I recently got a chance to sample Black Pearl Tarts at an event that I attended and what can I say…read more-- I'm hooked! Everything is tastier when it looks good and is bite sized and this my friend is a check, check and a check! The owner elevates tarts into one sophisticated bite using seasonal ingredients and beautiful flourishes like sprinkled covered marshmallows or edible flowers. If sugar ain't your thing you can check out their savory flavors as well -- sweet potato hummus? Yes please! The crust is hearty and the perfect foil to the sweet, sweet insides. Perfect for cocktail parties and they take orders online so you never have to talk to a human person (sorry, I'm an anti social hobbit who just wants to live on tarts). Definitely check this local business out!

Black Pearl recently provided red wine and fruit compote tarts topped with sweet goat cheese and…read morepoached pears for an event I attended. I was stunned. It's actually worth talking about their appearance before I get to the experience of eating them: On the table, their products look elegant--striking without being intrusive or gaudy. They set a great mood. These are some of the best-presenting tarts I've ever seen. I can't vouch for their full line of products, as the only tart on offer was the Mulled Fruit & Goat Cheese, but it was shockingly well-thought-out: Every texture at play in the tart--firm, crumbly shell; jammy compote; smooth sweet cheese; crisp poached pears--kept its distinct profile throughout the evening. Coming to them later in the night didn't result in a soggy crust, limp fruit or runny compote, and the textures recombining in your mouth were a delight. Of course texture doesn't mean much if it isn't backed up by flavor, and so I saved the best for last. As I mentioned above, it's obvious that everything about this dessert was carefully considered, and considered with excellent judgment, at that. Every element was in balance, announcing itself clearly on the tongue without overwhelming the other notes: The mild cookie-ness of the crust, the deep mulled wine in the compote, the sweet tang of the goat cheese--this was a joy to eat. Full disclosure: Black Pearl is operated by Christina Marie. I do know Christina personally--we have a number of close mutual friends, though I don't know her terribly well. I'm writing this review because Black Pearl is a local start-up whose food really impressed me, not as a personal favor to someone I know.

Really high-quality and thoughtfully curated flavors…read more When we ordered the banana cream, they had to check if it was still in stock which was a cheeky sign on how tasty the donuts are. Our donut was light and fluffy, with a creme infused with real banana. You can tell that they are being thoughtful on their approach to artisanal donuts, and it really shows up in how they elevate this classic dessert. Its rare to find donuts that balance complex flavors, sweetness level, and good crumb but all of those things are what make it distinct fom others, especially chain restaurant donuts. Of course, these are probably made the day of and ours was a large and substantial size. Its definitely a treat-yourself type of moment to commit to the price point, but we weren't disappointed. My take on high‑price‑point food in Union Market is simple: that's exactly where you'll find it. So once you let go of that once you enter, you have a more pleasureable experience by allowing yourself to indulge and try to find the thing that will really fulfill you. And they did that for me. Thank you beautiful ladies who helped me select my donut!

Not $60 doughnuts .... And also described as not dreadful??…read more cinnamon struseul was best of the bunch and was still just okay. But wow were the rest disappointing (super frustrating bc they look very pretty). All of them felt old and dry, the buttermilk glazed (which tasted like it had citrus glaze icing) and the citrus cake (way dense) were the driest. Chocolate ganache doesn't even taste like chocolate more chemical than anything. Service was extremely slow when all they had to do was place doughnuts in a box -- also seemed like customers were an inconvenience. Overall absolutely go buy other doughnuts. Don't waste your money, product to cost ratio is 1 star.

