I've been to this jumping joint twice in the past few months while on work travel to DC, once for a bon voyage happy hour for a colleague and the second time for a delightful working lunch. Loved both visits. It's a warm, comfortable place. Nice without being stiff or pretentious. Very friendly and fast service, even when they're busy. Only had a glass of wine during my first visit. Lunch was very good. I opted for the odd combo of hamachi sashimi and a cup of French onion soup. Both were fantastic. Certainly one of the best onion soup I've ever had (and I tend to get it a lot as it's one of my favorites). So rich and delicious! The hamachi was very fresh and hit the spot. My lunch companions got a variety of dishes, from the Caesar salad to the burrata and a side salad, to the tuna poke bowl. All were quickly devoured. Would happily return once again! read more

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Cool little eclectic joint in downtown DC. We went for happy hour... bar was packed, restaurant was definitely slow. Might be smart to offer happy hour at tables? Food was good+. Wagyu beef sliders were tasty and the size of the slider patties was generous. Onion frites were huge with a great crispy coating on super thick onion ring. Four frites come to a serving. The shishito peppers were ok but a little unflavorful/bland. read more

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A friend's coworker recommended this spot so my gf and I took that as a legally binding obligation to try it. We went for happy hour because we needed to see what the hype was about. They've got regular tables, but the bar is where happy hour lives, and honestly the bar vibe is cute. Dim, cozy, very intimate! Happy hour is basically the land of $10 everything, and the sushi was actually really good. The drink was a win too. Overall, recommend this spot!! :) read more

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Wow. This place was great. Loved that my aunt and uncle found it for us. We did not have reservations but I totally recommend making them. This place fills up fast at lunchtime. We had the poke bowls and loved how fresh everything tasted. My uncle and my daughter had the Cheeseburgers. Heard great reviews from both of them. My husband has the French onion soup. Over all excellent meal. I wanted to try the sushi but my stomach was not feeling the best. Next time. read more

Great happy hour options. The vegetarian sushi option was good. I didn't feel like I was missing out on the experience at all with non vegetarian group. There can be a wait for happy hour, especially for a Friday night. Employees were friendly and service was fantastic. read more

Le Desales - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The ambiance is beautiful, the server was more than accommodating, helped us switch tables for a two person to a four person table too even though is was just two of us. Drink were tasty and sushi trio is great option. Asked for fish and chips and received a roll when I meant the plate but it was cheaper and my boyfriend said the quality of fish was great. read more

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Came here with friends for restaurant week the other day. Food was overall good but the steaks were a bit on the saltier side. Other than that, great service and great place to catch up with friends. The drinks were alright, a bit too strong for my liking and I just didn't love it. The salad paired with the steak was good though- I did enjoy it. Would probably come back for restaurant week! read more

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Le Desales is such a French-Asian fusion, which happens to be two of my favorite cuisines, so it felt like the best of both worlds! We went on a crowded Saturday night, and the vibe was perfect: fancy but not too fancy, just right. They even had a coat check, which was a nice touch. The space isn't huge, but it feels intimate and well done. Our waiter was entertaining, friendly, and very helpful, which made the night even better. We started with the onion soup, salad, and tuna sushi. Everything was enjoyable, though the onion soup was the only dish that didn't quite hit a 5 for us. For mains, we shared the branzino and steak. The branzino was really delicious (served with the head), and the steak was cooked perfectly medium-rare and ended with a tasty creme brûlée! Overall, we had a great night and would definitely come back the next time we're in town. read more

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They have great happy hour specials, which is why we decided to check it out. The menu is mainly French, but they also serve sushi. When we walked in, the host greeted us with, "How can I help you?" in a way that made it feel like we didn't belong there. It was an odd vibe for a restaurant. We decided to order a happy hour drink anyway. The bartender was friendly, but the drinks were neither balanced nor enjoyable. read more

Le Desales - Lavender margarita - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here for happy hour and was very impressed! The menu is pretty wide with a mix of French and sushi with drinks. We ordered the onion rings, fries, and 2 rolls of sushi- one shrimp and hamachi. The hamachi one was actually incredible. The onion rings were impressive and came with 4 and some special sauce. We arrived at 4pm on a Monday and by the time I left around 5:30pm it was fully packed with no tables available. There is bar seating and a few tables in the happy hour area. read more

