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My BF and I had many folks tell us to try this venue
My BF and I had many folks tell us to try this venue sometime and it certainly lived up to the hype! From the drinks to the salad and soup and our dinners, it was delicious down to the last bite and sip! Our waiter was fabulous (and smelled amazing!). He offered great recommendations, was the right amount of attentive and helpful. The restaurant itself is a lot bigger inside than it appears. It was lovely on a Friday night, get intimate at our 2 top. They served a variety of yummy complimentary bread which was the perfect start! The menu is pretty extensive for both food and drinks! We hear their weekend brunch is good too so we're hoping to try that one weekend!
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This restaurant is extremely charming.
The interior is startlingly sweet and warm, compared to the outside. I already felt like a heathen for ordering takeout, and seeing the place made it worse. SO CUTEWhen I think of French cooking, I think of a limited menu and flawless execution. This was not that. Stale bread falling apart, un fresh frites, blah burger, even the on the side sauce cup had dried discolored sauce on the lid. Gross. I didn't even finish it. I'm taking this as a personal insult. I don't think they *couldn't do better. This was bleh *on purpose.*AND, before you ask, they told me twenty minutes, I ordered from across the street, walked in at 18 minutes and waited one minute for my order to come STALE from the kitchen.
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Dined on March 20th for brunch.
Customer service was excellent. Our waitress helped us order and we enjoyed our food for the most part. I almost left a happy customer if the woman sitting next to me didn't get up screaming and running.Turns out it was because the most gigantic cockroach was walking across the top of our booth where our heads were. The manager apologized to the woman and her partner but did not apologize to my partner and I because he either thought we didn't see it or because we already paid our bill. It ruined my whole experience and made my stomach hurt smh.French toast 8 out of 10Trout Amandine 8 out of 10Onion soup gratinee 10 out of 10Macaroni au gratin 7.5 out of 10Profiteroles dessert 8.5 out of 10Drinks were 9 out of 10
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Le Diplomate is always a hit.
It's fun and delicious. Probably the spot I eat at most frequently since it's perfect for lunch, brunch, drinks or dinner. I love their patio space and little heated cabanas. There isn't a miss on the menu, but if you want direction:- warm shrimp salad- steak tartare - French onion soup- cheeseburger - Beef bourguignon- Profiteroles Enjoy!
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This place was recommended by a few people so we knew we
This place was recommended by a few people so we knew we had to check it out on our visit to DC. Made reservations the morning of for that night, a little frustrating to get there and then say there's no reservation even though I have my name and number, they searched both and said there was nothing in the system. Fortunately, they handled it professionally and accommodated. As for the food it was delicious! We had the mushroom tart to start and it did not disappoint. Great for sharing and rich in flavor! For dinner I had the Beef Bourguignon. This dish was done very well and again cooked to perfection! Seems like a great aesthetic on the inside of the restaurant, since we "didn't" have a reservation they accommodated us with a patio table which wasn't bad but would've preferred inside to get full experience. Great place to check out of in DC, if you make a reservation just make sure to get nameOf who you talk to.
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A girls night out, so much fun.
The service was great and the waiter was so nice. The place was loud and had a great vibe. We made reservations a month in advance since we were 6. The wine list is awesome and had some great prices for bottles. We share a bunch of appetizers, everyone enjoyed them. The warm shrimp salad was probably the best. I then had the bouillabaisse which was so delicious and fresh, I would get it again. We shared a crème brûlée and it didn't stand a chance. Next time I visit DC I will be back for sure.
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The DC Brunch scene is beyond anything I've experienced,
The DC Brunch scene is beyond anything I've experienced, especially at Le Diplomate. We were lucky to get seated so quickly at 11 am on a Saturday. Our waiter was precious and although every seat in that restaurant was taken, they checked in every 5 minutes with a smile. For starters, coffee and pastries, we ordered the Pain au Chocolat ($6), a Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee with Almond Milk ($4.50), and there was a complementary bread basket with the most delicious, creamy butter you could ever have. For our entrees we got the Croque-Madame ($15), a classic French dish of ham, fried egg, and sauce mornay, and the Quiche Florentine ($15). I have never tasted anything as delicious as the Quiche, the eggs were soft and light. The food was top notch and the portions were generous as well.