Came for the party, stayed for the burger!…read more I visited Ivy City Smokehouse for a morning party, and I loved that the restaurant was open and serving food while we were partying because priorities! I don't typically eat beef, but every now and then I see a good-looking burger and all bets are off. Ivy City Smokehouse had a double-patty cheeseburger topped with cabbage salad and Russian dressing, served with fries. I'm not usually a Russian dressing girl, so I skipped it and went with good old ketchup instead. Y'all... this burger was SO GOOD. And HUGE! The fries were hot, crispy, and really good too, but I only ate a few because I was absolutely determined to finish that entire burger. Mission accomplished. The restaurant itself is pretty large with both indoor and outdoor seating. Since there was a party happening, there weren't many tables set up for dining, but we managed to snag one. The lines were long and food took a little while since everyone had to order both drinks and food through the bar, but the staff handled the crowd really well. They remained patient and attentive, and whether we needed ketchup, salt, pepper, or extra napkins, they made it happen. Usually the camera eats first, but I was so hungry that I jumped right in before even thinking about a picture. I've lived nearby for years and somehow never made it to Ivy City Smokehouse, but after that burger? I'll definitely be back!

FOOD POISONING !!! do not eat here . I hate having to leave a review like this, but I feel it's…read moreimportant to share my experience. On July 2, around 3:00 p.m., a friend and I visited this restaurant for lunch. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich without the bun, and it came with a side of fries. Everything seemed normal at the time, but later that day I became extremely ill. I have since been diagnosed with food poisoning, and more than 48 hours later I am still dealing with the symptoms. Based on the timing of my illness and my medical evaluation, I believe this meal was the source of my food poisoning. This experience has been physically exhausting and has completely changed my confidence in eating here. Food safety should always be a top priority, and unfortunately my experience has left me very concerned. I sincerely hope the restaurant reviews its food handling and preparation practices so no one else has to go through what I've experienced. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend dining here.

Nice ice cream, and good variety! I've enjoyed their ice cream sandwiches especially. Try to catch…read morethem on a day they have cinnamon rolls especially!!

Tried some of the flavors they were very sweet. We just got cookies and cream which was their best…read moreseller. It was perfect for the hot day but my favorite was their super thin snickerdoodle cookie! It was soo amazing !!

The gelato here is great. This location usually has the exclusive flavors. I tried the butterfinger…read moresoft serve and the Yellow x Dolcezza pistachio sundae last year. The pistachio sundae was amazing. I hope they bring that one back! I love that they use locally sourced ingredients and have a portion of their menu focused on seasonal ingredients. It's also cool that they collaborate with local restaurants to come up with very unique items. The H street location is conveniently located between Whole Foods and Solid State Bookstore. I usually stop here after grabbing groceries. They share a space with The Apollo apartment building so you can sit in the apartment's lobby, which is beautifully decorated, or sit inside Dolcezza itself. The ceiling in this place is stunning. The staff will gladly give you samples of the gelato if you're stumped on what to order.

Dolcezza has a great ambience with a ton of seating which was nice considering it was busy for a…read moreSunday evening. I decided to go with a Coconut Thai and Coffee and Cookies gelato which was delicious. The Coconut Thai was my favorite a 10/10. With this I also needed a little pick me up and the Vanilla Bean Latte was also light and hit the spot. Great place, I will be returning before I leave DC.

Always good pies and music is solid too- 10/10…read moreGo there Eat Chill Jam Out //////////////////////// /////////////////////// ////////////////////// (Is this 85 characters yet??)

I can always appreciate non-ice cream dessert establishments in the DMV. Although I find their pie…read moreslices to be steep in price, I find their assortment of flavors superior compared to other establishments. The service here is very fast and the staff members are always friendly. I also forget how big the establishment is in the inside... it's a lot bigger than one would expect. In terms of flavors, I am a sweets guy. I personally don't recommend the Berger flavor as it's a flavor you'll either love or hate. But honestly the pie itself is great. Support local businesses!

Always try to get birthday cakes from here. Flavor is always on point, frosting is not insanely…read moresweet, and I find that the cake is relatively light (I.e. not dense). There are an assortment of other desserts, as well.