I would say for the most part, this was a decent experience. The place is intimate but casual The appetizers were more tastier than the actual entrees Our waiter was really nice and attentive to our large group We ordered the burrata, baguette as well as the spinach and artichoke cheese dip Those were my faves to be honest and for such a large party we all able to try each one For my entree, I ordered the grilled shrimp gnocchi, its tomato based with shrimp and potato bites but the the potato bites were not as soft as I expected I also tried bavette, I didn't think the 7oz was enough but I liked it I would probably recommend for lunch or a wick dinner read more

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Honestly such a good happy hour deal if you know what to order. The ambiance is STUNNING in here and I would definitely consider this place for a birthday dinner because it feels cozy and intimate without being flashy. We ordered two cocktails - the asian pear sangria and the blood orange cocktail - and they were DELICIOUS. For food we got the spicy tuna roll and himachi with Serrano and we thought they were okay. The tuna is made with miso and capers so it runs a little too salty but the himachi was perfect and Serrano added a nice refreshing crunch and flavor. We topped off the night with fries which... oh my god??? McDonalds fries but BETTER. Next time I'd skip the sushi and go for just cocktails and fries. Service is great!! Drinks are STRONG lol read more

Le Desales - Spicy Tuna and himachi Hamachi Serrano with Asian pear sangria and Painted Lady - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The sushi had unique flavors but they turned out to be good! We tried the hamachi Serrano and salmon. All the drinks we tried were good too, especially the angry dragon margarita- wasn't really what you'd expect for a typical margarita but the flavors were good! We originally planned to go for happy hour since they have theirs till 8pm, but the bar area was too loud and crowded to enjoy- wouldn't recommend happy hour if you're looking to be able to chat. The staff was nice enough to find us a table on short notice though the restaurant was crowded. read more

Le Desales - Hamachi Serrano and salmon rolls - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came by during happy hour and had a great time. It gets packed near the end of happy hour so come early if you want a spot at the bar. It's great for a place to come solo or with a friend to talk. Our food came out fast and I didn't feel rushed although it was packed near the end I ordered the spicy tuna roll and the fries which was both yummy! Perfect happy hour post work grab and i would definitely come back read more

Le Desales - Fries Spicy Tuna - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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While staying at The Mayflower on Connecticut Ave, we came here for lunch soon after checking in. They were open for lunch still, even around 2PM and we sat at the bar, where service was decent. The menu is typical French bistro style, but I didn't see a croque monsieur. We got a Caesar salad to share and I got their French Onion soup too. We also started with deviled eggs. The Deviled eggs were great! Creamy and full of flavor, yet perfect texture. The salad was good, but lacked a depth of flavor. I don't like the raw sardines on top, only mashed up in the dressing, but this dressing seemed to be lacking viscosity as well... definitely needed lots of pepper added to it. The French Onion soup was great! Lots of great flavor and the broth was excellent. Save room for dessert... we got their bread pudding which was excellent! The venue is beautifully decorated, just like a French bistro you'd venture into on a side street in France! Would definitely return and highly recommend stopping in! read more

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Happy Hour M-Sat until close...bet! Directly across the street from The Mayflower Hotel, which made it super convenient to pop in for a quick bite. Sat at the bar and ordered the Lavender Margarita -- not too sweet, but tasty. Menu is French-Asian. I ordered the crispy shrimp roll and spicy tuna. Crispy shrimp was really good. Spicy tuna was typical tuna roll. read more

Le Desales - Lavender Margarita - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great restaurant starting with great service and great food from appetizers to entrees to desert! The branzino is one of the best anywhere! read more

