Just as I expected. Superb, beautiful, delicious! The fries and martinis here are to die for. Start there. We dined here week 3 since opening and they could have fooled us - no growing pains in sight. Service was organized, and just fast enough so you're not panicking to find your server or starving to death. Now the lingering / burning question that remains....how do we get into Lucy Mercer?!? read more

We greatly enjoyed our time at Minetta Tavern for a date night. We started off with the French onion soup, which was delectable, my partner, and I agreed that it is in our top three soups of the city. We then split the steak frites and ravioli. Both were great but we agreed the steak was a bit better. We also split a chocolate mousse and apple tart, both delicious. This is certainly a restaurant that is on our list to return to. read more

We celebrated my wife's birthday here opening night. I have to say it was hands down the strongest opening night I have experienced. The staff were seamless, knew the menu, knew the wine/cocktails and gave great recommendations. The lobster appetizer was killer it's a MUST order. I cannot wait to come back. The bar upstairs is perfect for a swanky night out or hot date so make sure to check it out when you go. read more

I went soon after this first opened and it was great. I just returned for the second time in Jan. 2026. I got food poisoning from the mussels. A few of them tasted fishy so I stopped eating them. Later that night and the next day I was quite ill. I emailed the restaurant to let them know - for safety reasons - and politely requested a refund. Over a week went by with no response so I followed up. Again no response. I understand mistakes happen but to be completely ignored after reaching out is really poor customer service. I had gotten the mussels on my first visit and also several times at Keith McNally's other restaurants in NYC - Balthazar and Pastis (and in DC) - with no issues. I don't think I will be returning to Minetta Tavern. read more

Hands down some of the best food I've tasted lately. Staff was amazing and the food was even better! Drinks were also very well made. Ambiance was perfect. Not too bright, but not too dim. Just the right amount of lighting to set the mood for a great date night. read more

My second time at Minetta Tavern did not disappoint. Old New York moonstruck vibes with white table cloths and mood lighting flood an intimate dining room. The service was incredibly attentive, answering all our questions and providing suggestions for our whims including delicious cocktails- French inspired, mais oui. We went with the tuna crudo- very crisp and fresh, fabulous presentation, filet au poivre (with cheesy mashed potatoes), and the trout. Finished it with the chocolate soufflé. All perfect. I will be back. read more

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Ordered a burger medium, and when it came out I cut it in half and the center was completely raw ground beef genuinely mushy, uncooked meat. I sent it back, and when they brought it out again after "cooking it more," it was still raw and mushy inside. When they took away our plates there were chunks of raw meat on the table and knife from when I had cut it. Really disappointing experience. Go to Pastis instead read more

Fantastic fries! And the space was impressively (re)created to look like a bistro space that has been around for 80 years. Even had stains on the ceiling and cheap frames around old photos. It was also a hive of constant motion and activity by a very large front of house staff. Overall, the service was good, and attentive at the right times; appreciate that. The menu failed to register with us. It wasn't a cliche traditional French bistro menu, but nothing really jumped out as strong temptations. Got the moules frites, steak tartare and lobster bellevue. They were all solid, but not anything that really popped and would be something we'll remember going forward. The lobster dish had a good amount of lobster, but the dressing was too creamy and too much. It came with thinly sliced (chicory, radishes?) vegetables - kind of a slaw - that were a bit too bitter. The beef tartare was substantial and the meat nicely cut - not too mushy nor large chunks. It had some crunchy black peppercorns that added a good amount of spiciness. It was good; but again, will we remember this going forward? The mussels came in a flavorful creamy broth. They were smaller than we can get retail and tasty. The bread was tasty too, although I've had both better and worse. So, all in all, solid. Just not particularly memorable, which is the reason behind 2 instead of 3 stars. The wines by the glass are very pricey, ranging essentially from $22-$28/glass. Fortunately, they were at least substantial pours, which is not the case at too many other places. read more

Fantastic new DC spot! If you're looking for a nice night out with a great moody atmosphere and delicious food -- this is your place! Service was attentive and professional, making it the experience even better! You receive a warm welcome when you come in and everyone says hello to you as you walk to your table. We ordered many different things: -Bone marrow was great and delicious -French onion soup was yummy -I'm a big steak tar tar fan and it was awesome -I had the steak frites - delicious! Drinks were good, too! Perfect for a date night! read more