I am from Scottsdale and was coming into town for my son's wedding. This was just a low key civil…read moreceremony before the big bash. I searched Yelp extensively and settled on the bakers lounge. I called and spoke to the owner Katherine, explaining the situation. I told her that my you son and his husband have sophisticated palates and I left everything up to her. Katherine took care of everything and delivered the cake to the restaurant we were dining at. After dinner the beautiful cake appeared at our table and the grooms were really surprised. We have eaten a lot of really good cake but this cake was extraordinary. Pistachio cake with homemade raspberry and the most luscious buttercream. It was the perfect end to a lovely day. Thanks Katherine for making the day even more special

Anybody who knows me knows I love a good cookie. I was on my way out when I saw Bee J's Cookies. I…read morehopped in line immediately. There was only one person in front of me but the transaction was SO SLOW. I patiently waited my turn but a quick acknowledgment or eye contact from the person at the register would have gone such a long way. I ordered a chocolate chip cookie for myself and a snickerdoodle for my daughter. Both cookies were tasty. I had my eyes on the s'mores cookie so that'll be at the top of my list on the next trip.

Third stop on the cookie excursion in D.C. I took a chocolate chip cookie and a snickerdoodle…read morecookie with me. Both were a let down. The snickerdoodle was okay, but I have had far better. The flavors didn't come through for both cookies. The chocolate chip cookie was flat also and missing the key ingredients that make a chocolate chip cookie great like brown sugar. I didn't think it would be this challenging to find a good solid cookie.

Amazing cookies and ice cream that Cookie Monster loves. I used to get them by my work at the US…read moreDepartment of Education which was a job that sadly came to an end due to the RIFs. The staff was nice to give me and my wife a free ice cream cookie sandwich to share, either due to me sharing that or the fact there was a family picnic at the park next to this food hall. We ended up getting their cookie socks as a thank you. Looking forward to returning here and/or visiting their other locations or trucks.

Great customer service. It's in like a mini food hall, ambiance okay I guess. Cookies are good as…read morehell, but I had a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sand which and one snicker doodle. The cookies again are good, but ice cream is BAD, soft serve. So it makes it almost impossible to enjoy without it melting, I was left with melted ice cream. Will go back for cookies online. If you want a decent sandwich, go elsewhere.

One of my absolute favorite cocktail bars in DC, and probably of all time! Feels like a bar…read morestraight out of Mexico City, with an intimate vibe and cool, natural decor. Everything here is top notch, from the drinks to the service. I've been twice, both times without a reservation since we went on the later side, and we were seated within just a few minutes. You can tell the bartenders put a lot of care into what they do - from explaining what goes in the drinks, to even explaining the best ways to enjoy them. Lights of the Night Market is super special. It's perfectly balanced and an experience to sip on - savory, smoky, earthy, and a touch of sweet. Run Bing with Nai Nai and Cafe de Olla (their play on clarified milk punch and an espresso martini) were also great. Such fun little touches too, like candies that come with some drinks. My friends enjoyed Sabanetas and A Trevete Te Te last time. The baked Alaska shaved ice is also one of the best desserts I've ever had - layers of flavor and texture and again, an experience to eat! I love everything about this place, can't wait to go back and try more of the food.

We had dinner planned nearby and I saw this place on the map. There's a $20 reservation charge but…read moreit gets applied to the final bill! Definitely recommend reserving since the space is smaller so walkins seem harder to grab. We were sat at the bar and I loved the space and decor. The lighting was really nice and cozy. The staff were really helpful with recommending items. I gave a flavor profile I was looking for and he recommended lights of night market Light of the night market: if you're a coconut water of pandan fan, this cocktail was so good and so smooth. It was really refreshing and had a nice Smokey flavor as well. The aftertaste was of the pandan and coconut and it was sweet without being sweet at the same time. Totally recommend to anyone looking for a "sweet" drink that isn't also overly sweet or syrupy A travete te te is a great punchy tart cocktail with guava as the main flavor. This one was really summery and paired really well with the shaved ice (also guava) The star for us was the baked Alaska. Initially the photos online is what drew me to this and I was okay if it was gimmicky but omg this has genuinely been one of the best desserts I've had in a really long time. The outside is toasted marshmallows and inside is really delicate shaved iced with guava syrup. At the bottom there's matcha cream with like a chunky strawberry jam and coconut jellies. Literally kept getting better as we ate. I usually find marshmallows too sweet but paired with the rest of the dessert it was all so nicely balanced. Would 10/10 come back just for this.