Le Desales - Branzino - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had to unsave this one from my list mostly because of service. But I Can't say I recommend if my favorite bite was the salad. I dropped in an hour before happy hour and the dining area was nearly empty. I waited for 5 minutes for the hostess to greet me, sat at the bar and the bartender hold me to move my chair down because of private party. I then waited 10 minutes to get a water and put in my order (note the bar was nearly empty). Of the 3 dishes I ordered, Kale salad, beef tartare and deviled eggs. Playing was beautiful but the best bite was the kale salad. It was perfectly dressed and flavorful. The tartare was supposed to have capers and a pesto but mine definitely had no capers and more of a tartar sauce on top. The deviled eggs were fine. I saw several sushi rolls come out that looked good so maybe I just ordered the wrong things. read more

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This place has a fantastic happy hour with plenty of options. It's a Japanese French fusion place so there is a little something for everyone. The service was a bit slow at the bar but the food was great. We luckily had fries to share in the beginning though they forgot about one of our orders and we had to remind them. In terms of the ambiance, it is somewhat loud but that's because their happy hour is so good. read more

Le Desales - Sushi - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Date night at its finest! Ambiance: this cute, cozy restaurant takes you away from the busyness of Downtown DC and puts you in a space of cozy, romantic vibes with its beautiful decor. Staff: very friendly staff! I had a bit of a wait upon entry because most of the staff were supporting tables and working the kitchen area and there was nobody at the front to check guests in. Nonetheless, once I was spotted by a waiter, he immediately came over to help. Service: Maite was a breath of fresh air. Her personality was a great compliment to the evening as she was warm, friendly, very attentive, and offered the best recommendations. She's a gem! I hope they keep her around. Drink: I ordered the Shoga-Tini, pear vodka, roasted pineapple, fresh lemon juice, and ginger liquor. Topped with the cutest Japanese mint leaf, this drink is a MUST TRY! I have to warn you however, sip slowly as the drink was strong but the blends of flavors were perfect for the evening. Appetizers: 1- Beef TarTare: topped with aioli, capers, and chips with a slice of fresh baguette 2- Duck Pate: paired with smoked bourbon and fresh walnuts. I absolutely LOVED the beef tartare, it was perfectly seasoned and the aioli sauce added an extra special layer to the taste. Highly recommend! This was my first time eating duck pate so my review would be that the taste isn't something that I'd immediately try again. My boyfriend however, regularly eats it and said that this was delicious! If you love it, go with his review lol mines would tell you to stay away lol Dinner: 1- Ribeye: topped with mushroom Madeira sauce 2- Bavette steak: paired with watercress, jus, and fresh lime. To know: neither main dishes came with a side so you would need to order that separately. Sides: 1- wild rice 2- roasted medley potatoes I thoroughly enjoyed my ribeye and must say that my boyfriend wished that he had ordered it as well lol. The taste was simply divine! Succulent, juicy, prepared medium/well, and paired with that delicious mushroom sauce. I added some of the wild rice (spicy and bursting with flavor) and the roasted potatoes (nothing to rave about but it goes well with beef selections) But the star in my eyes was the ribeye! I'm still savoring the moment. My boyfriend enjoyed the bavette steak, which is similar to a tenderloin cut. He said that it was delicious and also raved about the wild rice being a great side to add. Dessert: Orange miso bread pudding I'll say this: ORDER DESSERT! If you feel guilty, add some time to the gym but do not skip on this dessert. BEST bread pudding I've had and it's all because of the rich citrus flavor added to each bite and the creamy ice cream on top. We shared the dessert because it was large enough to do so but what a sweet way to end a beautiful night! Would I return? ABSOLUTELY! Would I recommend? ABSOLUTELY Good for families: it's more of a place to take a date, close friends, or coworkers looking to enjoy a good meal. Thank you! Le Desales! I cannot wait to visit again. read more

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Cute little spot in dc, very clean and quaint and nice for dates! There's also a parking garage right next to it! Service was very quick and attentive so no issues at all! And food was great! The hamachi crudo was delicious but I wish the spicy tuna roll didn't feel / taste so plain! read more

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Food was a unique combination of French and Japanese flavors. Drinks were good as well. Seems like a good place to try if you can't decide between the two cuisines or want to get something that is fusion and unique. Ordered an assortment across the group. I enjoyed my onion frites, fish and chips roll, kobe beef roll, and drinks. The group got chicken, salad, french onion soup, l sashimi pizza, and drinks. Would be interested in trying the french onion soup next time or their brunch menu which looks unique. Service is courteous but a bit aloof since we had an order outstanding and had some difficulty flagging down our waiter to check on it. Decor is nice, modern, and straightforward. read more