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Great food - amazing really, but very rough service.
Read on for the gritty details. We ate at Le Diplomate last night (4/1/2022). We were seated outside and eagerly awaited our dinner. One of our group had eaten here last month and had shared glowing reviews. Our server eventually greeted us with a faux French accent that was initially charming, if a little cringy. We ordered cocktails (French 75, viva la revolution, and s'epanouit), and appetizers (tuna tartare, French onion soup, and gougeres). The appetizers arrived well before the cocktails, a little timing snafu that we initially brushed off. The food was beyond delicious, the cocktails perfectly made, and we knew our friend had made a great recommendation. Unfortunately, it was around this time that our server utterly lost interest in our table. He was relaxing at the outdoor server station, chatting with other servers, while we waited to order a bottle of wine and dinner. He strolled over, doubling down on the silly fake accent, and took our order. The food and wine came, I tasted the wine (Saint-Julien Bordeaux), and he proceeded to pour for the table, pouring for me first - Oops! The taster should receive the last glass. Once dinner arrived we didn't see him for a long time. Appetizer dishes and empty bread basket remained on our table, we had to pour our own wine, and our empty plates sat for a long time until we flagged him down to request a dessert menu. He did bring a dessert menu, and continued to ignore our overloaded table until we asked him to clear it, finally deigning to take one plate away. Sigh. Dessert, like every other item we ordered, was delicious and special (profiteroles, creme brulee, and chocolat pot de creme). I'd love to give this experience five stars, and with a different server I would. I don't want to get your server in trouble, but I do suggest some staff training in attentiveness, proper service, and how to reduce the level of obnoxiousness.
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This review could have been 1 star after my experience but
This review could have been 1 star after my experience but I'm going to be generous today. My partner and I made a reservation on the exact day we were able to (one month before). We arrived on time and, despite seeing at least 5-6 other two/four person tables, were seated in THE WORST SPOT. Right by the front door at a table that was a) next to the freezing cold and b) was surrounded by patrons waiting for a reservation. We politely asked for another seat, which was brought by attitude, and seated next to THE SECOND worst spot, next to the bathrooms/kitchen. Whatever - that wasn't the worst part. Our server was absolutely atrocious. Now, I've worked in food service my entire life and I can tell you, I would be fired on the spot that day if I acted the way our waitress did. She came to our table every 2 minutes, hawking us for more drinks/orders/appetizers aka to spend more money. We told her it was our anniversary dinner and we wanted to take our time. Nope - she asked us for our order so many times, we gave up. Our food came out -oddly- quickly and I had taken 2 sips of my martini. She rushed us out, was extremely passive of our questions on dessert, to which we decided to go somewhere else for after being treated like 2nd class citizens the entire dinner. And we never got bread even after asking. The finale of the bad behavior - she came and grabbed the cash tip without saying thank you BEFORE WE EVEN LEFT THE TABLE!!!!!! What a horrendous experience. 2 stars because the mashed potatoes were good.
Food was fabulous. Started with the scrumptious pate. I was wavering between the bronzino and the steak frites..... the waiter steered me to the bronzino. Oh my, was it the perfect choice! Everone else at the table was equally happy with their varied choices. We ordered profiteroles for the table to share (we were four). Next time, I'll get two orders!
Great atmsphere.... truly a bit like being is a bistro in Paris.
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I'm about to join the group who goes to the same
5/5 by
Yi B. on 03/29/2022
I'm about to join the group who goes to the same restaurants and order the same dish for this restaurant.Love the vibes and interior, transport me back to France.Food is great. I see why people come just for the warm shrimp salad. It is amazing. The shrimp is juice and buttery, tastes almost like a good lobster.Onion soup and escargot is also great.Also love the bread, yum. You can't go wrong. I'll be back!
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Good service, good food what else needs to be said.
