** Restaurant Week Review ** My five friends and I had an excellent experience here during Restaurant Week. It's quite frankly one of the best RW deals in town. The Monocle's entire menu is available, which is extremely unusual. There are a few dishes that are an extra $5, but that's no big deal. Most of the entrees here cost more than $30 a plate alone, so spending $32.12 for an appetizer, entree, and desert is more than worth it. The crab and avocado imperial was heaven. It's a must-order appetizer for sure. I also ordered the beef liver and loved it. It was my first time eating beef liver and could not have been happier with the choice. The only complaint I heard from our group was the steaks weren't cooked to order; everything was medium regardless of what you asked for. Overall, we had a great time. I can't recommend this restaurant enough for RW. The service was attentive as well, and the waiter didn't seem annoyed that we where here for RW, unlike some other establishments I've been to. We'll be returning for RW in the future for sure. read more

Convenient location if you're on The Hill. Limited menu. Expensive. Food was good, but nothing special. Service was prompt and friendly. Cool seeing pictures of all the pols, although it was a bit of a "cult of personality" thing I wish our pols would avoid. They are there to serve, not be celebrities. read more

Restaurant Week Review... Dinner $36 for a 3-course meal... we thought this steak place would be worth a try. I'd give it more of a 3.5 stars, overall food was good but nothing was impressive. Food was simple with minimal ingredients, just like the restaurant prides itself on, simple foods done right. We tried the oysters on the half shell and the salmon carpaccio, both dishes were fresh but nothing memorable about either of them. Entrees, we did the lamb chops and the NY strip, both were well seasoned, the lamb was a bit fatty but both were well cooked to a medium rare temperature. Desserts, cheesecake and the lemon pie thing, again, mediocre, but at least they made all the food in house fresh. I guess this place is more of people watching type of place but it's nice to have a decent restaurant near our house. read more

Classy Washington restaurant frequented by Hill folks; friendly service, good food, intriguing atmosphere. I came here with a large group after an event on the Hill. We selected the Monocle mainly because it is a classy restaurant close to the Capitol Building. I should note that while it is a nice restaurant, the atmosphere is not strictly formal, though I would recommend dressing to impress. If you have guests from out of town, or you yourself are visiting DC, I would recommend the Monocle for its atmosphere if nothing else. The walls are inscribed with various phrases you'd expect to read in "This Town," which was a source of endless amusement and interest for the non-Washingtonians in my party, and the restaurant has a very clubby feel to it that makes you think a Congressman is right around the corner (and one probably is). The service was friendly and attentive, and very efficient considering the size of our group. The food was good, but probably won't knock your dress socks off. I had the baby arugula salad and vegetarian pasta; the first fresh and light, the other creamy and savory. One member of my party had two appetizers for dinner - the calamari and curried oysters - which she said were very good. We had a slice of the homemade cheesecake, which was also quite good. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by the Mononcle this last Saturday night. A friend suggested the Monocle for dinner since they've just started offering a fixed price dinner on Friday's and Saturday's for $17. How could you lose for that price? Now the Monocle has been a political institution on the Hill for years and definitely has that red leather, scotch on the rocks, we would smoke cigars in here if we could feel. So I wasn't expecting much from the food. But to my pleasure, the salmon with a bernaise sauce was lovely and my dinner companion's steak with a sherry wine sauce was mighty tasty as well. Add to that killer drinks (I love my Manhattans) and good service, and I'm back. $17 for a nice dinner and a good bartender? The Monocle is now on my list. read more

Sardi's of Washington, DC is what I call The Monocle. See and be seen in a cozy quaint restaurant while autographed Senators' photographs look down on delicious steak and other exquisite cuisine. Owner and staff make sure everyone is special and service is spectacular. Taking 8 out of towners there for dinner when they're in town for 2013 Inauguration. Expect it will be one of the highlights for my friends. The bar is also a cozy place to meet to talk shop or meet friends. It is just a super special, one of a kind place with great people and atmosphere. This place should be on your bucket list! read more

