Sadly, this place has gone rather downhill of late (I'm writing this after having the second or third unsatisfactory meal there in a row, on the evening of 8/6/12). The food is usually top notch (albeit from a limited menu) but I have to agree with the comment above that the staff are sometimes unnecessarily chippy and aloof, and fail to create a warm atmosphere in which to have your meal. I've also noticed small details going awry: dirty cutlery and glasses, menu items not being available, and an ever-shrinking selection of draught beers. These small things would be fine, were they not combined with a staff who seem very reluctant to help, and indeed tell small half-truths if it means making their life easier. Case in point: one member of staff listed four draught beers to one of my table guests, but when another waiter was later asked to remind us what those beers were, we were informed there were in fact only three available, that there were never, and have never been four. And as per the rest of the evening's service, he seemed put out that we'd bothered him with the question in the first place.
So, there it is. Small menu, some shabbiness around the edges, and an occasionally chippy, unwelcoming staff. Maybe they're just having an off period, I dunno. What I will say is that when I've seen this sort of behaviour in other restaurants in the area, a change of owners (or closure) was almost always imminent. And that would be a shame, because I've had some nice times at the Rep Cafe. But until they start punching their weight again, I'll be taking my business to the buzzier, slicker DCA. read more