Escargot was excellent. Seated immediately around 5
Stopped in for lunch for two without a reservation and was seated quickly in the outdoor, covered patio. The service and food was great…and the bread basket was - oh so yummy! The pasta primavera was tasty with lots s of fresh veggies and my friend enjoyed her sandwich on a crispy, fresh baguette.
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We had lunch in one of the chalets on 14th St.
, after walking around the Tidal Basin and the Cherry Blossoms. We each had a bowl of delicious onion soup and then split an amazing omelette, which our server kindly cut into individual portions for us. Wonderful lunch to cap a beautiful day.
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Stopped in for lunch for two without a reservation and was
Stopped in for lunch for two without a reservation and was seated quickly in the outdoor, covered patio. The service and food was great...and the bread basket was - oh so yummy! The pasta primavera was tasty with lots s of fresh veggies and my friend enjoyed her sandwich on a crispy, fresh baguette.
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Best French bistro fare I've had in the US.
Ordered the standards - onion soup, escargot, steak tartare, moule frites.
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Le dip is the most consistent restaurant in DC.
Always delicious. Have worked our way through ~70% of the menu and literally never had a bad meal.
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If you're looking for high quality, class and generally a
If you're looking for high quality, class and generally a very upscale restaurant, this is the place. Every person working in here was super professional and raised the bar for my expectations from a restaurant. Price is higher than average but so is the quality. We ordered drinks and food both were just great!
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You may be wondering: does Le Dip live up to the hype? The
You may be wondering: does Le Dip live up to the hype? The answer is yes. Sure, you have to book months in advance to get a decent dinner reservation. But as soon as you experience it, you'll understand why. First of all, the service is top-notch. This is what fine dining service should be: the staff speak French, they time courses out intentionally, they check to make sure every dish that comes out meets or exceeds expectations, they have women in the party order first, and they always place plates down on the correct side of the guest. When the service is this spot-on, I have no issue paying a premium. Now, the food & drink. The wine menu was appropriately modest (as is common for traditional French restaurants), the cocktail list was superb, and there was a lovely selection of aperitifs & digestifs to boot. I had to opt for the cote du Rhône by the glass. The bread basket that they bring out has a wonderful assortment of breads to begin the meal. For appetizers, my friends raved about the French onion soup while I opted for the macaroni au gratin. The macaroni was seriously out of this world: perfectly baked, rich & cheesy, & the pasta itself tasted homemade. Every element was elevated to perfection. I wish I could have tried every starter because *so* many of them sounded amazing. To eat, I got the steak au poivre. I really cannot emphasize enough that aside from some wagyu filet mignon, this was the best steak dish I have ever had. The meat was unbelievably tender, and the crust -- oh my god. The steak was completely encrusted in bright peppercorns which added the perfect shallow spice to get a constant kick without taking away the flavor of the cut. Even though I typically don't prefer sauce on my steak, this sauce complimented the peppercorns & steak perfectly, so I could tell that the jus was well incorporated. The steak au poivre is accompanied by garlic sautéed spinach, which nicely balances the heat & richness of the steak. I made everyone else try my entree, and it blew our collective mind. Although the price for the steak au poivre may seem steep, it's a gigantic portion and literally one of the best entrees I've ever had.
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Thank you, Le Diplomate for providing the ideal dining
Thank you, Le Diplomate for providing the ideal dining experience to celebrate my boyfriends birthday. I had the most wonderful service. I'm so glad that I took my servers recommendation and tried the trout. It was honestly the best I've ever had. We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. (Coffee, steak frites, trout, and dessert with fresh chocolate sauce) In the future, I hope to come back to try drinks at the bar.
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Absolutely amazing food, experience & service.
Macaroni au gratin, ricotta ravioli, lobster frites and crème brûlée are all outstanding!
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If you want to feel like you're in France, try Le Diplomate.
Amazing service, ambience, drinks and food. I got the espresso martini which was decent and shared a cheese board with a friend which was great. The bread was incredible. I only went for appetizers but will be going back for dinner ASAP. Overall, it was a great experience!
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I loved everything about this place! The bread, the wine,
I loved everything about this place! The bread, the wine, the apps, all so good! Veal Escalope was phenomenal! The atmosphere was pure escapism taking me to another time in another country.