I was expecting something much different when our friends invited us out to dinner at "the Monocle", perhaps my expectations were too high... the service was a little odd; what I mean is, our server seemed very rookie and aloof. He didn't know how to describe the items on the menu, he had no idea what kind of coffee they served or much about the drink list and he recommended the NY strip and although the food was good, my NY strip was very tough. Yes, people are different and we all like different things, I just expected a more buttery, tender and melty steak. The restaurant is very old, oddly decorated and not really "classy" (which is what I was expecting). Also, It had a musky smell when you walk in. I felt like I was in an outdated Vegas hotel on the old strip. We dined here on a Friday night and it was a much older crowd than we expected. We had a great time because we always do but it really wasn't the type of place we'd return to. Please keep the tradition but update it a little; with how old it appears it looks a bit dirty and run down. read more

Underwhelming at best! The history and nostalgia of the restaurant is nice but it falls far behind many DC restaurants in terms of the quality of food, service and atmosphere. If you like feeling like you are in 1960 you may enjoy the atmosphere. Good quality was below average - frankly it was bland and lacked any sort of excitement. The service was of average quality. Friendly and efficient but not exceptional. If you want white table cloth and expect everything that comes with it, try somewhere else. read more

The Monocle - The crab cake entrée - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was excellent and staff were friendly. The food is high quality, unpretentious fare and the portion sizes were completely appropriate. However, I feel like The Monocle is more often frequented by an older clientele. The reason I have chosen to knock one star off fulll marks is because not everyone will feel comfortable dining here. Nevertheless, I look forward to dining at The Monocle in 15 years time. With my husband. After he gets home from the Senate... read more

Good food, quick and excellent service and a must visit if on the Hill. I had the club 107 sandwich with a pesto sauce. Excellent choice. On previous visits I've had the Burger and salmon BLT. All delicious read more

The Monocle - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I'm going to give this a four star, for some of the wrong reasons. If you don't get to DC much, and want to do some people watching you should give the Monocle a try. The last trip there Speaker Boehner was in the house. Just another night at the Monocle it seems. The pictures that cover the walls are a who's who of the past and present DC crowd. I had the Crab Conrad. I would order again. read more

Outstanding lunch here today. Excellent service. Atmosphere marvelous - opera music in the background with signed photos of past customers on the walls. Waiter recommended the Maryland Lump Crab Cake and he was right: it was superb!! If you're in the Capital area, this is a must stop. read more

The Monocle - Maryland Lump Crab Cake at lunch - delicious! - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I ate here today primarily for convenience but was pleasantly surprised to find my latest top place contender for the "Best Crab Cake" competition happening in my mind. The staff was friendly and the bread... oh, the bread. Rosemary bread with a salted and buttery crust. Worth a visit back on its own. Atmosphere was pretty much a suit and tie crowd for lunch... mostly congressional representatives, staff, and lobbyists. So, I'm guessing if I hadn't been hanging with this crowd and in my normal jeans and chucks, I might have felt a little awkward. As it was, I felt just fine and free to savor my crab cakes. However, if you have a crab cake competition happening in your mind, get here no matter what you're wearing though I'd recommend pants. read more

The Monocle is fine if you are looking for good food, wine, and well prepared cocktails. The prices are lower than what you might expect from a place that is dominated by congress people, congressional staff, lobbyist (with seemingly bottomless expense accounts), and Washington Insiders. Especially, the more than reasonable lunch prices. The best time to go is when congress is Not in session; much less crowded. The service was top notch on the over ten occasions I dined (not including office holiday parties). I was treated no different than the bigwigs who were dinning all around me. I am partial to the Filet Mignon as it is prepared with a good red wine sauce and cooked to the desired temperature. It is just a classic. The menu bends towards what will feel familiar. There are more daring restaurants in the city but this one feels like a comfortable memory that you will enjoy time and again. The ambiance of the place is what I love most. From outside it looks like a 1800's boarding house. I do not know its history, but it probably was a boarding house dating back to the first buildings on the Hill. Inside I am reminded of a comfortable American old-timey parlor mixed with an Irish pub, all in a good way. The parking is near to impossible so take a taxi or ride share service. Good food, reasonable prices, and fantastic service. read more

