decent. I wish they had more tables inside. There's a lot of seats outside, but sometimes it's just too cold. read more

Delicious pastries! I ordered a ham and cheese croissant the first time I went to Le Caprice and it's been hard for me to branch out because it was so good! Everything else I've had has been really tasty, too. The macarons, while not cheap, are definitely worth it if you're feeling like you want to spoil yourself. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because I've had a few bad experiences with getting espresso drinks here. The first time, my milk was burnt. Another time, it was just barely warm (I didn't ask for it to be cooler than usual). Then again, a few other times, they've been perfect and delicious, so it's a bit hit or miss, though I'd say they're improving overall. read more

As other have said, this place is a little overpriced. And the loaves of bread aren't great; I have bought two loaves from Le Caprice and been sad both times. The crusts are disappointing, the flavor is flat. I've had their blueberry cheesecake, and their tiramisu, both of which are pretty uninspired. And I naively asked for a glass of the wine and got a little baby bottle of cloyingly sweet Barefoot. Sigh. And yet, at least once a week I drop by here in the morning for a croissant and a coffee, because the croissants really are pretty great, and the outdoor area is quite nice. And in the late afternoon or right after dinner with my fiance or a friend I'll come by and sit outside and have a mediocre, slightly overpriced dessert and a beer. And it'll be great. read more

The best french bakery in DC- don't know about the other stuff, but the french bakery items are truly the best, and with one bite can make you think you are in Paris as opposed to 14th street. read more

Stopped here for breakfast and it was horrible. We ordered one breakfast platter and one everything bagel with bacon and sausage with a side of tater tots. EVERYTHING was microwaved, they didn't even toast the bagel, the tater tots tasted as if they were taken directly from the freezer and put in the microwave. The bacon seemed like it was cooked days ago. Nether one of us finished our food and on top of that it cost $24.00. The place does look nice! I am 31yrs old and have never wrote a review before today. read more

Go for the pastries. Don't go for the savories. Le Caprice has some amazing delicious treats, like macarons, raisin escargot (no actual snails, just a pastry shaped like one), and fruit tarts. I think they actually tried too much when they started putting out actual meals and to-go plates. I got a cheese and bread platter once and the bread was hard and unpalatable. The quiche was also underwhelming. But the eclair, oh God! Heaven on a plate. If you stick to the pastry items the French do well, you won't go wrong. read more

I have been going to Le Caprice since the first week it opened - I live nearby. The staff knows me by name and always has a warm & welcoming greeting. The pastries could not be more delicious and are truly in the French pastry tradition. I also love their soups. You cannot go wrong with a visit to this wonderful family owned business. read more

Best croissants ever, including any I have ever had in Paris. The Erfanis are magnificent hosts--not just owners--and their staff is friendly, courteous, and professional. A full restaurant attests nearly always to its quality. read more

While the breads are good, I don't think Le Caprice is worth the visit. The first time I came, the breads on me sandwich and my boyfriends sandwich were switched-mine was soggy and his dry. The second visit, they straight lost the order. The food doesn't make up for the miscommunications within staff. If you go, get a pastry and leave. read more

I went to Le Caprice with high hopes. When I first heard about it, I thought - "Wow, finally a lovely authentic French bakery in DC!"... When I read that they also served croque monsieur, I was particularly excited. However, when I got there I was brought right back to earth. Kill the Edith Piaf soundtrack and images of a cosy French café where you can while the hours away over a hot chocolate. As previous reviewers have mentioned, this place has zero character decor-wise. I know they haven't been open long, but it's such a sterile space... they had some time to get ready before opening... but no pictures, no charming furniture, no flowers, nothing warm about it? How could that be intentional? There also seemed to be a lack of seating due to poor layout, so we had to camp out on the windowsill for a time. This is understandable in DC on a Saturday morning, but it was a disappointment none the less. If you don't care about the decor or having enough or comfortable chairs, why bother having a seating area at all? Why not just call it a bakery and make it all take out? Ho hum. On to the food. I split a pain au chocolat, a croque monsieur (the 'croque' is really what this review is all about) and a coconut water (it doesn't get more French than Vita Coco) The pain au chocolat was good, the pastry was flaky and delicious. The chocolate was not spot on dark deliciousness, and there was too much of it, but for all that I still give it the thumbs up. I also took a baguette home and it was good. However,,, the croque monsieur was a true abomination. First off, what I didn't notice when I saw them sitting in the fridge was the fact that they were topped with... wait for it... american cheese. Now, I like american cheese as much as the next person, like on a cheeseburger, but there is no place on a croque monsieur for that neon orange stuff. A croque monsieur can be made a variety of ways, but that is taking it too far. Another problem was, I ordered a ham & cheese croque, and was served a turkey & cheese croque by mistake. Since there wasn't a whole lot of turkey going on in the sandwich, I was too many bites into the thing to be able to take it back when I realised this. Also, a croque monsieur has NEVER in my experience been heated in the microwave before serving: jamais. At least have the decency to heat it under the broiler! As a result, it was soggy, and not crisp as it should have been... out of respect for the croque, 2 stars it is. Yes I have lived in France, and I am also European, so I approached Le Caprice with very high expectations. I would go back for the baguettes and their pastries, but I'll make sure my order is to go. read more