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Sat at the bar on a weekend night. Very busy but bar space was easy to get. Beautiful relaxing atmosphere. Service was relatively quick, just took a while to get them over to take requests. Food was exceptional, very well seasoned and full of flavor. The squash blossom tempura was by far my favorite part. Bavette steaks are known for not being the best cuts, but this one was pretty bad. The overall flavor was very good, however. Would definitely return. read more

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Nice diverse menu that mixes French bistro with Japanese sushi of all things. Sat at the bar and of course the service was spot on. They do have a specific bar menu that included frog legs and a few other items. They do have a wood fire grill which made the place smell great. Nice pleasantly noisy place with a crowd of hotel people, locals, and families having a good meal. Was hungry. Had the side salad with kale as a starter. The bistro burger and the onion frites were almost too much burger cooked perfectly. read more

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Great drinks! The bar is always packed for weekday happy hour but it's always a friendly group! The shishito peppers were amazing and I loved the Momo drink! read more

Le Desales - Smoked Salmon Sushi roll, Shishito peppers, and momo drink - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best D.C. Happy Hour! First time dining at LeDeSales for happy hour on Friday evening and loved it! The deets: Happy Hour: late happy hours are far and few to come by in DC and theirs goes until 8pm! Great collection of food and drink options. Ordered the spicy edamame, shishito peppers, sushi, wagyu sliders, and pretty sure every drink on the menu! Everything was a hit!! Atmosphere: large bar area with high tops near and open patio! Wonderful for summertime vibes! Not too loud! The rear of the restaurant is cute and would be a great date night spot. Service: Alberto was amazing! I sat at the bar and he was on it! Everything came out quick and correct! Will certainly be back! read more

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I popped in for a late nosh and night cap, and was impressed by the kind, hardworking servers, in spite of a little language barrier. The frites were so good (they were kind enough to give me a side of their delicious truffle sauce), and the Sangiovese was perfection. read more

Sushi is surprisingly amazing. The ambience has never been pretentious. The bartenders here are courteous and efficient. The patrons try to make this super inaccessible but the employees vehemently reject that "narrative". read more

Just checked into Washington, DC., at the Mayflower. The restaurant is not open. I walked next door to Le DeSales restaurant. These guys killed it. Alberto fixed the tower menu from 2 to 1. I love this place. read more

Service: 2/5 except the bartenders who were extremely nice and accommodating! Food: 4/5 it's great for the price but nothing special Overall I'd come here again for a drink at a off time and skip most of the food read more

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Le Desales is one of the best happy hours DC has to offer. They have an inviting menu featuring items like sushi, sliders and more. My favorite included the sushi, wagyu sliders and the drinks! I appreciated that there was something for everyone. In addition to the great food and drinks, I had great service. The host went out of his way to make sure we were seated comfortably together as soon as a table was available. Look forward to coming back to try other menu options and take advantage of their later than usual happy hour time. read more

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Review of HAPPY HOUR only: amazing amazing happy hour! 4-8pm in the bar area. The bar area isn't huge but there are some tables for 4-6 people and bar counter seating. It does get crowded and busy, but at least it goes so late! All the drinks and food were great. Momo was lightly sweet but not too sweet. Yuzu raspberry and pear sangria are great but on the sweet side, in case that's not your thing. The lavender martini is awesome and the shoga-tini are also god. Shoga-tini is pretty gingery. The salmon sliders are super tasty and they make the edamame perfectly. Regular salted or spicy options. My friend loved the fried squash blossom. Good fresh sushi. Highly recommend this happy hour! read more

Came in at the end of happy hour around 730pm , got the onion rings, hamachi and the chicken. Everything was pretty good read more

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The food at Le Desales was outstanding... so much so we went back for lunch the next day. The service was excellent and our two servers were so helpful, out going, and fun! They are well versed on the menu and had great recommendations... Salmon, wagu beef sushi, fish chips, chicken paillard (yum), sliders, expresso martinis and chocolate tart!! The menu is fabulous! The ambiance is tendy, upbeat, (we aren't but still felt comfortable) great decor. read more