Good, if a bit uninspired, food and excellent service, but really can't recommend this place because of the owner. This pompous blowhard carried on a 45-minute monologue at our table, steamrolling over all our attempts to join the conversation and oblivious to our growing discomfort and anger as he mocked just about every racial, ethnic, religious and other minority. We left at the first possible moment as he continued to blather on after us from the doorway. So gross. read more

Now hearing about the "amazing" crab cakes, this place was on my to-go list in DC. I came in a little late for lunch so the place was not too crowded. The server, thinking I'm a starving student points me towards the lunch special which is a little annoying. I settle on the crab cakes and an Arnold Palmer. Not that the crab cakes weren't good - its just that after all the buildup they weren't mind blowing. The location was definitely right on Capitol Hill though if you are walking from the Hill to this place its pretty easy to miss. I got the creme brulee for desert which was definitely a nice surprise. Like the little glaze of (almost) burnt sugar on top of the creme brulee. Overall - was this place worth the ~$50/each. Maybe... read more

Love the food and the maitre d! Interesting to find a conservative Iranian holding court in an establishment frequented by many liberals! Business ebbs and flows due to close proximity to Capitol! read more

First and last visit. ordered a well-done that came totally burned and dry like a piece of wood. The place is way overrated. I would rather eat at Ruth Chris ! read more

The Monocle is a very professional stop for lunch or dinner. The staff is Greek and very friendly bringing great food. We chatted about Greece and great people we had in common from Alaska. Service is tops and we were made to feel very welcomed by just dropping by after a long day on the hill. The walls are adorned with famous legislators and people who have frequented this restaurant bar. There are private rooms upstairs too. I highly recommend this place to finish off your stay in DC. read more

The Monocle - The staff stopped yo have s picture! Thank you. - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went for restaurant week bc it was one of only a handful of places that still had reservations last min. Finding parking nearby was pretty confusing bc everything around says its reserved for Senate parking, so we called the restaurant & the guy told us that we could actually park in the next door Senate lot for free which was a plus (and pretty unheard of)! Our server was nice, really attentive & the food came out fast! The food was just okay in our opinion (got the crab cakes & filet), but we did enjoy the wine + bread + atmosphere. Also, our desserts were pretty good (creme brûlée & choc cake). Pretty quiet for a Saturday night in the city though. I would recc going at least once for the experience, but don't expect to be wowed by the food. read more

The food and service are outstanding. But what makes this place so special is the tradition of care and friendliness for those who come in more than once. It's as close to a "Cheers" family as you will find in DC. The best place to see Congressional Members, staff, and industry folks actually enjoying working together over a meal. I know, sounds like a time long ago, But Nick, John, and the long time staff do a great job of maintaining that atmosphere of trust. A trip to DC would not be complete without a dinner or drinks at the Monocle! read more

Great atmosphere and excellent service from Amin. A bit pricey but worth every cent. Lovely ambience if you actually want to engage more with your dinner companion than your phone. Can't wait to return! read more

Some friends and I went to The Monocle for a few evening drinks. We got a recommendation to try the gin martinis. Our recommendation came from a Libertarian who holds a paid position in the federal government. The Monocle is an institution on Capitol Hill. Located less than a block from the Senate office buildings, The Monocle is practically guaranteed to remain in business, regardless of the number of negative Yelp reviews it receives. Senators and Members of Congress frequently hold events in the private rooms upstairs, strictly because of the location, not the menu. The gin martinis were made with gin and billed at $11.00, just as advertised. One fun feature is they pour the cocktail shaker into your glass at the table, instead of behind the bar. To make sure you keep drinking alcohol, your server will purposefully not serve you any water. You're welcome to take the pitcher from the server station and get yourself a glass, as no one else will do that for you. Unlike the vast majority of restaurants in the world, waitstaff at The Monocle have not been trained how to break up checks. You and your party of four should place your credit cards in the check holder, and write on the check the exact amount you'd like to be charged. Upon receiving your completed check, your waiter will incredulously ask the table how he's supposed to figure out who is to be charged what. At this point, you can explain that reading the piece of paper held in the waiter's hand will likely help him out. Your waiter will then tell you it will take him four and a half hours to run your four credit cards (our party gave our bill to our waiter at 7:30pm, and he informed us we'd get it back at midnight), and that he hopes you have plenty of time to wait. Tell him you do. This is all part of the tradition at The Monocle. Now your waiter will depart to run the cards. Get ready for a Shyamalanian twist in the second act, as you still have at least twenty minutes to go! Your original waiter will send a BRAND NEW WAITER back to your table, with a calculator. He will instruct you to add up the totals to be charged, to ensure it equals the total amount of the bill. Couldn't this be done while running the cards, you and your table will wonder aloud? You will receive no response from your waiter, as he will have already walked away. Once you've managed to re-engage your second waiter's attention, he will take your bill back, and run the cards. This is where it gets even MORE fun! Once you tip your waiter less than the society-recommended 20% of your bill (due to the fact that you actually received less-than-adequate service all evening), your waiter will return to your table and tell you that you're a bad tipper! Again, this is tradition. That's just your waiter coming back to show you, through words and action, that he really DID deserve less than 20%. On your way out, your waiter will tell you that he will remember your faces. One last personal touch from this Capitol Hill institution. read more