I am currently sitting at Le Caprice and feeling absolutely bliss-ed by the amazing sandwich followed by a pain au chocolat that I just had and I felt I MUST write a review. This place has many pros I don't even know where to start: -The best croissant/pain au chocolat in town! and that's coming from someone who grew up eating authentic French patisserie! -Really yummy sandwiches...like the ones your mom would make you when you were young, with this extra something to make sure it's actually yummy and not just good enough. the presentation is also nice and they use quality ingredient. The price is decent for DC standards - Lots of light, laid back crowd - And the most important...Really really nice owners who are always around making sure that the customer is satisfied. The baker and her husband are of Persian origin and the place has a feel of French class (and food) and Persian hospitality (and sometimes some delicious Persian items come up now and then in the menu). Oh and there is always a plate or two of croissant bites or cake as a courtesy for people standing in line to taste, ALWAYS.... This place definitely feels like the closest thing to home, and people are taking notice although I still can always find the last empty table, at least for now :). read more

This French bakery is a gem in Columbia Heights. Family owned and operated, I regularly visit to buy bread, pastries and coffee. The croissants are baked to perfection, the chocolate being my favorite. Baguettes are a staple here and at the suggestion of the owners I tried making French Toast from these baguettes....a success! The baked goods sold here are all made on premise. It's fantastic to see small owned businesses succeed in such a chain dominated neighborhood. Keep up the great work Erfani family and I highly recommend you all stop by for a visit the next time you are in Columbia Heights! read more

Le Caprice is truly a gem amid a slightly gritty neighborhood. This place crosses all the Ts and dots all the Is. Great food (albeit not if you're on a diet), very neatly-designed, clean atmosphere, GREAT prices, relaxing, ample sunlight, very courteous staff, wonderful owner and free wifi. Perfect for someone looking to plop down and do some laptop work. I'd challenge anyone thinking of going into the Starbucks across the street to consider giving this a try. Just once. read more

So my friend and I stopped by this place while waiting for a clothing swap to start and tried their iced coffee and croissants. I have to say, both were fantastic and really well priced. read more

I was very excited to see that a French bakery opened up in my neighborhood. I lived in Paris for 6 months and one of my favorite things about the city was that there was a bakery with delicious stuff for cheap in every street corner. New Yorkers have their delis and bagel shops, but those of us who live in DC don't have anything like that. So yeah - a (French) bakery in Columbia Heights was needed, and I'm happy Le Caprice filled that gap. This place has a lot of potential, but currently it has three problems in my humblest opinion. The first is the decor - it kind of seems cold and not-too-cozy. It's a great spot, but should have a warmer decor with more seating areas - possibly a couple more tables, and more paintings on the walls and more of a decor on the windows. The second is the products themselves - their baguette is delicious, their croissant/pain au chocolat are fine, but they should be a) warmer/fresher, and b) they should have more varieties - especially more stuff with apples! Last but not least, prices - they seem to be a little high for me. $5 for a small slice of quiche or a ham and cheese croissant is kind of a lot - especially if you need two of them to feel remotely full. Same goes with their coffee; $1.75 for a small cup. If they want to remain competitive in the area, they should probably slightly decrease their prices for items people might want for lunch - otherwise, their baguettes and croissant are priced just fine. The only reason I'm giving three stars is because I think they have a lot of potential, except they have to iron out some quirks. I will definitely be coming again. read more

I tried to like you, Le Caprice, but your bread is terrible and your desserts and other sundry baked goods are dry and stale. Not to mention that you are extraordinarily overpriced. read more

I want to love this place. I really do. I was so excited when it opened in my neighborhood, and for the first few weeks things seemed great. However, everything I've gotten there since then has been decent to mediocre. I think they try to do too many things, and the quality suffers. They should stop making so many kinds of cookies and other random stuff and just stick to the basics: breads, croissants, and a few select other boulangerie/patisserie items. When they were doing just basic stuff for the first couple of weeks, I liked what I got there. Not so any more. read more

Love this place- delicious croissant sandwiches!! Good coffee too. They have a nice outdoor area which has good people watching. Highly recommend - their desserts look delicious too. read more

I love this place-the coffee is amazing and the pastries are so delicious. I go every Sunday morning for coffee and it is one of the best cups in the city--especially with a shot of vanilla. Love it and will continue coming back for more! read more

I ordered this place on Uber eats and what a disaster! I ordered the tuna melt, three eclairs, one creme puff & a slice of raspberry cheesecake. The tuna was packed with onions and nasty! All of desserts came in one box and there was some type of fruit fly in the box before I opened it. There were three different types of eclairs which was a disappointing surprise to say the least. The Gatorade I ordered was also warm! All and all stay away from this place especially if you want something savory or tasty. read more