Minetta Tavern - Tar tar - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My visit started off great and we sat at the bar and were great by bartenders Tim and Mark....they were attentive,, polite and professional! There are NO restrooms on the main level! Your ONLY options are to go UP a flight of stairs OR go DOWN a flight of steps. We went upstairs and were told of their NO PHOTO[S] POLICY & NO HAT POLICY. We were seated in the middle area on a sofa and one of my friends engaged in a conversation with a group of girls next to him. Out of the blue, the same lady that previously "WELCOMED" to HER RESTAURANT. [SHE CLAIMED TO BE THE OWNER.] Then she fabricated a Fictitious "STORY" contending he was "HARRASSING" the female patron. She demanded we vacate the upstairs and she had prepared a "BEAUTIFUL" downstairs table for us. She started yelling at me for no reason when I asked her why I was being forced to leave. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by 6-8 body guards, bouncers and other staff. When we got downstairs she brought us to a filthy table that had NOT been prepared. My friend pointed our we went from a comfortable sofa adjacent to the warm fireplace to the worst table in the building, right next to the front door and very loud. Literally 8 times I attempted to state my position and she cut me off. Finally I sternly advised her that she has "HORRIBLE" LISTENING SKILLS" and this comment infuriated her and commanded that I was NO LONGER WELCOME AND MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. So we all left. This is a horrible way to treat first time customers. For all of these reasons I cannot in good conscious recommend Minetta Tavern to anybody considering this establishment. I've been to thousands of restaurants over the past 60 plus years and NEVER been kicked out of ANY restaurant for NO VALID REASON[S]. UNCONSCIONABLE & REPREHENSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES! Needless to say: I WON'T BE BACK! read more

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If I could give more than five stars, I would. This steak was better than St. Anslem's. The filet is 10oz and the seasoning, texture, and temperature was a dream. The fries are better than le Dip's and a bigger portion. My friend got the Black Label Burger and was equally blown away by its size and taste. The baguette starter with the French wine our waiter helped us select will make it difficult to go anywhere else for a similar meal. Can't wait to go back and try the other options our waiter suggested as his favorites, including the Spinach Fazzoletti and the Coq Au Vin. Can confidently say if you're looking for one of the best pieces of meat and red wine in the city, you'll fall in love with this new spot! read more

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As a non-Instagrammer who's always shy to take pictures, I LOVE the no-camera policy. That said, I always defer on decor/vibe or comment that it just doesn't do much for me... LucyMercer/upstairs, however... bravo. The vibe blew my socks off from the second I began climbing the stairs and following the smell of the fireplace. You can't NOT be transported! (They didn't sacrifice comfort and coziness for cuteness upstairs, btw. Your ass will thank you!) Downstairs/Minetta: Old school vibe times 100. Decent food with generous portions. Signature burger and steak frites were ordered. As you'd expect, tbh. A nice wine list with some older vintages of bdx and champagne interspersed with a few semi-geeky affordable options=well priced/well-curated list and a very helpful sommelier. That said (see below!! you want to order cocktails here Service: EXCEPTIONAL. They treat you well here without overstepping. Victoria, Alma, on and on were just great folks. Cocktails: The low abv sherry cocktail (downstairs) and the Nijinski upstairs at Lucy Mercer (love me some Russian ballet) were impressive and noteworthy. ***Truly special stuff in every part of the establishment*** read more

They've worked hard to recreate a NYC bistro vibe, and for the most part, it lands--stylish without veering into kitsch. The crab appetizer was on the skimpy side but decent. I also tried a beef tenderloin, rice, and vegetable dish that doesn't seem to be a regular menu item. Rice in a French dish? Maybe it's regional, but it left me puzzled. The portion was small, the flavors were flat, and the white béchamel-style sauce had a chalky texture. The rice was plain white and lacked any seasoning or interest. It sounded promising on paper but didn't deliver--wouldn't order it again. On the plus side, bar service was efficient, even on a busy weekday evening. read more

Lush old school NYC atmosphere; Steven B was a delightful and charming server. My husband got one of the more unique brunch bloody Mary's - best one we've ever had! Branzino was fresh and bright and tasty, the burger was juicy, almost earthy - but in a good way and cooked to perfection. Their fries are addictive. The only downside was that their soufflé was not available for brunch but we will be back for dinner to give it a try. read more

Delicious steak frites. It's a smaller restaurant than I expected which explains why it's hard to get a reservation.

