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Le Sel

3.8 (55 reviews)
Open • 7:00 am - 10:30 AM, 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated 1 month ago

Le Sel Photos

LE SEL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Le Sel

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Trois fromage
Franklin C.

What can I that I was heavily disappointed when I am inviting a huge amount of guests to be greeted with a sub par service and food quality that's is comparable to microwave dinner? We weee initially greeted and settle in with the group inside and it was quiet and slow Sunday evening. Then the service and quality just went downhill afterwards. We tried out the sea salt bread and I was appalled by the sheer size of the portions. Two orders of these for a table of 7. Not gonna suffice. Even the appetizer of grilled octopus is a joke. Other restaurants have bigger portion. This looks like a kids plate. Even the cheese plate wasn't explained what type of cheeses and small sliver of it. The duck confit and duck sausage platter was just a messy plate. I am appalled to see this as a well known ny recognized dish. Having to call other waiters to serve us water refill and provide a steak knife for those who order steak frites after 30 minutes. And waiting for one more steak frites so we can eat was just not cool. The steak I saw looked pretty burnt and charcoaled. Ya I shouldn't have followed opentable recommended suggestions and realize should try other things. Let's say there's better French restaurant than this. This is a ridicule for the cuisine. And who in the world charge gratuity tax??

Cassoulet toulousain
Kathryn J.

WOW, I had an amazing meal at Le Sel! I actually came on Super Bowl Sunday and the restaurant was empty- really empty! It's such a beautiful space, and it turned out to be a joy to have it to ourselves. The service was exceptional, and the staff really know and understand the restaurant. They made great recommendations and generally just doted on us all night. The food is absolutely incredible. They clearly change their menu seasonally, and the warm, hearty dishes we enjoyed were perfect for a cold winter night. The star was the cassoulet, with duck sausage and delicious beans. I also loved the mushroom risotto, which really focused on the natural deliciousness of mushrooms. The golden tile fish was great, but my favorite part was the baby turnips. Winter root vegetables are heavenly in the right hands, and the perfectly cooked turnips were a sign that Le Sel is a great restaurant. We also enjoyed the sea salt tasting, which was so much fun. The different salts were all unique and a pleasure to sample. The dessert sampler was also exquisite, and as it comes with an espresso it was a great deal. I look forward to coming back in a different season and eating outside on their spacious patio.

Skull island prawns
Parth R.

This place has no business being this good. And I was worried at first because the appetizers and initial service was slow and underwhelming. The reviews on here are real...service is slow and a little uncaring for sure. But Chef Silva ended up coming out and that is when the magic started. You could see from how passionate he was about the food that this restaurant was his little baby. He also told us his chefs were all trained from scratch by him and it made him believe in the group much more. Very endearing. Then the incredible entrees came out which made the appetizer look like they had been made by a different restaurant. The coq ah vin was incredible, the prawns were perfect, but the STARS of the show was the cassoulet (just a medley of duck, sausage, and pork) while the secret menu Parisian gnocchi proved to be perfectly crispy soft and doughy. I will for sure be back for these favorites, I hope more people try out the entrees and skip the apps. Well done Chef Silva!

Avocado toast (no egg)
Jennifer B.

Service was excellent for brunch this Sunday. Very kind and attentive staff. The menu is limited for vegan options. I think the breakfast menu has more sides. We ordered the two options that were vegan or could be made that way: avocado toast sans eggs and the oatmeal. The toast was excellent and included sun dried tomatoes. The oatmeal was good, but not my favorite. Something with a grain or sweetener perhaps wasn't expected. This bright, window filled spot is located inside The Kimpton Banneker hotel. I know they have valet parking and what seem to be a few street spots.

Umar M.

This is one of the better DC food experiences I have had but I am a bit confused with the ambiance of the place in general. Find out why?! From the looks of it Le Sel gives of old bougie American Diner vibe but the food tells a different story. The food doesn't really go with the ambiance of this place but the chef @ Le Sel definitely know what they are doing. The ousters appetizer was remarkable. So much added flavor brought that slurp *clears throat* to life. Yes it is a slurp sound, stop complaining. Grilled Octopus was perfect and just giving you so many flavor profiles. I would like to give the chef 10/10 just for how well this was cooked. My last dish was duck over lentils and this was amazing. I could not imagine masoor lentils tasting so well with the duck. 10/10 for creativity. Portions were small though. A big boy like me has a big stomach and that stomach wasn't half full. Service was top notch. The servers also get 10/10 Over all a really good food experience. Confused ambiance. 4.4 out of 5 I had to stop at Taco Bell after this...