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Considered one of DC's popular restaurants.
Very lengthy wine selection. Restaurant is very much a day in France. Setting was very warm atmosphere accommodates intimate or group setting events.Staff was very knowledgeable since the menu in itself was also lengthy and can be a bit much when trying to decide. They served us different styles of bread, and although I don't eat things with fruits baked in my dinning mate stated the bread was different an very tasty. My entrée of choice was the veal very tender, very juice sautéed in a mushroom sauce which was creamy and flavorful. I expected a side or bed off veggies of some sort but that wasn't the case so pay attention to whats you are ordering. Oysters are superb, I joked if I only had some hot sauce in my pocket.for dessert our table tried the banana ice-cream and biscuit with chocolate drizzled along with the vanilla crème brulee. If not in the mood for wine I recommend their old fashion I was a little iffy about ordering especially knowing their specialties are more wine based but I was please could've made it a little more presentable though.All in all I recommend if in the mood for a bit of France in the Capital.
C. or Paris?!?!?Such a cool place.Atmosphere is on point. Classic, engaged your visual field.Wine list, bar, menu, - awesome.We ordered:Chicken Paillard (picholine olive tapenade, almonds, frisee)Troute Amandine.....and so much more!
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Always a special treat when we are in the city.
we understood it was going to be busy. fulfilled wait time despite moving up and down in queue. given an outdoor seat with no heater in 30 degree weather. asked for another seat and was told it would be an additional 45 minutes for another seat even though there were additional open "2-top" tables. one star for the service received, but the food is just as mediocre as well.
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Anastasia made the best mojito I have ever had in my entire
Anastasia made the best mojito I have ever had in my entire life, not once but twice. Busy so make sure you make reservations well in advance. Delicious bread basket awaited me and very good Sunday special.
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We made a reservation beforehand and was able to get seated
We made a reservation beforehand and was able to get seated immediately. The dim lights and close tables created an intimate atmosphere. The restaurant was very busy, but servers were very attentive. The rye bread with nuts in the complimentary bread basket was delicious. We got an espresso martini and beer which were both good. The macaroni and cheese was also good. It was my first time trying fois gras and if you're a first timer like me, maybe don't try it at a nice restaurant. The flavor was complex and rich, and while I've had animal liver before I just always had a weird aftertaste in my mouth. I probably won't be ordering fois gras just by itself anymore.The steak and fries with herb butter sauce was good although a bit salty. The arugula provided a refreshing contrast. The shoestring fries were really yummy.The dover sole was the daily special but was also $50, interested to try that next time.
. is the best word. Server barely said a word to us. Dropped the desert menu off without a word. We were so looking forward to our reservation, and to try some French food. The escargot was pretty good, but everything else was lacking. Just disappointed- I would not come back or recommend to people visiting DC.
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Now I'm late with this review, but it was definitely a
Now I'm late with this review, but it was definitely a night to remember. This was the night me and my homegirls celebrated Galentines' Day 2/13/22. This was the last stop on our food tour of DC for dessert! I remember this specifically because I didn't cancel my 10pm reservation just to get an apple pie slice with some spiked warm cider (it has a fancier name on the menu though). My lady friends ordered creme brulee & puff pastry (again a fancier name on the menu). Each dessert was delicious, except mine because life just be lifing. The creme brulee & puff pastry practically melted in your mouth, the apple pie did too; yet, it was just a tad bit too sweet for the time of night & a bit heavier than expected. Given it was in the form similar to that of a tart, the ice cream didn't help much because it just enhanced the sweetness of the apple pie.I was just a bit disappointed at how slowly the order was processed, but other than that & my bad choice in dessert for my palette, everything was how it needed to be. We were seated on time, arrived 10 mins prior to our reservation, but the waiter took a slight second to notice our table from the corner he was standing in.Also, the restaurant is more on an upper echelon cafe vibe - more like tea mate in the states vibes.