I do NOT RECOMMEND. I have to schedule a lot of events for my job and sometimes we have to schedule them here, which I dread every time because the man I always speak to on the phone, Nick, is INCREDIBLY rude. For someone who is about to receive a ton of business from me, I am shocked by how I am spoken to on the phone by this man. If you have to deal with this restaurant, my apologies, sadly I have been there. read more

I went here with coworkers for drinks one day after work. Once we arrived, it took awhile for a waiter to come to our table. He brought us some chips to munch on while we waited on our drinks to be prepared. We did look at the menu and briefly considered ordering something but decided to pass. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a slice of the old, old, old, South... You're not missing anything special here. read more

This place is a lot of fun. It's conveniently located right across from Union Station, and street parking is a breeze after 6:00 pm. A few things stand out about my recent dining experience. First, there were at least half a dozen unrecognizable members of the House and Senate sitting at the tables around me holding audible, very interesting conversations. Second, the service was excellent. Finally, the speed with which our food came out made our heads spin. The food was pretty good, but nothing special. Our steaks were tasty but over-priced, which is pretty standard for a DC steakhouse. What separates the Monocle, and the reason I'll go back, is its location, clientele, and level of service. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Bar is a great place the go after work. Restaurant is impeccable. Restaurant has been a DC staple for decades. If you have a chance, go.

While in DC, we wanted to eat at a local establishment. We chose the monocle. It is located next to Senate building. The place has good atmosphere & our wait staff was super friendly. The place has photos of Senators along the walls which was fun to look at. The food was great. Hubby had the NY Steak and it was juicy, tender and favorable. I had the crab cake dinner. The crab was fresh & there was no filler. Made with Chesapeake Bay blue crab. It was great yo people watch as we ate, just in case we spotted a Senator dinning. But we didn't have any luck. Looked like a bunch of lobbyist were dining. If you want an old established DC hang out, this may be the place for you read more

I've visited The Monocle many times over the years and it's always nice to go back. Recently my wife and I had been out shopping and sightseeing and were casually dressed. We were still welcomed in. We sat in the bar first to relax and have a drink. John the owner found a nice bottle of Riesling for my wife while I had a Manhattan. After we talked a bit and I mentioned that the first time I visited was while in the Navy many years ago it felt like we were at home with friends. Marinos our waiter was really attentive. We both had steak my wife the filet and I the sirloin. Both were perfectly cooked. The potatoes au gratin it came with we're very creamy with a nice cheese taste. The Monocle is one of our favorites each time we visit Washington DC. read more

The food was ok, you go here for the atmosphere. Wanted to check it out as a must see on capital hill.