Risotto and octopus - A ceramic bowl contains risotto with a creamy texture, topped with grilled octopus, sliced green onions, and roasted vegetables such as potatoes and possibly a yellow pepper. The dish is set on a dark wooden table, with a glass of water and a bottle visible in the background.
Kamali F.

One of the absolute best restaurants in all of DC and I do not say that lightly! First and foremost, the staff is incredible. Juan Carlos was exceptional! He is extremely knowledgeable about the menu, cocktails and wine including regions. There was never a moment that I did not have what I needed because he was always present and ensured I had everything I needed. The manager, Abass, was active throughout the restaurant. He checked in on tables, made sure they were having a good experience and worked alongside his team to create a seamless experience for all. I was most excited about the food though! Everything that I had was a 10 out of 10! From the presentation to the fresh ingredients to the superb flavor. Excellent, excellent, excellent!! The restaurant is beautifully designed with a great outdoor seating area and a lovely bar. It's not often that you find a hotel restaurant that knocks it out of the park, but this one is certainly worth a regular visit.

DC Brau Pilsner
Angie V.

The bar at Le Sel had nice selection of unique drinks and beers. It's a quaint little bar with excellent service. The Province 75 was a nice recommendation not on the main menu. The DC Brau brew was a crisp Pilsner.

Jade M.

We came here for dinner and ordered five dishes plus 2 desserts. Delicious authentic French food with a modern twist. We ordered the French onion soup which was the best French onion soup I've ever ordered- onions that had texture- almost tasting like noodles in the soup, not too salty and delicious flavor made in lamb stock. Fraise salad which was light and had a delightful tarte dressing and lightly cooked egg in the middle. Beef carpacio (I don't know if I spelled that correctly) is a raw beef dish with a fried cheese crouton and a delightful sauce. I have NEVER tried raw beef but my French friend asked me to try it. Sooo amazing! We had an awesome corn based gnocchi dish that was actually fried and crispy. We also had this amazing potato, cheese and bacon dish which I can't remember the name of but it came sizzling in a pot. The winner winner chicken dinner was the creme brûlée we had for dessert. This take in creme brûlée had a raspberry compote, green tea and peach purée sauce sprinkled with matcha. This was delightful & I will absolutely be bringing my friends back for more. The chef came out at the end of the meal to make sure we enjoyed everything and explained a lot of our dishes which made us feel so special. Shoutout to chef Walter! You guys nailed it with this food. The only critique I have is to improve the decor of the place because it was giving me silver diner vibes.

Menu
Yosan G.

Came Saturday morning after a late Friday night out in DC and stumbled on the the Saturday brunch menu. I pass by the hotel all the time and stepped in the see if they were open for breakfast around 8a and I was pleasantly surprised. Service and staff were friendly and attentive and the smashed burger was delicious. The mimosa really topped off the meal. Can't wait to come back!

Snail cause I can't pronounce escargot lol - Six cooked snails with green herb filling are presented on a white ceramic dish, which is placed on a wooden serving board. The dish is set on a marble table surface, with a piece of bread visible on the side. The snails are topped with a green herb mixture, and some oil or liquid is visible around them. The setting suggests a dining experience featuring French cuisine, possibly at a restaurant or bistro.
Amanda D.

Fantastic atmosphere and service... as expected being a hotel restaurant. The place is advertised to be approachable French. Got me curious what that would mean so we decided to check it out. Escargot was soaked in butter and some braised greens. A little bit bland but I actually don't like it salty so it fits the bill. The only reason for one less star was because of the wine... I ordered plainly Grigio and it tasted old unfortunately. Over all, still recommend for Sunday brunch

Delicious cocktails

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11 months ago

Decent food but service is memorably bad. Staying at the hotel but won't be back here through the rest of my stay. 2 chances is plenty

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1 year ago

Brett the manager is rude the service sucks and he thinks he's the vacation monitor. There are cockroaches in here!!! Don't ever come here!!

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Good food nice atmosphere. The french fries can be improved a bit as well the Béarnaise sauce that is lacking some thickness in my view.

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Ceibo - Another free small bite.

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Le Sel - french - Updated May 2026

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