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Food was tasty here- had the burger and mussels (both of
Food was tasty here- had the burger and mussels (both of which came with fries). No complaints on either of these. Had a cocktail and some french dry sparkling (which was more than either of the dishes i ordered and had i known would have opted for something diff as this was just a spur of the moment lunch, didnt intend on $100 dining affair)- so yes, its a little pricey for what u get but id be open to coming back and exploring more of the menu. I appreciated the covered patio area option i was seated in. Because tho it was a beautiful day, it was VERY windy so kudos for the varied seating options.
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This is one the best restaurants I have been to.
The food was fantastic. Roasted chicken was great! Shrimp salad was great. Blue cheese olives in martini were the best I've ever had. Service was excellent. Anthony our waiter and Jeremy the manager were friendly and provided great service with great food! Thanks for fantastic dinner!
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The food was excellent----escalloped veal delicious, bread
The food was excellent----escalloped veal delicious, bread worthy of every calorie, warm shrimp salad very delicate and different, and the service outstanding. We ended with raspberry sorbet dessert beautifully presented and tasty. It is extremely busy, thus loud, so conversation is challenging, and much activity everywhere. But it's reputation is worth the visit.
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We were very fortunate with the seating.
When we arrived we were told it'd be a hour to hour and a half wait but while deciding if we'd leave one of the hosts jumped in and said they actually did have a table available so we grabbed it.It was a crowded restaurant and we needed to speak up to hear each other, but that wasn't unexpected for a Saturday lunch. Weird comment here, but I wasn't a fan of the bathroom decor. I'm all for celebrating the human body and as an artist have great respect for the nude form. I do believe there is a fine line between art and pornographic imagery and felt that the bathroom decor was less artistic than not. But hey, that's part of French culture... I think?Now for the good news, the food was great. Depending on what you order it is definitely a $$-$$$ restaurant. The menu was relatively small. But we discovered that there are different ones for brunch, lunch, midday, and dinner (with several cross over items) so I'd be willing to go back and try something new.Gougères - a nice fluffy bread with a light taste of cheese and delicious salty flavor.Duck Sarladaise - fantastic! The sauce was amazing, the duck cooked to perfection, and very savory as a whole. We were told this was the most French item on the menu.French Toast - very well done. The brandied apples were delicious and juicy and the mint added a nice touch to the overall flavor (though I almost wish there was a bit more mint).Bread basket with perfect butter. The bread basket had three different types of bread; a baguette, some type of regular bread, and cranberry walnut.
Expensive and you get what you pay for: excellent service, lovely atmosphere, delicious food.
The Romarin cocktail was highly refreshing for brunch, great choice! Assorted pastries were a great value, felt like they were fresh from France. The Croque madame was also delicious but was quite small. The outdoor seating was a perfect escape from the chilled morning air. Overall, extremely enjoyable experience and not as expensive as it seems (except the wine menu).
5/5 by
RonFG on 03/03/2022
We ate in one of the outdoor chalets—very nice. Lola was an excellent server. He made great recommendations for our cheese plate appetizer. We thoroughly enjoyed our scallops and duck confit entrées. We finished with delicious profiteroles. A wonderful experience overall. We look forward to returning.
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We love the STARR resturant's in Philadelphia so we made a
We love the STARR resturant's in Philadelphia so we made a trip out to for the long weekend and made sure to get a reservation in but is what very disappointing. We opted for the later reservation because we wanted to sit indoors (it was 33 outside) but were placed at a table that faced a back door that was used throughout the night, bringing in cold air to our table. My partner had his winter coat on throughout the meal and when we shared our concern about the door, it was only rectified when the manager came over 10 minutes before closing.Our main reason for wanting to dine at Le diplomate was for the beautiful menu, which we did not have access to. Out of the 13 entrees to choose from, 5 were not available so we had to bob and weave to find something to eat after most of our options were gone. The host failed to mention this prior to seating us, which is usually done for later reservations so we were confused and disappointed. The only saving grace of the whole evening was our server, Youssef, who made the unbearable meal tolerable with humor and small pleasantries. Thank you Youssef, you're a delight!Overall, the decor and music were lovely and we'd love to come back and try again when we relocate to DC in a few months but I don't think it'll be our first stop.