The Monocle is a one of the older restaurants in Washington and I really want to like it. The traditional decor is pretty, the service good, and the wine program pretty interesting for a very conservative old-school restaurants that both JFK and Richard Nixon frequented. (There are rumors, probably untrue, that JFK would use an upstairs room for amorous encounters.) If you're into the questionable game of D.C. celebrity watching (wow, that's the Secretary of Health and Human Services!) you'll get your fill here. It's a clean, pleasant place to have a meal. If you're a tourist wanting to get a taste of "old D.C." eating here can be an experience. I've been to dozens of events and fundraisers here and they do a good job putting them on. My problem: the food it's not very good. Salads can be limp and I've been served chicken that was overcooked. The hamburger, which is darn hard to screw up, is probably the best choice at lunch. Particularly at the price points they charge, driven by the location and the preponderance of expense accounts amongst their regulars, the steaks which sit at the center of the menu are below average for D.C. steakhouses. Deserts, surprisingly, are well above average: the berry cobbler (not always on the menu) is particularly good. This isn't a bad place. I'm sure I'll be back when invited. But it's not a place I'd seek out or spend my own money. read more

One of our best meals in D.C. was at Monocle, not necessarily for the food but for the overall experience. During our meal, we dined with a senator and felt at home with the waiters who are very friendly and will tell stories/ answer any questions about who has eaten recently. I loved the crab cakes and greasy yet highly addictive union rings. Our desserts, which were the cheesecake and lemon tart, were probably better than our dinners and definitely had that homemade taste. If you want a memorable dining experience to capture the flavor of politics and food of Washington, D.C., visit Monocle. read more

I have to just say how amazing the employees here were. My husband and I stopped by at 3pm on a Friday and they were pretty empty and even though we had a baby with us, welcomed us in and when she ended up screaming for a while they were incredibly nice and acted like it didn't bother them at all. Thankfully no other customers were there, we were mortified, but we were so impressed with how nice they all were about it. read more

i'll have to preface my review by saying that i've never actually eaten a meal here, but am still a frequent visitor for drinks and happy hours due to its proximity to the senate buildings. but visiting the monocle is definitely part of the dc experience. full of lobbyists, staffers, members of congress, and other branches of government, chances are you'll probably run into someone of importance (and lots of people who think they are) here. so if that's what you're looking for, then you should swing by. don't expect anything trendy or hip, since the monocle is more of an institution of dc as opposed to the transient new bars and lounges that pop up all over town. read more

Remarkably unremarkable. It's a stone's throw from the Capitol. There's frequently a member of Congress or a cabinet dining there. And it's old. But It's "old school" in the way tassled loafers and wide ties are. Unfashionable is not the same as classic. The decor is drab. The ancient photos of legislators on the walls might make a political obsessive happy, but it gives the place the whiff of a mausoleum. It's shabby chic without the chic. The food also seems to be going for fashionably unfashionable, but mine was really just pretty mediocre. The salad was limp. The Crab Conrad had a dome of flavorless crab topped on an undercooked, tough portobello mushroom. Required a lot of work to eat something so boring. And The Monocle's vaunted service wasn't so much seamless as it was showy. Loud pronouncements of the specials and florid descriptions of desserts, but throughout the meal, dirty plates and empty wine glasses sat neglected. There are many disappointing restaurants in D.C., and nothing about the Monocle is genuinely bad. But it's not good, and considering the profile and prices it maintains, it's success is a bit of a mystery. read more

A quaint local spot that makes a great after work meeting place for a drink with colleagues. Pricey and small, you're better off grabbing a drink somewhere else where you can be comfortable. As for event space, they do offer private rooms but again, over priced and service is lacking. read more

Over rated. Congress loves this place because its over priced. I've had better steak at a truck stop and the lack of beer was pathetic.

Good food at this classic downtown DC eatery filled with senators and their staffers and lobbyists. Enjoyed a short business meal where I tasted one of the specials that evening, the soft shell crabs: delicious read more

The drinks and service at this restaurant are superb, but that about all I can recommend. The noise level was over the top when we were there, and the chef must be an apprentice. I saw Baby Calf's Liver was listed (I know most of you are thinking - What did you expect when you order that?). I asked for it to be cooked medium rare, but it came so well done, there was no moisture left in it. My wife order aa filet, medium rare, and it also came well done. Since there is little liklihood that we will ever return to DC, I am hoping this review will save others from the same disappointment we experienced. read more

Power lunch at the Monocle with our DC lobbyist and members of our industry group. He and the owner have great stories to tell of the senate deal making that has gone on over drinks over the years. Excellent service and good food. read more