This place is awesome! Their service is quick, prices are great, and the food is delicious. I've only really tried the sweet stuff, but all of it has been delicious. I highly recommend the macaroons and the almond cookies! read more

This one star is to counteract the absurd rate inflation endemic to DC. I would give this place 2 stars otherwise. The baked goods are okay, but unremarkable and overpriced. Everything else is awful. From the wretched fluorescent lighting that spares no nook or cranny to the ill-conceived layout, this place is an insult to all your senses. read more

I have been in the neighborhood for 2 years and this is a family owned business which feels like family. Yes, the food could be a bit on the expensive side, but you also pay for the quality, the atmosphere and location: there is nothing like "Le Caprice" north of Columbia Heights. it is a perfect place for working, chilling, and now that they have the license is good for a beer/wine after work too. The owners and the staff are fantastic, very friendly, easy to talk to and with a smile on their faces all the time. It is a refreshing and more personal approach to the customers. The owners' heritage shows in all these little things and this is another thing I love of this place. read more

This is one of my favorite bakeries in DC. I go here once a week. It is very delicious, they have amazing sandwiches, cookies, desserts and great coffee. I definitely recommend this Bakery to anyone. It has become one of my favorite spots in DC! read more

I might have ordered the wrong thing, but I didn't like the hazelnut croissant at all. Not flaky, but rather very dense, and quite flavorless. read more

The place looks great from inside and outside, the staff is really nice, they have a good variety of products and I love the idea that it is a mom and pop place owned by people who (like me) actually lived in France and know what an authentic baguette or croissant au chocolat should taste like. The macarons are a real treat - my favorites are the chocolate ones. Looking forward to going back and trying more of their pastries and breads. read more

The croissants are the best and I love this place BUT there is a greasy, grungy man with a huge dog that likes to go there and bring his dog inside the cafe. The dog is huge and I don't like the idea of it sneezing and sniffing around the food. I spoke to the cashiers and they said they asked the guy repeatedly to leave his dog outside, but he ignores them so they gave up. Can you smell a health code violation here???? read more

Excellent espresso, nice staff, lemon meringue was as beautiful as it was delicious. A welcomed addition to DC!!!

The baby woke up early on a Saturday morning so I took him here. I got an egg and cheese on a croissant and a cinnamon roll. There was no option for any meat on the croissant but they did do a good job with it. The cinnamon roll was not fresh. This was a disappointment. The total price was over $10. I will not be going back. read more

I ordered the tres leches cake for a birthday party based on some of the yelp reviews but it was disappointing. It was very dry and didn't taste like tres leches at all, unfortunately. read more

Good seating on their patio! Had a coconut macaroon. It hit the spot, wasn't anything special, but was under a dollar. I might come back if I want some sweets. read more

I'm inclined to give only 3 stars because while the food was quite delicious (definitely try anything with a croissant!) and the coffee well-made, the service left something to be desired. While ordering, the woman kept talking over us as we were telling her what we wanted. She also ignored any dessert we ordered to go along with our meal. Extremely rude. Like I said, the food was good, but don't expect comparable service. read more

I live right around the corner, so have been here numerous times. They seem to have gone downhill recently. About six weeks ago my husband and I purchased a loaf of bread. The cashier was rather nonchalant about the fact that the loaf was quite hard when we received it from him (from their baskets behind the counter) but we thought maybe he was just having an off-day and went home trusting that a bakery would only sell freshly baked bread at this price point (this one was about $9). When we unwrapped it, it was moldy. My husband was ticked and went back. The manager was polite, but said they don't guarantee their bread is baked fresh daily. She said they do expect cashiers to make sure they're properly rotated and checked before being sold, and shot the original cashier a dirty look. She refunded the money and gave us a free loaf. Ok, we were satisfied and forgave them. However then about two weeks ago the same thing basically happened where we got home and found we had purchased a stale loaf of bread - it must've been at least 2+ days old based on its firmness. Basically, we've hit the point of no return. Old goods should be discounted, in my opinion, especially when you can walk a block to Giant that guarantees daily baked goods. I don't do produce at Giant, but have never had an issue (other than lack of variety) at their bakery section. Anyhow, I think that Le Caprice used to discount day-old goods in a basket out front of their register but I guess they've stopped. I won't be purchasing anything from them for awhile as a result. read more

I've bought cakes here before and loved them for the most part. I also try and support local businesses as well. I bought what I was told was a small tres leches cake which cake to $38 with tax. When we had the cake, it was dry and almost certainly wasn't a tres leches cake! I tried to stop into the store to speak with a manager but the line has always been too long when I pass. read more

I stop by here for a bite every time I'm in DC! The croissants are delicious, but don't forget to try the muffins. They're tucked away on a shelf next to the register, so they're easy to miss. Best muffins I've ever had! The iced coffee is amazing as well. read more

This place is so good. High quality ingredients and bakers that know what they're doing. I don't know why I don't come here more often; they have a nice patio, food is delicious, owners and employees are friendly, and they almost always have seats available. Nom. read more