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One the best meals I have EVER had.
The service (Thank you Janell), the cuisine, and the atmosphere make this a true dining experience. If you only have 1 night in DC, eat here.
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Amazing breakfast at Le Diplomate
5/5 by
murfb on 02/27/2022
Had a great Sunday breakfast at Le Diplomate. Wonderful service and the pain au chocolat was the best I've had. The rest of my party loved their pancakes and Eggs & Lox benedict. Highly recommend if visiting DC.
Wonderful dinner. Seated quickly with a reservation. Waitress was friendly and helpful without being overbearing. French onion soup was amazing as were the escargot.
Do not miss having breakfast here! Everything was so delicious and you can't stop looking at the decor. The service was perfect. We all loved every moment here from the food, especially the croissants and pastry basket, the service, the atmosphere ..all of it was such a fun experience. I am sure their lunch and dinner are five star too.
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One bad experience, one good experience
I had heard great things about Le Diplomate and went with a group of co-workers. Since I had lived in France, I wanted to try their Croque Monsieur, which is a glorified ham and cheese sandwich with bechamel sauce. The sandwich was quite mediocre, with a thin slice of ham, a thin slice of bechamel, and a bit of gruyere. Also, it came with a small side salade, which did not have any dressing. Several months later we returned and the food was better. I had the chicken paillard, which was very good. Nice ambience but be careful with your orders.
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Food Served Burned and Tasteless, Nice Atmosphere and Decor, Attentive Staff
Atmosphere and decor are nice but the food was not very well prepared and didn’t taste that good. They served a mushroom tart with very burned pastry around the edges. No kitchen should serve burned food, let alone one that charges the prices they do. The cauliflower gratin sauce was like water, not cheesy or creamy at all. The waiter was excellent and attentive. Although we had a reservation in advance, the table that they gave us was in a terrible position right next to the front door with people coming and going non stop and we were very crammed in. Not the end of the world, but not what you are hoping for when you’ve come for a relaxing brunch. We know this has been a popular place for years but based on our experience yesterday, I cannot recommend it, too many other restaurants with better food. Recommend only having a drink here, not food.
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Nice copy of New York's Balthazar without the good food
You can see where the $6mill went in fitting out this American version of a French bistro. It's a great place to be with a great bar scene. The wine list is extensive and the service is fine. BUT the food is definitely not up to the decor or prices except for the natural oysters. We tired chicken/steak and fish. The decor is much better. And the security guard/doorman is out of a bad movie
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Nice dining brunch experience
Salmon Benedict was very good. Warm shrimp salad (dressing on the side) was great. Shrimp were so fresh and tasty. You get 4 shrimp with the salad. Mushroom soup was rich and flavorful. Bread basket comes with the meal. Service was fine. Loud, upbeat atmosphere.
I have been meaning to go to this restaurant for years and it did not disappoint. My scallops were superb, but I had not noticed that they come with lentils. I am generally not a big lentil fan, but the sauce they were in was just scrumptious. I enthusiastically lapped the lentils up with the crusty French bread.
The Sancerre by the glass was outstanding.
I was hosting 2 very senior foreign friends, without going into details I did something that was a diplomatic faux pas. Luckily for me, my waiter very agilely fixed the situation. Quick thinking on his part, for which I was very grateful.
My friends enjoyed their branzino and salmon. My Middle Eastern friend had formerly lived in Paris and was very complimentary of both the food and our waiter's mastery of French.
The bill seemed to be a good value. I had expected to pay somewhat more.
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Last Reply by FluffyStar64 (03/30/2022 5:42 pm)
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It can be under your name or a name you choose! Some reservation offers already include the AppointmentTrader Transfer Service which will transfer the reservation in to your name. If its not included you can add it on after buying the reservation for a small fee. One thing on that though: As many reservations become available at last minute, taking a reservation in someone else name is quick and great for privacy. Most reservations on AT are listed with a virtual phone number, so all you need to do is present the phone number at the hostess stand and you are good to go!
Best answer by ColorfulRod45 (07/09/2021 5:17 pm)