Le Desales - Our two wonderful servers!! Mika and Grin.. thank you so much for such a memorable experience! - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Seeing a restaurant labelled as French/Asian fusion almost scared me away but I'm so glad it didn't! I popped in for happy hour with a friend during Winter 2024 Restaurant Week. Loved that despite the website being booked, we were able to grab a 6:30pm reservation despite how busy they were. We were quickly seated and ordered from the Restaurant Week menu as well as off the main menu. We ended up getting the Fish & Chips Roll + Kobe Beef Roll from the main menu. Restaurant week menu was $55 for a drink, first course, main course & dessert. We grabbed the Asian pear sangria, Spicy tuna roll, Cotes Courtes (Short Rib w/ Truffle mashed potatoes) and Crème Brûlée. Everything was amazing!! The spicy tuna roll you can skip but if you try anything from here, you must get the Kobe beef roll - non negotiable! I have to come back to try more but I feel this easily will become one of my favorite restaurants in the city! read more

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Probably the best happy hour spot in D.C. Friend and I got drinks + 3 dishes, were plenty full and spent $25 + tip/tax. The wagyu sliders are impeccable, truly. Sushi and the salmon sliders are kind of misses (but what else can you expect for $9 sushi?). Come here for the drinks and wagyu sliders and I guarantee you will be satisfied. Will be back for happy hour. read more

Le Desales - Wagyu sliders, sushi - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I really enjoyed my dining experience with this restaurant! We went here to celebrate a friend's birthday and had a lovely time. The staff was extremely kind and accommodating for our party. The restaurant is very intimate and lovely! We took an Uber but I noticed a parking garage right beside the restaurant and there was also street parking. The branzino and fish and chips sushi was absolutely delicious! I def recommend ordering these dishes. The cocktails are unique and strong. I absolutely plan to return! read more

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Came for restaurant week with friends and had a great time! Our server was AWESOME!! He gave great recommendations, was really engaging, and prioritized us having an overall great experience. The cocktails were incredible!! Both the momo and the black tea rum cocktail were so well balance with different unique tasting notes that came together so well. So many restaurants are serving expensive average cocktails so I was so thrilled to get an extremely high quality cocktail that was included in the restaurant week menu. To start I had a crispy shrimp roll that was fabulous. For my main I enjoyed the short rib with truffle mashed potatoes. The short rib was cooked perfectly but on the salty side for me. The mashed potatoes were good but were a little bland. No seasoning except an overpowering truffle oil. The dessert was amazing. The chocolate tart with ice cream was delectable as was the cappuccino. Overall we had a fabulous dinner. The service was amazing, we enjoyed our meals, the drinks were incredible, and the vibe was very lowkey and not loud -- perfect for a girls night of talking! read more

One of the things I love of Le Des is the hidden and secret sushi available inside by Sei! The ambiance is fun and the staff are always so kind and happy to be there which makes a huge difference when you're grabbing dinner or on a date. I recently got sushi to go and their rolls are fresh, creative, and always done well (but not overdone - I'm looking at you fried sushi rolls with 15 toppings). I got the jalapeño roll and spicy salmon roll and both had plenty of filling and the right amount of rice - plus it was still super fresh to go! read more

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Service - was great, we were there for happy hour but the section was already packed and a bartender was kind enough to seat my friend group and I at a large table and still offer us the happy hour deal. Waiter Jose was really nice. Ambiance - it was a large space, great decor, dark hut not too dark. The lighting was warm and welcoming. Bathroom was nice! Food - SO DELICIOUS, i had spicy tuna that was fresh I probably wouldn't get that again. The crunchy shrimp I would order again that was good good! The burrata plate was so yummy would recommend. The meatballs had the whole table in a chokehold. Drinks - were good and strong. Painted lady drink was a favorite for everyone! My friends come here just for this drink itself, reminded them of PR. I had the rose & Asian Pear Sangria. They were strong and tasted good. Location - in a good spot and easy to find! read more

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