This was the worst experience I've had in DC. The food was average but there was a situation going on downstairs with the restrooms. The smell was horrific and made our table sick. It was gross. read more

Excellent food! Great service! And cool vibes. Felt like going to a French steak house speak easy! Will definitely return. Portions are big and high quality! read more

Honestly extremely disappointed. I have heard so many good things about this establishment and their reputation. I went in excited to try it and experience what I had heard. I will say after my two years in dc this is by far the worst spot for this price point that I've been too. The food was soooo beyond mid or below mid. I ended up sending back a dish because it was so inedible that I couldn't even try and eat it. The cost of the entire meal was insane compared to what we ordered. The service was ok... again if you come to a place and pay what I paid for this meal you would expect a more hospitable experience. Another note, 12$ for a sparkling water just outrageous. Side note, I am used to high prices in dc and I enjoy dining out, I will always pay a high price for good food and good service but this establishment was so disappointing that I felt I needed to write this review. read more

This was a pleasant surprise! We originally went to another location for a holiday themed night out, which ended up disappointing so we went to this location, thinking we'd only be able to get a seat at the bar because reservations were taken for the evening. Just our luck as we walked into a restaurant two seats opened up at the bar where we ordered martinis And just to see if our luck would continue on for the night, we asked if any seats were available in the dining area and in less than 20 minutes, we were escorted to our table. The martinis here are delicious. We tried three different martinis at night and were greeted with a beautiful baguette that was served with whipped butter and Sea salt flakes. I personally enjoyed the trout that was served with a risotto and my friend enjoyed the burger that was served with the best french fries! I see why people think this is so similar to le diplomat, but I would pick this place over the other. The decor reminded me of someplace I went to. I was a child in New York that I just can't remember what it was called and my friend said the decor reminded him of a pub in London. We had amazing service and an even more amazing time here. I can't wait to visit again! read more

Everything about this place was outstanding. Food, drinks, service, ambiance. 1000% worth the price. Make a reservation! And get there early or stay late so you can check up the bar upstairs. read more

Great food, great service, great vibe. We like to split things, and we've had the burger, french onion soup, all the classics are fantastic. We have tried the specials too and they were good. Don't be afraid to go off menu. Very loud and very busy; a great time for a festive night. read more

I really wanted to love Minetta Tavern DC. As a longtime fan of the original in NYC, I was excited to celebrate my birthday there--but the experience was a letdown from start to finish. While our martinis were delicious, once the main course arrived, our steaks were rubbery and inedible. I asked for a bordelaise sauce to try to salvage it, but after 20 minutes, it still hadn't come. With no sauce in sight and a full plate of cold, chewy steak, I told the server my plate could be removed. (The kicker: a $10 charge on the bill for the bordelaise that never showed.) On the way out, the host asked how our meal was. Usually not one to complain, I said, "To be honest... I had higher hopes!" Immediately, three staff members--including a manager--pulled me aside. They apologized profusely, promised a follow-up call and email the next day, and invited me back with friends to experience the bar and make things right. They confirmed my email and number... but never contacted me. A week ago, I followed up myself. Still no reply. I don't enjoy writing negative reviews, but in a city where small gestures and honest hospitality matter more than ever, this felt like a real miss. Restaurants make mistakes--we all do--but it's how they handle them that counts. Minetta Tavern DC dropped the ball on both fronts. read more

Food - Excellent - just like the NYC original Service - Quick A bit loud when dining room is full Plenty of nearby parking read more

We went to dinner at Minetta Tavern last night. Even though our reservation was at 5:30, the bar and restaurant were already packed when we arrived. Despite the bustle, the service was absolutely incredible from the person who showed us to our table, to our waiter and someone who I assume was the manager. We had a cocktail to start and the grilled oysters. I'd say the cocktail was good but not outstanding. I had la Premier Jardin. The grilled oysters were delicious with a nice smokey flavor. For dinner we both had the steak frites. This was also very good. We wanted to order a bottle of wine to have with our meal so our waiter had the sommelier come by our table to recommend one. For dessert we had the crepe suzette. I loved the vanilla gelato that came with it. After we finished our meal, paid and were getting ready to leave they let us know that they had a table available for us in the bar upstairs, Lucy Mercer. This was a pleasant surprise as I had wanted to check the upstairs out but hadn't seen any way to make reservations. I also think it was a smart way to keep tables moving and accommodate the next dinner reservation without rushing us. The upstairs bar has a fireplace and lots of couches and lounge chairs. The vibes were great and perfect for a date night. read more

Minetta Tavern - French Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When I tell you this is the cutest place!!!! Hailey was our waitress upstairs. Andre ( I believe that was his name- he was wearing the white coat a main bartender upstairs with roots from Bolivia). He was a complete delight! He told his background, we talked about cars and just had a beautiful evening. It is a perfect intimate space that has the real vibe of a speakeasy. The speakeasy trend is over used but this hits it. It is lowkey upstairs. A nice getaway. The only small thing I wasn't a fan of is the upstairs faucet. I thought I had left it running because I couldn't cut it off read more

+ Restaurant is beautiful. - Had to wait for seating even after arriving at our reservation time. - Order was placed in a staggered manner without our input, and I cancelled our order of steak frites after waiting for over 40 minutes. I believe this was just a mistake and not reflection of the otherwise great service. + French onion soup was perfectly done and outclassed the other dishes we ordered. - As we did not get to try the steak frites in a timely manner I can't speak to the quality of main entrees at this restaurant. The black label burger is priced above its taste weight class. read more

What a weird place! Looks like a stage set or a Vegas or Disney World recreation of a Greenwich Village restaurant -- purposely aged decor. Even the windows are distressed and the HVAC vents look like the 1960s. Fine if you're looking for a theme park look. The menu is unimaginative. Everything on it can be found at many restaurants around town. The tuna crudo (chopped up for some reason) was watery and tasteless. The trout was smothered in a pasty buerre blanc. (The trout at Rooster & Owl by contrast was perfect.). The butter lettuce salad had a sweet dressing (rather than a vinaigrette) and didn't hold a candle to that at Le Diplomate. The chocolate soufflé was undercooked (which we mentioned to our server as he spooned it out but he chose to ignore us). Eating batter is not what we had in mind. Fortunately the edges of the soufflé were cooked. The service was extremely gracious and friendly. But we have no reason to return, especially since getting to Union Market is a chore for where we live. If we go, we will aim for El Presidente or St Anselm. read more

A shame that they could not pull off this NY transplant. They somehow managed to create, in what could be a cool retro-clubby space, the most intolerably deafening restaurant in all of dc. Food Is mixed. Smoke duck breast entre is appetizer size, every bite of the recommended NY strip was half gristle, though the fries were almost as good as Minetta/Odean/Balthazar, and the oysters were perfect. But again, even at the undersized tables, none of our party could hear a word of conversation. This of course is not an unintentional design flaw in a restaurant that was about three years in the making. Rather, it is a design choice and business strategy that prioritizes speed and turnover over a pleasant and relaxed dining experience. So what we have is a malicious simulacrum of the real Minetta's for DC rubes to be fleeced. Avoid. Save your money for a ticket on the Acela. read more

Very good food and drink. Expensive if you drink a lot. Entrance is in the alley around the corner from where you expect it to be.

Loved the atmosphere of this place--very cozy and upscale, yet not pretentious. The food was phenomenal. We got the bone marrow (very rich; if splitting between two people, definitely order a salad or a lighter main), the coq au vin, which comes with a truffle gnocchi side (delicious), and the brook trout, which comes with a rice side (incredible). For dessert, we wanted something lighter and shared the crepes suzette, which came with gelato (10/10). Highly recommend for a date, a small business dinner, or a fancy catch-up with friends. Service was very quick with friendly and attentive staff. read more

Management was completely inconsiderate and rude when approaching the table. We ordered a bottle of wine (well over 100 dollars) that is completely overpriced when compared to other restaurants in the district. The restaurant was too crowded and too loud to have a conversation. I would not recommend this restaurant unless you want to feel uncomfortable and judged when entering a restaurant." read more

Excellent food, atmosphere and service. Perfect night. Recommend the French onion soup!

Went to Minetta Tavern for a great Christmas Eve dinner. Since they just opened, they were still working out some kinks in the kitchen but the food was delicious and our server was lovely. Highly recommend. read more

I've been so excited to try it and saved it for a special occasion (my graduation dinner). We had a reservation at 8:30pm on a Thursday. We got there and was told it would be a half hour wait. This wasn't said in a "we're sorry we're so swamped" way, I get that restaurants back up, but they just did not acknowledge at all their mistake of giving a reservation at 8:30 and not having a table. Good news though - we were told we'd be able to buy a drink at their bar while we wait! Again, this was presented as they were doing us a favor - "feel free to get a drink!" like oh thank you that I'm able to pay $20 for a cocktail while standing in a packed waiting area. Anyways, then came 9pm, then 9:15pm, and when we asked they said it was going to be another half hour. Once again, not even the slightest apology, or "let's get you a drink on the house". I was talking to the bartender and told him the situation and he didn't even reply, I was at least hoping for a bread basket or something because I was starving at that point. We left after the 9:15 "another half hour" and got a text at 10pm saying our table was ready. I feel like this could have been somewhat salvaged if they were at all nice about it, but it ruined the night of my graduation (which ended up being frozen burritos in front of the TV). read more